From June 2 to 6, 2025, 28 master’s degree students and advisors from the US International University (USIU) in Nairobi, Kenya, visited the School of Business at Mainz University of Applied Sciences. Their visit was part of an academic exchange program and combined academic content with intercultural and regional impressions.
Guests were met with a wide-ranging program including:
Workshops and specialized lectures on topics such as intercultural skills, international trade policy, innovation in Germany, international financial markets, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), corporate visits to well-known companies in the region, including SIMONA AG, Döhler, Henkell Freixenet, the Deutsche Bundesbank in Frankfurt, and a stadium tour of the MEWA ARENA, cultural activities such as a city tour of Mainz, outings to Wiesbaden and Frankfurt including shopping opportunities, and a scenic loop tour of the Rhine Valley near Rüdesheim and Bingen.
The visit kicked off with an interactive workshop on intercultural skills led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Hensel, who organized and oversaw the visit. Official welcome addresses then followed from Prof. Dr. Christoph Reiss (Dean) and Prof. Dr. Daniel Porath (International Affairs).
Mainz University of Applied Sciences has maintained close partnerships with universities in Africa for over 15 years. An official Memorandum of Understanding has now been signed with the US International University in Nairobi to foster academic and cultural exchange between teaching staff and students.
Prof. Dr. Claudia Hensel emphasized: “With Kenya, we now have the fourth East African country in our university network, alongside Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda.”
Mainz University of Applied Sciences is very pleased to receive support from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which recommends the university as an expert in higher education development with African partners.
