The University of Nairobi proudly played host to the Una Europa – Virtual Exchanges for Sustainability (UnaVEx) midterm meeting, a dynamic and collaborative gathering. The event marked a significant milestone in the journey towards fostering sustainability education between Europe and Africa. It was both a review of the progress of the first cohort, which happened in February 2024, and a plan for the next and future cohorts to enhance the performance.

The opening session set the tone for the day as Prof. Margaret J. Hutchinson  Vice Chancellor (Ag), UoN, welcomed the partners from the universities of Helsinki, Leuven, Kinshasa, Bologna, and Johannesburg, affirming the University’s commitment to fostering global academic collaboration. In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of strengthening learning outcomes through cooperation. ‘ UnaVEx is more than a project, it is a bold and collaborative response to the challenges and opportunities of internationalizing higher education in the 21^st century’.

Dr. Hanna Lappalainen, Project Coordinator, University of Helsinki, outlined the framework of the success of the virtual exchange and celebrated a major success of having over 1,000 students engaged in the first week alone. She highlighted the outcome of climate action exercises and data collected through students’ and moderators’ questionnaires, demonstrating the project’s strong start.

The session focused on practical and strategic progress; tackling project reporting, exploring the training of international moderators, highlighting gaps such as no-show moderators and technical issues.

The event was a true celebration of collaboration under the theme Participants were gifted tokens of appreciation, including a special recognition to the Vice Chancellor. Discussions concluded with a shared commitment to improve registration processes, strengthen students engagement, and refine moderator preparation.

The initiative sought to reimagine the virtual exchange model through the lens of sustainability education. The project’s inception since February 2024 has made significant progress in developing an innovative, accredited VE framework- one that equips both students and moderators with the knowledge, tools, and platforms to engage meaningfully across boarders.

Among the most noted achievements was the successful delivery first VE week, held between February 24^th to March 28^th, 2025. The event saw 200 students participating across the sessions. These sessions, online, facilitated a rich blend of plenary presentations, group collaboration, and individual climate action exercises.The data collected through structured pre-questionnaires and feedback instruments were analyzed to inform peer-reviewed research on the efficacy and innovation of the VE model.

The UnaVEx project is a beacon of how virtual bridges between continents can foster meaningful learning and sustainable futures. With continued effort and shared purpose, this initiative promises lasting impact across institutions and generations.