Meet Jonas Salvisberg and Leonie Loher, Bachelor of Journalism students from ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences.
Salvisberg and Loher are students in MMU-ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, an hybrid exchange program, which offers journalism and communication students the opportunity to study for at least one semester in Kenya. Likewise, the partnership allows MMU journalism students to spend a semester in Zurich before graduation.
According to Faculty of Media and Communication Associate Dean, Prof. Wilsom Ugangu, the MMU-ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences partnership commenced in 2012 after signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two institutions through the Institute of Applied Media Studies ( IAM).
“This was followed by a joint research initiative funded by a Swiss Foundation,” said Prof. Ugangu, revealing that the research initiative culminated in publication of the study’s findings in 2014, titled Shortcomings of Communication with Small Farmers in Agricultural Knowledge Transfer in Kenya – African Communication Research, (Spurk, C., Schanne, M., Mak’Ochieng, M. & Ugangu, W. (2014).
“Key areas of collaboration includes; student and staff exchanges, joint research activities, and learning from each other to improve capacity in the teaching of media and communication among others,”said Prof. Ugangu.
He said the academics from the two institutions have continued to work closely together. “In 2023, Dr. Guido Keel from IAM participated in the EACA annual conference in Kigali Rwanda, courtesy of the MMU-ZHAW partnership,” said Prof. Wilson Ugangu adding that he has also participated in various scholarly events in Switzerland and Germany, with the support of the IAM.