The Navarra Center for International Development (NCID) Director Luis Ravina paid his annual visit to Nairobi, Kenya, from the last 21st to 26th of November. Research assistant David Soler came with in the trip, where important meetings were held with friends at Strathmore University as well as other colleagues at the east african country.
The core mission of the visit was to strengthen relationships with Strathmore University and particularly its Business School in order to foster a deep collaboration between both in investigation and exchange of researchers. In this context Prof. Ravina and Soler met with Godfrey Madigu, professor at the Strathmore University Institute of Mathematical Sciences and former NCID research assistant. Madigu was very interested in dedicating more of his time to investigation and was keen to come in the Kenyan summer holidays, from January to March, to Pamplona to advance in his research. Furthermore, he was interested in taking an active role in a research centre on development economics coordinated by both Strathmore University and the NCID.
Prof. Madigu also introduced to Prof. Ravina some last-year students interested in studying the Master in Economics and Finance at the University of Navarra. As with research assistant Prince Muraguri, the NCID looks forward to receive master students which can collaborate with the center.
In this matter Prof. Ravina also met with Robert Mudida, professor of Political Economy at Strathmore Business School and NCID non-resident fellow. Prof. Mudida also directs the Institute for Public Policy and Governance of Strathmore Business School and he was keen to see the NCID to take a greater involvement in the investigation done at the research center. Furthermore, Prof. Mudida and Prof. Ravina agreed that it would be great to organize a development economics research workshop in Nairobi on September 2019 to boost the center as a leader in investigation and foster knowledge sharing between researchers.
Furthermore, the NCID Director also met with Strathmore University Vice Chancellor Vincent Ogutu and Prof. John Olukuru, whom both supported the idea of increasing resources towards investigation on development economics. Prof. Olukuru also looked forward to establish research stays at each others university for professors, as well as resuming the course on development which brought 25 students from Strathmore University to Pamplona last 2017.
Lastly, at Strathmore University the two NCID members also met with two University of Navarra exchange students in Nairobi, Mario Pérez and Quico Montuenga. Both shared their experience and said they highly recommend the program to further students at Pamplona.
Aside from Strathmore University, Prof. Ravina and Soler also visited Andrew Olea, founder of the Eastlands College of Technology. Olea walked us through the campus and explained that they work to prepare students out of secondary school to the labor market on a dual training system which combines lectures and internships at local industries.
Soler also met with Primož Kovačič, co-founder and director of Spatial Collective, who was one of the three speakers at the recent NCID Workshop on Urban Issues in Developing Countries. Kovačič introduced him to his team at their office and took him to explore the slums of Mathare and Kibera with locals.
All in all, it was a short, but intense and fruitful travel which has the prospects of delivering great opportunities for projects and collaborations for NCID.