Ag. DVC AA, R&I Prof. Livingstone Ngoo (third right) takes a group photo with the MMU Austria bound postdoctoral research team led by Dr. David Wafula Wekesa (right), during a farewell meeting on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
Multimedia University of Kenya Renewable Energy Research Consortium (RERC) Team Lead Dr. David Wafula Wekesa and four postgraduate degree students in renewable energy and technology, are set to visit University of Linz in Austria to participate in a postdoctoral training under the Erasmus+ EU-funded staff mobility grants.
Dr. Wekesa, who is also the Postdoctoral Researcher, said the research is on investigation of polymeric encapsulant films for solar photovoltaics using dielectric analysis materials, and has been funded under Erasmus+ Mobility Exchange Program.
Ag. DVC AA, R&I Prof. Livingstone Ngoo shakes hand with Brigitte Omondi, one of the Renewable Energy Postdoctoral Research Team heading to Austria. Looking on is the Team Lead Dr. David Wafula Wekesa.
“Erasmus+ Mobility Exchange Program is an initiative from the European Union that allows students and staff to temporarily live and study in another country,” said Dr. Wekesa adding that the programme is designed to promote cultural exchange, enhance education, and provide practical experiences in various European and partner countries.
Dr. Wekesa, together with the MMU postgraduate students; Mark Too, Faith Malei, Brigitte Omondi and Kelvin Mutua will be undertaking their exchange program in Austria for a duration of ten months beginning September 2024 to June 2025.
Ag. DVC AA, R&I Prof. Livingstone Ngoo shakes hand with Faith Malei, one of the Renewable Energy Postdoctoral Research Team heading to Austria.
“The Erasmus+ staff mobility grant is a highly competitive EU-funded grant that helps finance EU staff training mobility with other Erasmus+ partner institutions. The grant covers research activities that include, development of a joint paper, data collection and presentation of research outcomes for early career researchers and postdoctoral fellows,” revealed Dr. Wekesa.
Ag. DVC AA, R&I Prof. Livingstone Ngoo shakes hand with Mark Too, one of the Renewable Energy Postdoctoral Research Team heading to Austria.
Speaking during a farewell meeting with the team, MMU Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academic Affairs Research and Innovation Prof. Livingstone Ngoo said that MMU regards the mobility of all its staff and students as an important means to fostering personal and professional development.
Prof. Ngoo wished the MMU team well while noting that the proposed mobility programme is in line with Kenya’s Big 4 Agenda, particularly manufacturing sector that will contribute to knowledge-base and provision of affordable and clean energy.
Ag. DVC AA, R&I Prof. Livingstone Ngoo shakes hand with Kelvin Mutua, one of the Renewable Energy Postdoctoral Research Team heading to Austria.
Kenya being party to Paris Agreement on climate action and commitment to invest and shift to clean energy, the proposed mobility programme is a timely initiative that will accelerate the realization of the shift to clean energy.
