The impact of these mobilities has been clearly bidirectional:

• For LUMC students, placements at KCMC provide first-hand exposure to resource-constrained health systems, strengthening clinical reasoning, diagnostic stewardship, teamwork, and ethical decision-making. Global health mobility is well documented to improve cultural competence, collaborative skills, and clinical adaptability, while also deepening appreciation of health-system efficiency and equity (Jeffrey et al., 2011; Thompson et al., 2016). Students returning from Tanzania consistently demonstrate enhanced problem-solving capacity and a more responsible, context-aware approach to the use of medical technologies.
• For LUMC classrooms, the presence of Tanzanian Bachelor’s and postgraduate students enriches the learning environment, increasing engagement, creativity, and the quality of discussion. Educational research shows that diverse learning groups outperform homogeneous groups in analytical reasoning and innovation (Page, 2007; Freeman et al., 2014).
• For KCMC and the Tanzanian health system, mobility has generated direct, measurable clinical benefit. PhD trainees returning from LUMC bring advanced clinical and laboratory skills that are otherwise unavailable locally.

A concrete example is the 2024 placement of a KCMC PhD candidate and obstetrician-gynecologist at the LUMC Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, where she received hands-on training in Rhesus disease management, fetal surveillance, and referral-based maternal-fetal care. Since her return, KCMC has become a recognized referral center for complicated Rh-negative pregnancies in Northern Tanzania, as the hospital now has both specialist expertise and a strong international clinical network, contributing to improved maternal and neonatal outcomes.

> Two perspectives, one goal: Examining the immune system

On 25 November 2025, Dr. Jeremia Pyuza successfully defended and completed his PhD in Immunology and Vaccinology at the LUMC, supervised by Prof. Dr. Maria Yazdanbakhsh and Prof. Dr. Pancras Hogendoorn with Dr. Simon Jochems as co-supervisor. During his PhD journey, Erasmus+ provided support to advance and formalize the collaboration between LUMC, KCMC Hospital, and KCMC University, laying the foundation for a framework in which supervisors and PhD students from both institutions can jointly advance scientific discovery.

• LinkedIn: Congratulations to Jeremia Pyuza on completing his PhD
• Thesis: "The immune divide: Factors influencing immune variation and differences in vaccine responses"

Who are you and where are you from?
"My name is Paulina H. Mloka, a 31-year-old medical doctor from Tanzania. I am currently a third-year resident in Paediatrics and Child Health, with a strong academic and clinical interest in neonatal and pediatric subspecialties."

At which faculty and on which topic have you been working during your time in Leiden?
"During my time in Leiden, I was affiliated with the Faculty of Pathology and Immunotherapy at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). I undertook a half-minor in Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy, where I was exposed to both theoretical and translational aspects of cancer research and immune-based therapies."

Could you mention something that strikes you as a major difference between Leiden and your home country? What has been surprising for you?
"One of the most striking differences between Leiden and Tanzania is the level of advancement in healthcare and biomedical research. Leiden offers access to cutting-edge technology, numerous ongoing clinical trials, and significantly higher survival and cure rates for conditions that are often incurable in my home setting. I was particularly impressed by the high level of patient awareness and understanding of their diseases, as well as their active involvement in decision-making regarding treatment options and outcomes."

What was it like for you to study at Leiden University? What did you gain from it?
"Studying at Leiden University, particularly at LUMC, was a deeply enriching experience. I greatly appreciated the academic rigor and emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving. One highlight was being challenged to design an original research protocol - one that had not previously been registered on platforms such as clinicaltrials.gov. This approach strengthened my analytical skills, research creativity, and confidence in independent scientific inquiry."

Would you recommend the Erasmus+ ICM programme to others?
"Yes, without hesitation. I would highly recommend the Erasmus+ programme to my colleagues and other young professionals. It offers exceptional academic exposure, cultural exchange, and personal growth, all within a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment."

What are your future plans?
"I plan to further advance my career through a fellowship or PhD in Neonatology. I am particularly interested in continuing my academic journey in the Netherlands, especially at LUMC, which I found to be an institution rich in knowledge, innovation, and warmth. My long-term goal is to apply the expertise and skills gained to improve healthcare practices both in the Netherlands and in Tanzania, contributing meaningfully to global child health."

"My time at LUMC has been truly rewarding since the day I arrived. My fellow international students from Tanzania and I received a warm welcome and extensive support from the International Office, our course coordinator, course facilitators, as well as our fellow students. The course content, schedules, and learning activities were clearly structured and provided to us immediately after enrollment.

The learning materials were well-organized and written in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. We completed several assignments that stimulated our critical thinking and creativity. Overall, the Half Minor on Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy was eye-opening. Throughout the course, I was introduced to novel and advanced cancer treatment strategies based on immunomodulation. These approaches align closely with precision medicine by offering more individualized therapies with fewer side effects, reduced complications, and improved survival for cancer patients.

We had the opportunity to review groundbreaking and impactful research conducted at LUMC. Additionally, the two clinical visits and patient demonstrations greatly enhanced our understanding of translational research in cancer immunotherapy.

The Erasmus+ ICM grant was essential in supporting our stay in the Netherlands, where the cost of living is relatively high. With this support, we were able to live comfortably.

Despite the overwhelmingly positive experience, we did face a few challenges, particularly when interacting with non-staff members and patients, as Dutch is the primary language of communication. Nevertheless, everything else was excellent, and I greatly value the time I spent at LUMC."

> Working equally with international partners

The topic of Equitable Partnerships was also explored during an ICM-funded workweek between African and Leiden scientists, in which LUMC participated.

> Fair partnerships between Leiden and Africa

Train-the-trainers by AFRICARhE

In July 2025, AFRICARhE trained research midwives and laboratory staff at Haramaya University (Ethiopia) and KCMC (Tanzania). This training was made possible by Erasmus+ ICM mobilities, allowing for African-European transdisciplinary collaboration to build capacity on Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn, Good Clinical Practice, survey and interview techniques, using point-of-care blood tests, and hands-on laboratory training. Those trained will work on a clinical study on the prevalence of Rh disease in eastern Ethiopia and northern Tanzania.
Read more about the 'training of trainers' project:

> Training of trainers in Ethiopia

> Training at KCMC in Tanzania

Rh disease screening, prevention and treatment

In November 2024, AFRICARhE met with key stakeholders in Tanzania to discuss the current status of Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn and possible ways of collaboration. Fruitful meetings were held with representatives of the Ministry of Health, Central Blood Safety Office, National Blood Transfusion Center, Tanzanian Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA), and Medical Stores Department (MSD).

Connections were established, support was granted, and knowledge was exchanged. Future collaborations were explored regarding the integration of Rh disease screening and management into the Tanzanian health system, and African plasma collection for regional production of anti-D.

With support of Erasmus+ ICM, LUMC and KCMC successfully completed a randomized controlled trial into an innovative method of enabling a better transition of neonates born during elective caesarean section: the knee-to-chest flexion trial. Based on a feasibility study done at the LUMC by the collaborative KCMC-LUMC research group, a protocol for the trial was developed. This trial was conducted within the allocated time, in which more than 500 babies were included.

It has also led to the near-completion of Febronia Shirima’s joint LUMC-KCMC PhD thesis. She will spend her final ICM mobility in the Netherlands in the first half of 2026 to finalize the analysis of the trial and complete the write-up of her thesis. Read the first publication.

During the course of this ICM trajectory, additional funding was granted to the project by the Laerdal Foundation. As part of this project, Prof. Arjan te Pas, Prof. Thomas van den Akker and Dr. Anne Marie Keus visited KCMC twice to train KCMC staff, capacitate trialists at KCMC, and oversee trial progress. Follow-up projects and applications for funding are underway.