Obreal, alongside a diverse consortium of partners, successfully launched the IMPACT HE project in Barcelona from February 24 to 26, 2025. Co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building for Higher Education program, IMPACT HE is a structural initiative designed to strengthen African universities as key agents of local development.
IMPACT HE focuses on enhancing the capacities of universities in Kenya and Ethiopia to manage international cooperation projects effectively, reinforcing their institutional monitoring mechanisms, and strengthening offices responsible for partnerships and outreach. A key component of the project is developing tools to map and assess international cooperation investments, ensuring alignment with regional and national development goals.
A Dynamic and Interactive Kick-Off Meeting
The three-day meeting, hosted at the Universitat de Barcelona, gathered representatives from universities, ministries, and academic organizations from Africa and Europe. The agenda combined strategic discussions, working group sessions, and bilateral meetings to refine the project’s roadmap.
The event featured a dynamic opening panel where experts from DAAD, VLIR-UOS, and EDUFI discussed innovative approaches to inverting traditional development cooperation models. Participants engaged in workpackage discussions, reviewing the first project deliverables, mapping out key milestones, and establishing quality monitoring strategies. A communications and key messaging workshop, led by Obreal, helped define outreach strategies and engagement tactics to maximize the project’s impact.
The event concluded with a synergies session, bringing together partners from three continents to explore interregional collaboration opportunities, setting the stage for Obreal’s 3rd Interregional Dialogue on Education and Development in Colombia this November.
Next steps
The IMPACT HE kick-off meeting marked the beginning of a collaborative journey aimed at fostering meaningful, sustainable higher education partnerships between Africa and Europe. With a strong foundation set, the consortium will now focus on implementing activities that reinforce the role of African universities in shaping policies, managing international cooperation, and driving development.
