APPEAR

The 21st edition of the APPEAR in practice series focused on gender-sensitive urban transformation in informal settlements and slums in Ethiopia and Mozambique. The event presented key results from the ongoing GIRT project – Strengthening Research and Educational Competences of HEIs for Gender-sensitive Urban (InfoRmal Settlement) Transformation –, a collaboration between universities in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University and Mekelle University), Mozambique (Lúrio University) and Austria (University for Continuing Education Krems). The project examines the housing and living conditions of women in the rapidly urbanising environments in Ethiopia and Mozambique, with the aim of strengthening the research and teaching capacities of the participating institutions.

Florence Nansumbi, an APPEAR-funded doctoral researcher, participated in the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2025, held at the Austria Center Vienna from 27 April to 2 May. The annual conference, one of the most prominent gatherings in the geosciences, brought together scientists from around the world and offered a vibrant forum for academic exchange in Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences.

He presented his work titled “Repeatability of Triaxial Tests and Reproducibility of Shear Strength Parameters” at the Second Southern African Geotechnical Conference, held from 28–30 May 2025 in Durban, South Africa. The conference brought together a diverse group of researchers, practitioners, consultants, and contractors from across South Africa, as well as keynote speakers from around the globe.

Since 2022 Gerald Kwikiriza is a PhD candidate at the Institute for Integrative Nature Conservation Research, BOKU University. His research investigates the ecological and genetic impacts of aquaculture on native tilapia species in Uganda’s lake systems. He has recently published two papers.

Getu Abebe’s studies at BOKU in Austria were a turning point in his career, deepening his expertise in forestry, soil science, and sustainable land management. The hands-on training and international collaboration he experienced there laid a strong foundation for his impactful research on restoring Ethiopia’s degraded highland ecosystems.