1. Origin and goal of the cooperation
In 2013, Prof. Dr. Wilfried Echterhoff, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, sort contact with scientists in Kenya who are leaders in the field of psychology:
Prof. Dr. Priscilla Kariuki, Chair, Department of Psychology, University of Nairobi, and Dr. Gladys Mwiti, founder and CEO of Oasis Africa Center for Transformational Psychology and Trauma.
The aim of the cooperation was, and still is, to work together with other scientists in Kenya and Germany and, above all, to carry out joint research projects.
With the support of various people and institutions, for example, the then representative of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Nairobi, Dr Christoph Hansert, a first working session was held in Nairobi in 2013. The session in Nairobi was attended by, among others, Professor Josephine Arasa Nyaboke from the United States International University of Africa (USIU). The speakers' topics specified needed improvements in the personality factors of the so-called Big Five Personality Traits and the role of self-efficacy in workers.
Through Dr. Michaela Heinecke-Müller, Prof. Dr. Claudia Quaiser-Pohl, Institute of Psychology at the University of Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz Campus, joined this initiative and also to take a leading role.
2. Examples of joint activities
Smaller studies on various experiences, for example, self-efficacy, culturally specific experience and the Ubuntu cultural sphere were carried out. Then came the participation in the first pan-African meeting on research and practice in psychology, organised by the Pan-African Psychology Union (PAPU) in Durban.
3. Implementation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Koblenz-Landau, UoN and USIU.
The implementation of the MoU took the following forms:
- Bilateral lectures and courses both physical and online, for example, the RoKoNairo project so called because two town universities were linked to communicate through robots ( that is, Robot-Koblenz- Nairobi)
- Joint publications- a sample of this outcome can be obtained using the following title or link: Revisiting the Big Five Personality Factors - Proceedings of the Bilateral Workshop 22nd-29th Feb 2016 Nairobi. (2) (PDF) Revisiting the Big Five Personality Factors - Proceedings of the Bilateral Workshop 22nd-29th Feb 2016 Nairobi (researchgate.net)
- Exchange of professors and students- Several Professors and students were able to visit Kenya or Germany
- Start of development of psychological tests to measure self-efficacy and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for use in Kenya. A meting was held at the University Of Nairobi Faculty Of Arts and Social Sciences Dean’s Boardroom. This was a joint meeting between Koblenz University and University of Nairobi staff, most of whom were from the Department of Psychology.
- Application for joint DFG projects- This proposal was championed by Prof. Wilfried Echterhoff.
4. Key participants
4.1 Those involved at the University of Koblenz were:
(i) Prof. Dr. Claudia Quaiser-Pohl, Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University, who is also the Vice President for Research and Transfer (contact person for cooperation)
(ii) Prof. Dr. Wilfried Echterhoff, cooperation partner and regular lecturer at the Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University
(iii) Prof. Dr. Eva Neidhardt, Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University
(iv) Dr. Phil. Michaela Heinecke-Müller, Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University
(v) Dr. phil. M. Sc. Lea-Christin Wickord, Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University
(vi) B. Sc. Mirko Saunders, Head of the Laboratory for Biopsychological-Experimental Psychological Research at the Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University
- Junior Professor Dr. Fabian Wolff, Institute of Psychology, Koblenz University
- Prof. Dr. Wiebke Warburg, Institute of Education, Koblenz University
4.2 Participants from the University of Nairobi and the United States International University (Africa) were:
(i) Prof. Dr. Priscilla Kariuki, Department of Psychology, University of Nairobi
Prof. Dr. Josephine Arasa Nyaboke, Department of Psychology, United States International University (Africa)
Prof. Dr. Ruthie Rono, Department of Psychology, United States International University (Africa)
Prof. Dr. Charles Kimamo, Department of Psychology, University of Nairobi
Prof. Dr. Ephraim Wahome, Department of History and Archeology, University of Nairobi (He was the dean of the Faculty where Psychology is based)
Dr. Gladys Mwiti, founder and CEO of Oasis Africa
Dr. Susan Wamae, Department of Psychology, University of Nairobi
5. Funding
The cooperation was funded by:
- German Research Foundation (DFG),
- German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD),
- ERASMUS+,
- Donations from private individuals.
6. Further development of the cooperation (2024)
It is expected that the cooperation will be continued through, among other things:
a) Research in
- Measurement of self-efficacy
- Development of a Kenyan PTSD scale in line with ICD-11,
- A comparative study of problematic smartphone use in different cultural settings
- Role of games in promoting cognitive skills and
- Empowerment of girls for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sectors.
b) Continuation of student and lecturer exchange-
This is expected to continue through DAAD and Erasmus + programmes
(c) Mutual supervision of research projects and thesis
At present, there is already a doctoral student from the USIU studying at Koblenz University on a DAAD scholarship. Three other students from the University of Nairobi will benefit from co- supervision of their PhD theses
