The University of Kansas Hosts Mogadishu University Official

On Thursday April 27th 2006 The University of Kansas African Studies Center, the African and African American and Political Science departments held a seminar titled " From African Renaissance to African Pragmatism: The Landscape of Contemporary African Politics" featuring Dr. Abdinur Sh. Mohamed, Mogadishu University Representative of North America as its keynote Speaker.

The University of Kansas has a faculty and educational exchange agreement with Mogadishu University. To celebrate the KU-MU agreement Dr. Mohamud was invited to speak to the faculty and students of the University of Kansas on Somalia, the challenges of establishing a university in a stateless society and the progress made by Mogadishu University since its inception in 1997.

Dr. Mohamud thanked the University of Kansas for its kind hospitality, conveyed greetings from Mogadishu University and shared with the audience visual presentation that included video and powerpoint presentations showcasing the university's nine years of academic success and educational development. Dr. Mohamed emphasized the need to establish global educational partnerships to help expand capacity for educational opportunities at Mogadishu University for youth graduating from high schools throughout the country.

Dr. Mohamud held numerous talks with faculty and administration officials of the University of Kansas. As an outcome of this meeting the Two Universities have agreed to establish a distance education program. A series of courses will be provided on-line with a course on research methods being the first to be offered in the spring semester -January 2007.

A reception honoring Dr. Mohamud and the KU-MU partnership was held at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas. KU students, faculty as well as Somali students and community leaders of the Kansas area ware all present. Dr. Mohamud thanked the audience and answered questions about educational developments in Somalia and Mogadishu University.