Els

Dear Daniel, about 12 years ago we started collaborating, your university in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and my university in Hasselt, Belgium. You visited us for the first time to attend a joint master thesis defense in June 2013. Since then, the number of joint research and education activities has only grown.

The intensity of the current collaboration between our universities doesn’t stay unnoticed. Since 2021, our universities are connected in a 10-year VLIR UOS IUC-programme in which we aim at training 44 PhD students and 40 Master students, amongst other things. People often ask me: how did it all start? Not out of mere curiosity but rather to know how to build such a successful collaboration. What would be your answer?

One of the main ingredients, according to me, is ‘human connection’. Finding a reliable contact with shared interests and vigor is key. For us, it started with a recommendation of some influential professors in Belgium (prof. Han Verschure) and Tanzania (prof. Livin Mosha) who had built a professional relationship and friendship long before – I’ll be forever grateful that they’ve shared their network so generously. So I reached out, and there you were…

And it worked. Since then, we’ve contributed to successful project applications: a VLIR UOS South Initiative, multiple Erasmus+ Credit Mobility Projects, UHasselt Incentive Fund projects, BOF-BILA applications. And we’ve submitted projects that failed to convince the donors: VLIR UOS Team projects, Erasmus+ Capacity Building projects... That didn’t stop us from trying, though. Several people joined the BE-TZ-team on both sides and eventually, all together, we managed to win an impactful VLIR UOS IUC-programme to build capacity at Ardhi University. All this time, you had been my loyal partner-in-crime.

So of course it was a bombshell when you announced that you would leave Ardhi University in 2022. A prestigious job at the Tanzanian Central Bank was waiting for you. I could have known that a talent like you would be headhunted one day. Luckily, a solid foundation for the collaboration between our universities was already set at that time, and the IUC programme is in safe hands with the coordinators, prof. Gabriel Kassenga and prof. Rob Cuyvers, their management team and all the sub project team leaders and team members.

And luckily, time has shown that switching jobs doesn’t necessarily mean that the connection will be lost. You are still there. I know that I can call you when I need advice related to our collaboration. I know that you are still keen to see how the projects evolve.

In February 2023 in Tanzania, together we’ve celebrated one of our many activities: 10 years of student exchanges in architecture. We threw a pizza party for the Tanzanian exchange alumni. It was heartwarming to hear their enthusiastic stories about one year of studies in Belgium and the impact that this has had on their personal and professional development. It was moving to feel their gratitude towards the people who have helped to make this happen. Maybe in life, it is not so much about what you achieve, but what you mean to other people?

Daniel, my friend, you mean a lot to me. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you for being there.

Regards to Prisca and your lovely daughters, Camila and Pamela.

Warmly,

Els