Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), through its Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS), has established a significant international academic partnership with the University of Virginia under the Global Educator Opportunity Fellowship, a collaboration designed to deepen interdisciplinary teaching and embed global perspectives within university curricula.
The initiative is led by Prof. Kathryn Quissell from UVA’s Global Public Health Program and Twesige Emmanuel, Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences at MMU, whose professional relationship began during the Mandela Washington Fellowship at UVA in mid-2025. Their shared academic interests in social policy, public health, and human rights laid the foundation for a partnership that now seeks to bridge continents through innovative teaching and collaborative learning.
The partnership focuses on integrating global content into existing undergraduate courses while creating opportunities for students to engage with contemporary global issues in a practical and interactive way. Through a Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning (VE/COIL) approach, students from both institutions will participate in joint academic experiences that combine theory with real-world application, working in cross-national teams to examine complex questions around health policy and human rights.
These efforts will also contribute to the development of a new jointly delivered course titled “Health Policy and Human Rights: Interdisciplinary Perspectives,” expected to bring together learners from MMU and UVA in a shared virtual classroom beginning in 2027.
Already, the collaboration is taking shape through reciprocal teaching engagements and academic exchanges. Twesige Emmanuel is currently contributing to teaching at UVA, where he is sharing insights from the African context, particularly his experience in community engagement and peacebuilding, while guiding students to think critically about culturally responsive approaches to health service delivery.
In turn, Prof. Kathryn Quissell is expected to visit MMU later within this year to deliver guest lectures and engage with both students and faculty, further strengthening academic ties between the two institutions. Alongside these teaching exchanges, structured discussions with university leadership and faculty are being held to explore avenues for sustained cooperation, including joint research, curriculum development, and broader institutional partnerships, with UVA providing full financial support for the ongoing phase of the program.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Twesige noted that the experience has created a valuable platform for sharing African perspectives in global academic spaces while fostering interdisciplinary understanding of health policy and human rights.
Prof. Kathryn expressed optimism about the partnership, emphasizing the mutual learning that has already taken place and her enthusiasm for expanding opportunities for both students and faculty through innovative teaching and research engagements. She highlighted the importance of experiential learning in shaping globally-aware graduates and reaffirmed her commitment to contributing to academic programs at MMU.
The Dean of FHSS Dr. Fredrick Mutabaruka commended the efforts behind the partnership and emphasized its potential to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and cross-cultural competencies required to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.
As the collaboration progresses, it is expected to produce a range of academic and institutional benefits, including the development of shared learning modules, the establishment of a functional virtual exchange platform, and the formalization of the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding between MMU and UVA.
Beyond these immediate outcomes, the initiative is anticipated to grow into a long-term academic relationship characterized by continuous course offerings, expanded research collaboration, and opportunities for student and staff exchanges.