The University of Nairobi successfully concluded the Global Entrepreneurial Talent Management 4 (GETM4) International Sandpit with a closing dinner that celebrated a week of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange among participants drawn from seven countries across three continents.

The week-long programme that ran from July 20 to July 23, 2026, brought together researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in an intensive transdisciplinary engagement aimed at developing collaborative approaches to addressing complex societal challenges through research, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance, Planning and Development), Prof. Josiah Aduda, commended participants for embracing transdisciplinary collaboration and cultivating partnerships that transcend institutional and geographical boundaries.

Prof. Aduda noted that the true measure of the Sandpit's success would not be the activities undertaken during the week alone, but the enduring collaborations it inspires. He expressed optimism that the connections established would lead to joint research initiatives, innovation projects, student & staff exchanges and practical solutions that create meaningful and lasting societal impact.

He reaffirmed the University of Nairobi's commitment to strengthening research and innovation ecosystems through strategic international partnerships, entrepreneurship and collaboration among academia, government, industry and local communities. “These efforts are aligned with Kenya's Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), both of which recognize research, innovation, and enterprise as critical drivers of sustainable national development,” noted Prof Aduda.

Prof. Aduda further expressed appreciation to the European Union, the GETM4 Consortium, government partners, the University leadership, the organizing committee, facilitators, volunteers and all participants for their invaluable contribution to the success of the International Sandpit.

As the programme came to a close, he encouraged participants to sustain the networks and partnerships forged during the week, emphasizing the importance of translating the conversations and ideas initiated in Nairobi into long-term collaborations, impactful research and innovative solutions that address global and local challenges.

The successful conclusion of the GETM4 International Sandpit reinforces the University of Nairobi's position as a leading hub for international research collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurial talent development, while strengthening its commitment to advancing sustainable development through global partnerships.