The University of Medical Sciences and Technology (UMST-Rwanda) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Global Platform for the South (GPS) to promote joint research, student exchanges and innovation among institutions across the Global South.
The memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday, October 21, by Prof Samir Shaheen, Vice Chancellor of UMST-Rwanda, and Prof. Jean-Pierre Karegeye, Executive Director of GPS, provides a framework for academic mobility, staff exchanges, joint research projects and knowledge sharing.
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Shaheen said the agreement would help turn South-South solidarity into practical academic programmes. Headquartered in Kigali, GPS connects universities, governments, industry, civil society and communities through regional hubs across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia.
"This partnership with the Global Platform for the South is significant because it turns our shared commitment to South-South solidarity into a structured framework for academic mobility, joint research, teaching, innovation, and knowledge exchange,” he said.
The partnership will also support postgraduate research, professional training, technology transfer, entrepreneurship and collaboration between universities, industries and investors.
It will create opportunities for young researchers through mentorship, leadership development and expanded access to international academic networks, with particular attention to underrepresented groups.
Karegeye said the agreement would help connect institutions and translate their expertise into practical benefits.
"This partnership reflects GPS’s commitment to connecting institutions across the Global South and translating knowledge into practice and action. UMST brings valuable expertise in education, healthcare and community service to this shared mission,” he said.
From Sudan to Rwanda
Founded in Khartoum, Sudan, in 1996, UMST expanded from two faculties and 60 students to 17 faculties, 27 postgraduate degree programmes and more than 8,000 students by 2021.
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The outbreak of war in Sudan in 2023 disrupted its operations in Khartoum, prompting the university to establish a campus in Kigali.
Shaheen said Rwanda&039;s support enabled the institution to continue educating students and conducting research despite the conflict.
"After the conflict in Sudan disrupted our operations in Khartoum in 2023, Rwanda welcomed us. Through ‘GO AFRICA’ and in collaboration with Rwandan institutions, including the University of Rwanda, we kept students and academics learning, teaching, and researching,” he said.
Rwanda has welcomed approximately 5,000 Sudanese students, most of whom are enrolled at UMST.
The university has also expanded its activities in Rwanda beyond academic training, establishing links with Kabutare and Nyanza hospitals and the Frontier Diagnostic Center.
Shaheen said the institution's presence in Rwanda reflects its commitment to connecting education with healthcare and community service.
"Today, our presence in Rwanda is a practical expression of Pan-Africanism. We not only educate professionals but also work within Rwanda’s healthcare system, supporting dental services at Kabutare and Nyanza hospitals,” he said.
Broader international cooperation
Under the agreement, UMST will lead GPS's Inclusive Health Department, drawing on its experience in medical education, clinical services and community engagement.
The two institutions intend to develop specific programmes through mutual agreement, with implementation guided by available resources and institutional academic approvals.
GPS has also facilitated cooperation between UMST and the International Cooperation Group of Brazilian Universities (GCUB), a network of 104 universities. The engagement resulted in a separate MoU intended to promote academic exchange, joint research and knowledge sharing between African and Brazilian institutions.
Shaheen said the partnership could help African institutions work with counterparts in other regions to develop solutions to shared challenges.
"For UMST, South-South cooperation means connecting African expertise with institutions and partners across Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, and turning knowledge into practical action,” he said.
He added that the university hoped to develop programmes that benefit students, researchers and communities through the platform's international network.