The Rector of the University of Kinshasa, Professor Jean Marie Kayembe Ntumba, has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the international organization "Research And Education (RAE)" for the creation of a Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Geomatics and Climate Change at the University of Kinshasa.

This is the result of his participation in the Second Triennial Assembly of RUFORUM held in Windhoek, Namibia, from 12 to 16 August 2024, where he led the delegation from the University of Kinshasa, alongside HE the Minister of Higher and University Education of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Professor Marie-Thérèse Sombo.

Currently, the University of Kinshasa is collaborating with partner institutions from Africa and Europe to implement the academic mobility program on "Strengthening higher education and research capacity for the development of climate-smart agri-food systems in Central and East Africa." These are Makerere and Bishop Stuart Universities in Uganda, Egerton in Kenya, Dschang in Cameroon, Haramaya in Ethiopia, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden. The University of Kinshasa is participating in this initiative with two programs, including the Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence based at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science of the Faculty of Science and Technology, and the Master's degree in Geomatics and Climate Change based at the Department of Natural Resources Management of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

The participation of the Rector of the University of Kinshasa in the second Triennial Assembly of RUFORUM was also an opportunity for him to share the research and innovation work of his institution with other participants, in particular the achievements of the Agropastoral Farm of N'Djili Brasserie and research work on the Congo Basin; but also to learn about the work carried out by other African institutions for effective institutional collaboration.