The Spanish Ambassador and the Director of ETSIAAB visit Mahagi to strengthen collaboration with UNILAC
From 4 to 12 March 2026, a Spanish delegation led by the Spanish Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Carmen Díez Orejas, and the Director of the Higher Technical School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB) at the UPM, José Palacios Alberti, paid an institutional visit to the University of Lake Albert in Mahagi (UNILAC), accompanied by the Director of the TYPSA Foundation, Luis María Navarro Gil.
The aim of the trip was to evaluate UNILAC’s training programmes, strengthen academic cooperation between the UPM and UNILAC, and follow up on projects supported by the TYPSA Foundation, as well as to present the university with around fifty books donated by the School of Civil Engineering to expand its library.
Institutional strengthening and a focus on gender equality
During her second visit to Mahagi, the ambassador held meetings with local authorities, students and lecturers. She highlighted the importance of female leadership and encouraged young people to continue their studies as a key tool for regional development. Her presence has generated significant media coverage for UNILAC and has reaffirmed the commitment of Spain and the TYPSA Foundation to educational initiatives in the region.
Academic evaluation and opportunities for collaboration: the TYPSA Foundation and the UPM make progress in strengthening UNILAC
The director of ETSIAAB and the director of the TYPSA Foundation carried out an intensive schedule of meetings with the university’s management committee, teaching staff, students, graduates, as well as stakeholders in local agricultural development and the food industry, enabling them to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the teaching standards at the Faculty of Agronomy and to identify several proposals for collaboration with ETSIAAB, aimed at strengthening practical training and institutional development. José Palacios also delivered a masterclass on soil microbiology.
Initial areas of cooperation with ETSIAAB
The president of the TYPSA Foundation, Pablo Bueno Sáinz, congratulated José Palacios on the success of the mission and announced that he will send UNILAC a detailed report on the visit. UNILAC must now confirm the proposals and determine which ones it can undertake directly, with the aim of coordinating support from the UPM and the TYPSA Foundation for the remaining actions.
