吃瓜头条 continues to reinforce its internationalisation agenda. On Friday, 25th July 2025, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Paul Wainaina, hosted a high-level delegation from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece, for a courtesy call.
The visiting delegation, led by Prof. Maria Papantoni, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and International Relations, is in the country under a mobility partnership agreement between the two institutions, implemented within the Erasmus+ KA1 International Credit Mobility Project of the European Union.
The team was hosted by the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC-EA), which has been instrumental in facilitating bilateral relations between the two universities since 2019.
The Panteion University delegation included:
- Gerassimos Prodromitis 鈥� Vice-Rector for Administrative, Student Affairs & Digital Governance
- Phaedra Glicka 鈥� Researcher, Panteion University
- Antonia Tsitseli 鈥� Researcher, Panteion University
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Paul Wainaina, welcomed the delegation, highlighting the long-standing and fruitful relationship between KU and institutions in Greece, including Panteion and the University of Piraeus, in Greece as well. 鈥淥ur partnership with Panteion University dates back to 2019. It is anchored in real impact, having benefitted over 30 staff and students through academic mobilities under the Erasmus+ consortium involving five European universities,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e value the international outlook this relationship offers and appreciate your continued hospitality during our annual visits to Greece.鈥�
He noted聽KU鈥檚 strengths in international relations, tourism, diplomacy, and hospitality,聽as well as its leadership in performing arts, sports science, and support for persons with disabilities, with over 80% of KU鈥檚 PWD student population provided with full-time academic support assistants.
Prof. Wainaina, himself a philosopher, shared his appreciation for the cross-cultural and intellectual opportunities such partnerships offer, citing, 鈥淚 am deeply encouraged by the potential for deeper collaboration in philosophical thought, global citizenship, and the pursuit of meaning in education.鈥�
Prof. Maria Papantoni, on her part, affirmed the strength of KU-Panteion ties and emphasised her institution鈥檚 commitment to fostering international collaborations, despite its focus on social sciences and humanities. 鈥淲hile we are not a comprehensive university like KU, we pride ourselves on our depth in social and political studies. Our partnership with KU continues to reflect the shared value we place on meaningful research, student empowerment, and global engagement.鈥�
She added that they are currently exploring cross-cultural research projects, including one examining the philosophy of the meaning of life, where KU鈥檚 leadership in humanities and philosophical thought could make a unique contribution.
Prof. Waceke Wanjohi, DVC (Academic), provided a comprehensive overview of KU鈥檚 academic strength and diversity, noting:
- KU is ranked number one in Kenya for academic excellence.
- It is the only Kenyan institution offering聽niche disciplines聽like Biomedical Engineering and Petroleum and Gas Engineering.
- KU is the only University that secured government funding to establish the National Physical Rehabilitation Centre (NPRC).
- It hosts globally recognised initiatives such as the USAID HERO project, Women鈥檚 Economic Empowerment Hub (WEE Hub), and the YALI Regional Leadership Centre (East Africa), the latter sustained through the Transformation Fund model.
She further reflected on her recent Erasmus+ mobility visit to Greece, praising the learning experience and the mutual value derived from such engagements.
Prof. Perez Onono, Executive Dean, SBET, echoed the importance of deepening collaboration, particularly in tourism, economics, social policy, and the science of sport. 鈥淥ur School has comprehensive sporting and physical education programmes, with world-class facilities and expertise. We are open to exploring new joint research and dual degree models in these areas.鈥�
Dr. Esther Munyiri, Director, KU-GTRCMC-EA, underlined the Centre鈥檚 role in driving the KU-Panteion partnership forward. She traced the origin of the collaboration to the initial 2019 visit, noting that it has since grown into a model of sustainable academic cooperation. 鈥淲e are also co-developing a capacity-building project鈥攖he 鈥�3Is鈥欌�攆ocused on strengthening universities outside the Erasmus+ ecosystem.鈥�
Both parties agreed that there is rich potential to deepen the collaboration through policy co-development, student-led initiatives, and intercultural research. The Vice-Chancellor challenged the institutions to harness youth voices and creativity to unlock the full potential of the partnership. 鈥淲hen we equip students to lead these relationships, we guarantee their sustainability and relevance in tomorrow鈥檚 global society,鈥� Prof. Wainaina said.
The courtesy visit concluded with an exchange of ideas, reaffirmation of shared values, and a mutual commitment to chart a bolder, more collaborative future between the two institutions. The team also had a tour of 吃瓜头条鈥檚 premises along with Satellite Campuses.