A multi-floors Auditorium construction in progress,
With the breakout of the COVID-19 in 2020, all countries worldwide suffered severe damage. UNESCO estimates that over 1.5 billion students in 165 countries are out of education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has forced the global academic community to explore new ways of teaching and learning, including distance and online education, due to the ban on social gatherings caused by COVID-19. In addition, the developing countries with underdeveloped online infrastructure were hit by the damage in their higher education.
With the strong belief in “A friend in need is a friend indeed!”, HGU actively has been supporting the partner university after receiving a request from Kumi university, Uganda for help.
Strengthening Cooperative Bond Between
Handong Global University and Kumi University
in the Midst of the Covid-19 Crisis
A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed!
“It was a great help to have a friend to overcome the difficulties together in this harsh pandemic.” Professor Mutya Tomasi of Kumi University, Uganda, expressed his gratitude for Handong Global University’s support. He was concerned about the disruptions of education for the Ugandan students in the midst of this serious pandemic. However, Kumi University was able to continue its education by utilizing the online system and education resources Handong supported.
As a UNESCO University Twinning and Networking (UNITWIN) host institution and member institution of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), Handong Global University (Hereafter “ HGU”) has been supporting the capacity building in the higher education institutions for sustainable development of developing countries.
In particular, with the breakout of the COVID-19 in 2020, all countries worldwide suffered severe damage. UNESCO estimates that over 1.5 billion students in 165 countries are out of education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has forced the global academic community to explore new ways of teaching and learning, including distance and online education, due to the ban on social gatherings caused by COVID-19. In addition, the developing countries with underdeveloped online infrastructure were hit by the damage in their higher education.
With the strong belief in “A friend in need is a friend indeed!”, HGU actively has been supporting the partner university after receiving a request from Kumi university, Uganda for help.
In early 2020 when spread of COVID-19 began, Kumi University in Uganda, a close partner university of HGU, requested HGU support in its difficult situation in education by the COVID-19. HGU immediately responded to the request by providing accounts for the online meeting platform and covering the charge of the internet fee at the university for 6 months. Furthermore, in 2021, HGU supported the cost for improving internet speed and expanding internet networks. And now, HGU is supporting the additional internet data charges for 5 months to cope with the continuing COVID-19 outbreak.
Despite the difficulties in shipping and other logistical aspects, HGU tried its best to cooperate closely with Kumi University. HGU has shipped over 135 textbooks and 30 bookshelves for the library at Kumi University to improve educational infrastructure. This year, HGU took a step towards improving the educational environment at Kumi University. As a result, HGU has supported 300 desks and chairs.
“Kumi University will also try to become an institution that can help the community and the world just as HGU has been doing.” Professor Mutya Tomasi of Kumi University added. Even now, HGU has been trying to strengthen its cooperation with Kumi University by communicating closely.
with Minister Jessica Alupo Rose at Ministry of Education and Sports
in Uganda in 2014 (Photo credit – HGU)
Turning the COVID-19 Crisis into a growth opportunity for Kumi University
Kumi University was founded in 1999 in Kumi, Uganda, to meet the demands of the local community. In particular, the University aims to develop the community by providing high-quality education to students in Kumi with lacking access to higher education. Although Kumi University is located in rural northeastern Uganda, it is constantly striving to provide the best education for the development of students and the Kumi community.
Kumi University tried to expand its international network to overcome regional limitations and provide high-quality education. Kumi University’s endeavor for community and students was conveyed to HGU, cooperation between the two educational institutions began since the date of signing the MOU in March 2014. Throughout the 8 years of collaboration, Kumi University and HGU proceed with the ‘Start-up Incubating & Development Program’ to elevate the local community’s standard of living through the start-up. HGU supported various training on start-up capacity building, entrepreneurship mindset, appropriate technology, and Kumi University developed the start-up items through the training. The collaboration between the 2 institutions has continued until now, even after the breakout of the COVID-19 through online communication.
Kumi University actively optimized international networks to improve the education environment. Especially when students and faculty members were forced to leave the university due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Kumi University continued to improve the educational environment to be ready for students to return to university. Through the support of HGU, Kumi University upgraded the library environment and improved the online system. In addition, Kumi University has set up an additional 100 computers for online education through the South Korean Embassy in Uganda.
Kumi University has been challenged in education as much as other universities due to the breakout of the COVID-19. However, Kumi University went up 10 places from 38th to 27th among universities in Uganda despite the challenging environment. Leading factors for growth were the active international networks, improvement of an online system, and above all, the university’s endeavor to prioritize students’ sustainable development in education.
Kumi University’s passion continues to expand to other areas of the country. Just as HGU supports education capacity building for Uganda, Kumi University is currently conducting a scholarship project for refugees in South Sudan, the bordering country, despite its challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Even when the university is closed due to the COVID-19, Kumi University provided accommodation and continuous education for students from South Sudan who have nowhere to go
At the MOU renewal meeting between the HGU and Kumi University in July 2021, the president of Kumi University expressed his gratitude for HGU’s support and revealed Kumi University’s ambition to become an institute that expands the value of cooperation just as HGU has been doing. President Soon-Heung Chang of HGU added. “HGU is delighted in supporting Kumi University, which is trying to influence the community and neighbors for a positive change.”
Expanding Higher Education and Overcoming the Crisis through the UNESCO UNITWIN Network
The unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 has dampened higher education around the world. However, the network cooperation among universities has become closer, even though the mutual physical visit to the university is not as possible as before.
HGU, which has networks with a total of 35 countries, 77 universities, and 17 institutions, has been discussing countermeasures with partner universities and sharing educational resources to cope with the COVID-19. In 2020, HGU provided 140 online lectures to 9 universities in 14 countries and supported 1,336 textbooks to 22 universities in 12 countries. In addition, HGU supported online educational equipment to HGU-ASEAN Start-up Innovation Centers in 4 different countries and supported developing countries with E-journals to prevent the suspension of education due to the covid-19 breakout. Furthermore, HGU established the LMS (Learning Management System) platform for developing countries and is now running off the LMS pilot program for Myanmar and Cambodia.
In 2020, HGU held two webinars with partner universities under the theme of “impact of COVID-19 on higher education” and “Global Economic Challenges and opportunity by the COVID-19”. This year, HGU held the International Conference on Post-Pandemic Globalization, Innovation, and Sustainability. HGU is continuing to seek opportunities for cooperation with network universities to cope with the COVID-19 era.
Although the COVID-19 caused a significant crisis in higher education, it accelerated cooperation among the universities to overcome the crisis. In the COVID-19 era, cooperation became a necessity, not a condition. HGU will continue to communicate through the UNESCO UNITWIN Network and take the lead in expanding higher education to contribute to achieving the SDGs 4. (Quality education)
Figure 5. Textbook supports for RGSBE in Uzbekistan in 2020 (Photo credit – RGSBE)
Figure 6. International Conference on Post-Pandemic Globalization, Innovation,
and Sustainability in June 2021 (Photo credit – HGU)
