Strong links with Kenya for tourism: ‘an enrichment for education’

How did the partnership with Strathmore University come about

We met almost ten years ago at an international conference of a European network of hotel schools, which I was chairing at the time. During the conference we met people from several African universities, including Strathmore University in Kenya.

We decided to strengthen the links between African institutions and our European network by working together to organise the next edition of the conference. Strathmore University organised this with Saxion’s help. We got to know each other well through this partnership. The result was a fantastic conference in Nairobi. 

How did your partnership continue?

The Erasmus+ application was another step towards achieving more structural cooperation between our institutions. We wanted to create a programme that would support the international exchange of students and staff. The Erasmus funding has made this possible.

The exchanges are of great value to both Saxion and Strathmore University. Kenyan students regularly come to us for an exchange semester. A foreign experience helps students broaden their horizons and improve their skills. We see the students from Kenya as a valuable addition to the international composition of our English-language courses Tourism Management and Hotel Management.

What makes your partnership so valuable?

The partnership is an enrichment for the education of both universities. The insights of the Kenyan students and staff add an extra, intercultural dimension to our class discussions. In addition, Kenya is a major tourist destination and Nairobi is the economic heart of East Africa.

Conversely, Saxion teachers contribute to Strathmore University’s hospitality and tourism programmes. They give lectures in Nairobi on sustainable tourism, female entrepreneurship and data-driven decision-making. Trending topics in the industry. The lectures lead to interesting, in-depth conversations with students, for example on the topic of tourists visiting slums.

It is also a big advantage that English is the working language in Kenya. This means there is no language barrier and it is easy to understand each other and share documentation. The first Saxion students have now shown an interest in doing their minor at Strathmore.

Are the students from Kenya well-prepared for their exchange at Saxion?

The Kenyan students perform well during their exchange semester and we’ve noticed that they enjoy their time at Saxion. This success is mainly due to the attention paid to the preparation phase. Students on a tight budget are given extra incentives to take advantage of the exchange opportunity.

In the semester before the exchange, Strathmore colleagues select students and provide them with information. These colleagues have already visited Saxion and can prepare the students for the exchange based on their own experience. 

Hearing about the experiences of others plays a major role in making the decision to go abroad and it helps with preparation. To this end, prospective students are introduced to Strathmore students who have previously studied at Saxion. We also try to encourage students to study with us in pairs, so they can support each other.

We have a permanent coordinator for incoming exchange students who organises this kind of thing, and who also acts as a study coach for these students. This is vitally important for their study success. My colleague Adrienn Eros is doing a great job for our Hospitality Business School in this regard. Not only in the preparation phase, but also when the Kenyan students come to study with us at Saxion.

Are there plans to further expand the partnership in the future?

Definitely! Various initiatives have forged strong links between our institutions. We have explored the substantive similarities in Saxion's strategy and Strathmore's. This led to discussion on how data-driven decision-making is shaping tourism policy - something that we are already working on in our region, and that is also being worked on in Kenya by Strathmore and the Kenyan tourism board.

We are also looking at ways to broaden the scope of our partnership. Like Saxion, Strathmore also has a large number of degree programmes. One of our ideas is to find out if we can work together on setting up an Interior Design programme. I was recently invited to discuss this idea at a meeting with the Kenyan Association of Interior Designers in Nairobi. Plenty of inspiration for laying the foundations of a great partnership that can benefit our students, colleagues and the professional field!

Project Code:	2022-1-NL01-KA171-HED-000073435
Action Type:	KA171-HED - Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by external policy funds
Agency: NL01 - Nationaal Agentschap Erasmus+ Onderwijs Training