Group projects 2016

39 delegates, made up of postgraduate and final year undergraduate students from 14 Commonwealth countries, participated in a challenging group project during the 2016 ACU Commonwealth Summer School.

The project specification was to plan in detail a project to be carried out in partnership between universities in two Commonwealth countries, in order to address one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Working under pressure in very limited time, the group had to produce a high-quality academic poster and a project summary to illustrate their project in detail before presenting their work in front of a panel of judges.

The judging panel consisted of Professor Urmilla Bob, Dean of Research and Professor of Geography, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Professor Mammo Muchie, DST/NRF Research Professor of Innovation Studies at the Institute of Economics Research on Innovation, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa; Ambassador Dr Charles Murigande, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, University of Rwanda; and Heather Ndlovu, Research Uptake Management Officer and Lecturer, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Zimbabwe.

• For more highlights from the 2016 ACU Commonwealth Summer School, read this and this.

The winning group

The winning group, Group 3, proposed the creation of an East African Refugee Research Network (EARRN), involving a collaboration between the Centre for Refugee Studies at Moi University in Kenya and the Refugee Law Project at Makerere University in Uganda. The group explained that their project aimed to 'strengthen East Africa’s capacity to deal with refugees and foster greater social cohesion through their successful integration into society'. This initiative focuses on SDG 16: Peace, Security and Justice.

Stephen Aeko from Uganda Martyrs University, Kezia Campbell from the University of Guyana, Stephanie Craig from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Oyedibu Oyebayo Oloyede from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, and James Otieno from Moi University in Kenya made up the winners.

• The winning poster (.pdf)
• The winning project summary (.pdf)

Round-up of group work

Group 1’s project focused on the promotion of recycling in Kenya and Pakistan to address SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

• Group 1 poster (.pdf)
• Group 1 summary (.pdf)

Group 2’s project aimed to tackle inequalities in Pakistan and Uganda, addressing SDG 10: Reducing Inequalities.

• Group 2 poster (.pdf)
• Group 2 summary (.pdf)

Group 4 proposed a malaria prevention and control project working across Bangladesh and Rwanda. This addresses SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing.

• Group 4 poster (.pdf)
• Group 4 summary (.pdf)

Group 5 envisaged an exchange of skills to promote sustainable economic growth in Rwanda and South Africa, thus addressing SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

• Group 5 poster (.pdf)
• Group 5 summary (.pdf)

Group 6 focused on capacity building through communication in Rwanda and the UK, addressing SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

• Group 6 poster (.pdf)
• Group 6 summary (.pdf)

Group 7 aimed to promote student engagement in the sustainability of cities within India and Uganda, with a focus on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

• Group 7 poster (.pdf)
• Group 7 summary (.pdf)

Group 8 looked at expanding university enrolment via collaboration between institutions in Australia and Rwanda, to address SDG 4: Quality Education.

• Group 8 poster (.pdf)
• Group 8 summary (.pdf)