- The University of Nairobi has sent five students to Copenhagen Business School under the inaugural cohort of the Africa, Business and Society Programme.
- Denmark’s Ambassador to Kenya, Stephan Schonemann, has congratulated the students and urged them to serve as brand ambassadors for Kenya and Africa during their studies.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) will send five students to Denmark to pursue postgraduate studies at the prestigious Copenhagen Business School (CBS), in a move aimed at strengthening academic, economic and people-to-people ties between Kenya and Denmark.
The students are part of the inaugural cohort of the Africa, Business and Society (ABS) Programme, a five-year partnership running from 2026 to 2030.
The programme is supported through Denmark’s Knowledge and Innovation Programme (KIP) and brings together the University of Nairobi, University of Ghana Business School, University of Johannesburg and Copenhagen Business School.
Speaking during a send-off ceremony at the Danish Embassy on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Denmark’s Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Stephan Schonemann, congratulated the students on securing the highly competitive opportunity.
Schonemann said the partnership between Kenya and Denmark continues to expand, with cooperation spanning education, business, trade, innovation and development.
He urged the students to view their studies as more than an academic journey, saying student mobility provides an important avenue for strengthening relations between the two countries.
The Ambassador noted that Kenya and Denmark have a long history of academic and student exchanges, expressing optimism that the new cohort would help strengthen professional and people-to-people networks between the two countries.
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He challenged the students to embrace the demands of studying at Copenhagen Business School, which he described as an institution operating at an elite global standard.
“It is a tough school and the demands are high, but go ahead and do your part,” Schonemann told the students.
He also encouraged them to take advantage of Denmark’s social and cultural environment by interacting with Danish students and communities during their stay.
The Ambassador said the students would serve as important “brand ambassadors” for Kenya and Africa, helping to deepen people-to-people relations between the two regions.
Representing the University of Nairobi, Director of the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), Prof. Paul Kamau, highlighted the university’s long-standing academic relationship with Danish institutions.
Kamau said Denmark has played an important role in supporting capacity building at UoN through training in Denmark, doctoral education, joint supervision, double-degree programmes and Master’s-level training.
The collaboration has also facilitated research and academic exchanges in areas including pastoralism and land ownership, while creating opportunities for Kenyan scholars to engage with Danish institutions.
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He said the ABS Programme marks another milestone in the relationship and will expand opportunities for both students and academic staff.
The Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi is the host partner for the programme and has been coordinating the university’s participation in the ABS partnership.
The Africa, Business and Society Programme aims to strengthen the capacity of students and lecturers to become critical thinkers, ethical entrepreneurs and responsible leaders capable of responding to global challenges such as technological change, climate pressures, geopolitical uncertainty and inequality.
The wider ABS project is supported by DKK 35.9 million from Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Knowledge and Innovation Programme. The funding will support student scholarships, curriculum development, joint teaching, research, as well as student and faculty mobility.
By Obegi Malack
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