Mozambique: Agreement with Chinese university

12 July 2007, AIM
URL: http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200707100954.html

Maputo:  A higher school of rural development, offering university degrees, will begin operating next year in the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, under a memorandum of understanding signed in Maputo on Tuesday between the country's oldest university, the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), and the Sichuan Agricultural University of China.

The purpose of the memorandum is to promote collaboration between the two universities in teaching, research and and other science and technology related activities.

Under the memorandum, the Chinese university pledges to provide all forms of support to the new school that will train students in matters of rural development.

The UEM Vice-Chancellor, Filipe Couto, who signed the memorandum, said that under the agreement China will also support the UEM agronomy, veterinary science and engineering faculties.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Administration and Resources, Angelo Macuacua, said that these three faculties provided the basis of support for the future school of rural development.

According to Couto, the Sichuan university has expressed an interest in supporting efforts to improve the quality of maize grown in Mozambique. This would involve improved seed production and better use of the country's water resources.

From the Chinese, Couto enthused. Mozambique could learn to move water from rives and lakes to areas frequently affected by drought Wen Xintian, the Vice-Chancellor of the Sichuan Agricultural University, said that the existence of the three key UEM faculties prepared the ground for his university to intervene. He stressed, in particular, the importance of improved seeds for boosting agricultural output.

Macuacua insisted that the new school will begin operation in Vilankulo district, in February 2008, providing bachelors' degrees. Initially, it will accommodate 300 students.