THE UNIVERSITY OF KINSHASA AND THE KATHOLIKE UNIVERSITY LEUVEN, INSEPARABLE IN RESEARCH!

The SGR report, dated June 30, 2022, provided an update after a visit to the Katholike University Leuven (KU Leuven) by the Rector, Professor Jean-Marie Kayembe, and the Secretary General for Research, Professor Antoine Tshimpi.
From 16 to 19 August, in keeping with academic diplomatic reciprocity, it was the turn of a delegation from KU Leuven to be received at the University of Kinshasa (Unikin). It included two Vice-Rectors: Professor Chris Van Geet, in charge of Biomedical Sciences and Global Development, and Professor Peter Lievens, in charge of International Relations, and Laurens Rademakers, Cooperation Advisor.

The festivities began with a warm welcome in front of the administrative building, on a par with the one reserved for the Unikin delegation in Leuven; the honors and fanfare of the Unikin university police, rich in its gender balance, were also part of it! The large and colorful tableau with the effigies of our Unikin Professors, in the spotlight since the end of March, continues to make our visitors dream and inspire; the example can also come from there, we least expect it!
University diplomacy Unikin-Leuven, while waiting for the Catholic University of Louvain, is determined to revive the very old links between the universities of Lovanium, on the basis of mutual respect and consideration, in a collaboration from a win-win angle.
Indeed, opening up to Africa and the world is one of the Lions Management Committee's policy priorities. Our participation in Una Europa at the end of May, sponsored by KU Leuven, was already part of this framework. KU Leuven, ranked among the most innovative universities in Europe from 2017 to 2021, undoubtedly has expertise to share with us.
The discussions focused on all possibilities, without exclusivity, of shared and optimized research, shared research of research funds, mobility and exchanges of researchers, the amplification of sandwich thesis programs, the development of new technologies, the development of scholarship programs, remote interventions of experts, etc.
The agenda included a real marathon, concocted on request and in agreement with our visitors;
Mr. Rector of Unikin and the SGR obviously accompanied our visitors during their tour:

• Wednesday, August 17, a rhythmic visit to the Faculty of Medicine, with its famous digital library (open to all), led by Dean Mbungu, then the University Clinics, led by the very efficient Vice-Dean and Medical Director Professor Jean-Robert Makulo, then the Higher School of Water with its cosmopolitan staff, coming from the 4 corners of Africa, led by its
  dynamic Director, Professor Tshimanga Raphaël, of the Neuro Psycho Pathological Center (CNPP), led by the Vice-Dean and Medical Director Professor Ngoma Valentin, very comfortable in Flemish, the school of public health dear to the DG Professor Désiré Mashinda, 4 labs of the Faculty of Sciences including the laboratory of Professor Théophile Mbemba, in the presence of the decanal staff led by Dean Professor Musesa, 4 laboratories of the Faculty of Polytechnic, in the presence of the Dean and Vice-Dean, Professors Kazadi and Beya, of our university museum, in science and economics, of the brand new higher school of Population Sciences, led by Dean Kalambay and an impressive teaching staff including Professors Emima, Lututala (Director of the Doctoral College), Nzita and, finally, the Mgr Plevoet amphitheater.
  Other scheduled stages had to be postponed until a future visit, announced for early 2023, with the arrival of Professor Sels, a sociologist by training, the Rector of KU Leuven.
• Thursday, August 18, morning dedicated to visiting the N'djili Brasserie site (the second of the Lions Management Committee). The remaining 510 hectares give way to dreams of research, teaching, production, and wealth creation. Some
  projects have already been selected, notably from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (in negotiation with banks and investors), Veterinary Medicine (in finalization), Sciences (production of essential oils and others, in finalization), etc. No need for more to make our visitors dream and inspire, additional cooperation, primarily in research, is envisaged.
• Thursday, August 18th evening, KU Leuven alumni in the spotlight at the Belgian Embassy An evening was organized that same Thursday
  at the Belgian Embassy, in honor of all the former alumni of KU Leuven, chaired by His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the DR Congo, Jo Indekeu. A colorful and high-level scientific coefficient evening, with the presence of around a hundred guests including some of our icons, our pride and our colleagues including Professors Muyembe (1st Congolese at KU Leuven, at the same time as the late Professor Kaba, 1st at the Catholic University of Louvain), Rector Unikin, Kayembe (Rather from Liège), Abbot Rector Santedi (Catholic University of Congo, UCC), Mvumbi, Kapagama, Ahuka, Molua, Biselele and Mimbu.
  The latter two have been appointed co-presidents of KU Leuven Alumni Chapter 14 (RDC). Congratulations to the co-presidents. This is a wonderful example set by KU Leuven and the Belgian Embassy!
  As a reminder, a directory of all Unikin Alumni is being compiled at the Unikin SGR, under the supervision of Professor Michel Bisa, to whom you can forward various contacts. Alumni constitute, indeed, a force that no university worthy of the name can do without.
• Friday, August 19In the morning, the delegation was received by Abbot Rector Santedi, before a visit to the UCC.
• Friday, August 19, afternoon devoted to a visit to the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), under the supervision of
  our national icon, the Multi decorated, who is only missing the Nobel Prize, Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, surrounded by a large part of his "close guard", made up of Professors Mumba, Ahuka, Mbala, and his Assistant Popaul. The INRB is a true scientific jewel for our country, with the most advanced equipment in the field, which is really worth the detour! When you have passed through some of his laboratories, classified from P1 to P3, when you have understood the distribution of the "districts" which carry out bacteriological, virological and other monitoring, when you have spent a few minutes in the central post which manages the scientific data generated by this center, directly connected to the world and its major institutions, when you have admired the prestigious Merit awards which litter his office, you will understand the immensity of the work of this tenacious scientist that is Muyembe, you will understand, as he repeats at will, that the Congolese is capable of anything and that one must dare, to achieve results and move forward.
• Friday, August 19, 4:00 p.m., after the visit to the INRB, head to N'djili airport for the return flight to Brussels.
  Scientific cooperation is simply magnificent. Especially if the projects discussed were formalized immediately. This is what the Lions Management Committee is looking forward to! The week also featured so many other activities, such as:
• Monday, August 15, SGR, working session with a team of expert assistants and math-info alumni around a digitization project at the University of Kinshasa. Finalization meeting next week.
• Tuesday August 16, 12:30 p.m., SGR, meeting of the RUFORUM network which is considering the establishment of a RUFORUM DRC organization. Next zoom meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 13 at 12:00 p.m., to formalize this organization whose goal is to pool the efforts and projects of several universities in the DRC in order to gain more weight and obtain large amounts of funding.
  in research projects.
• Thursday, August 11, morning, Luc Gillon Promotions Room: Thesis defense, with brilliance, supervised by the SGAD, Professor Bruno Lapika, on "Use of the 2D remote sampling method as a tool for ecological monitoring and census of duikers in the tropical forest of the Lomako Wildlife Reserve in the DRC", by PhD student Gaïus Elenga Bolumbu Entanga. Congratulations to the new PhD thesis.
• Friday, August 19, 10:00 a.m., Luc Gillon Promotions Room: Successful thesis defense, supervised by the Budget Administrator, Professor Yvonne Duagani, on "Study of choroidal polypoidal vasculopathy in Congolese in a hospital setting in Kinshasa", by PhD student Nelly Kabedi Ngoy. Congratulations to the new PhD student.

Design and writing: Antoine Tshimpi; Layout and formatting: Patrick Memvanga, Hervé Sabi