National AI Strategy and Digital Transformation

📅 Thursday 23 April 2026 · National Research Week · University of Mauritius Auditorium

National AI Strategy and Digital Transformation

Executive Summary · Speech by the Hon. Minister Avinash Ramtohul
Minister of Information Technology, Communication, and Innovation

🎙️ KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Hon. Minister Avinash Ramtohul

Ministry of Information Technology, Communication, and Innovation

Executive Summary

The following briefing outlines the strategic trajectory of Mauritius's digital transformation and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the national economy and social framework. Central to this vision is the transition from a traditional Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model to a "PPP" model, which incorporates "People" as a critical fourth pillar. The government's stance is that AI adoption is a competitive necessity for individuals, corporations, and the nation at large to avoid being overtaken globally.

📌 Key takeaways

• Regulatory Shift: Mauritius has opted for a UK-style principles-based regulatory framework over the EU's stringent compliance model — governed by the FAIR principles (Fairness, Accountability, Inclusiveness/Integrity, Responsibility).
• Legislative Evolution: Significant updates to the Electronic Transactions Act and the Cyber Security and Cyber Crime Act to accommodate electronic customs documentation and define critical information infrastructure.
• Infrastructure and Security: Adoption of ISO 27001 as the standard for all government departments and establishment of a "Citizen Data Hub" as a single source of truth for national identity.
• Sectoral Impact: AI prioritized in biotech and healthcare (e-health) to save lives through faster diagnostics, raising critical questions regarding liability and "safety integrity levels".

Strategic Vision and the "PPP" Model

The current digital agenda is framed not merely as a technological upgrade but as a socioeconomic necessity. Since the beginning of the country's digitalization journey in 1977, the focus has shifted toward using technology to improve human life.

👥 The Fourth Pillar: People

While traditional models rely on Public-Private Partnerships, the current strategy adds a fourth feature: People. The objective is to ensure that AI adoption does not exacerbate the digital divide but instead strengthens society and socio-economic well-being. This approach has been developed with contributions from local universities (University of Mauritius, University of Technology) and the private sector.

⚡ Competitive Necessity

The briefing emphasizes that AI is no longer optional:

• Individuals: Risk being overtaken in personal and social spheres without AI literacy.
• Companies: Must utilize AI for operational efficiency to remain competitive.
• Countries: Must integrate AI into the economy to strengthen societal structures.

Regulatory and Ethical Frameworks

A primary area of ongoing research and policy development is the creation of a robust regulatory framework. The government has officially approved a principles-based approach, modeling its governance after the United Kingdom rather than the European Union's more stringent AI Act.

🌟 The FAIR Principles

Fairness
Ensuring unbiased outcomes and equitable access.

Accountability
Defining who is liable for AI-driven decisions.

Inclusiveness / Integrity
Ensuring integrity of algorithms and broad societal participation.

Responsibility
Ethical deployment and usage of technology.

⚠️ Accountability and Liability

A significant challenge identified is the lack of defined liability in existing legislation. For example:

• Medical Field: If an AI agent misreads an ECG or provides false positive/negative leading to harm, accountability remains unclear (doctor, operator, manufacturer, or government).
• Autonomous Systems: Drones can be used for harm; civil aviation regulations amended (Jan 1, 2025) but responsibility for autonomous drone actions requires further legal definition.
• Deepfakes: While Section 46 of the ICT Act exists, convictions are few, leaving the public exposed as AI software becomes more adept at generating realistic deceptive content.

Legislative and Policy Updates

• Electronic Transactions Act: Recently amended to allow legal recognition of electronic documents between international customs authorities — removing the previous requirement for physical "bills of entry".
• Cyber Security and Cyber Crime Act: Upcoming updates will establish an agency to address cyber challenges, define "Critical Information Infrastructure", and mandate recognized certifications for cybersecurity auditors.
• AI Definition: Current legislation defines AI as a software module written by individuals. This is being reviewed to account for the reality that AI can now be AI‑generated.

National Infrastructure and Citizen Services

🏛️ Citizen Data Hub & E-Health

Citizen Data Hub: Moving away from fragmented databases, this will serve as the "single source of truth" for all citizens, linked to the central population database.

E-Health System: A pilot in the Eastern region (catchment area of 350,000 people) has already seen 107,000 citizens registered. Patient details are pulled directly from the central database via national ID cards.

🔒 Cybersecurity and Standards

ISO 27001: As of January 26, 2026, the government adopted ISO 27001 as the standard for information security management. The goal is for every government department to be certified — five are already completed, with ten more targeted by the end of the year.

Safety Integrity Checks: There is a call for "safety integrity level" assessments for software used in sensitive fields like healthcare, where software decisions are a "matter of life and death".

📡 Digital Tools and Connectivity

• Mobile Integration: Digital driving licenses are being introduced via legislative amendments.
• Connectivity: Government has enabled Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to allow companies like Starlink to operate, enhancing national connectivity.
• Transparency: An interministerial dashboard with KPIs allows ministers and the Prime Minister's Office to monitor IT project progress in real time.

Future Research and Ethical Considerations

1. AI in Biotech: Using AI to construct cells for testing, potentially replacing animal testing in preclinical trials.
2. Autonomous AI Socialization: Reference made to "MoltBot", a platform where AI agents socialized independently — highlighting the need to study future trajectories of autonomous AI behavior.
3. Developer Ethics: Unlike doctors or engineers, software programmers are not currently required to take a professional oath. For sensitive applications, "empanelment" and ethical oaths for specialists may be necessary.
4. Online Protection: Growing consensus on delaying social media access for children under 16. The government launched "AI for All" awareness campaigns to protect children from negative impacts of social media.

Conclusion

The transition to an AI-led economy is viewed as an opportunity for Mauritius to "leapfrog" in global digitalization rankings. By focusing on a principles-based regulatory environment and a unified data infrastructure, the nation aims to establish itself as a regional leader in AI.

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National AI Strategy · FAIR Principles · Citizen Data Hub · ISO 27001 · #DigitalMauritius #AIForAll

Navigating University Futures in the Age of Polycrisis

🎤 KEYNOTE ADDRESS · NATIONAL RESEARCH WEEK 2026

"Research futures: Designing tomorrow's sociotechnical imaginaries"

Assoc. Prof. Nico Pizzolato · Middlesex University, London

Strategic Foresight Report:
Navigating University Futures in the Age of Polycrisis

1 The Global Landscape: Defining the Polycrisis and Institutional Impact

The contemporary global landscape is no longer defined by isolated challenges but by a "polycrisis"—a state of systemic instability where multiple, overlapping disruptions converge to threaten the established order. For higher education leadership, this environment renders traditional linear forecasting obsolete. To remain relevant, universities must pivot from being passive observers of global trends to active architects of future-building. We are at a critical juncture where the strategic imperative is to consciously construct the futures we wish to inhabit, rather than merely managing the symptoms of an increasingly volatile present.

This polycrisis is driven by a "causal entanglement" of global systems. Climate change, geopolitical conflict, mass migration, and radical technological disruption do not exist in silos; they interact and amplify one another, creating a collective impact far more damaging than the sum of their parts. For our institutions, this entanglement manifests as acute funding volatility, as both public and private capital are redirected toward immediate crisis mitigation. Simultaneously, geopolitical tensions and climate imperatives are aggressively reshaping research agendas, forcing a departure from curiosity-driven inquiry toward securitized or reactive outputs.

Societal expectations for the university have undergone a profound transformation. We are no longer viewed simply as engines of human capital and credentialing; the institutional mandate has shifted toward planetary survival. We are now tasked with the responsibility to "save the earth," acting as stewards for not only human society but also non-human actors—forests, glaciers, and oceans. To meet this responsibility, we must deploy sophisticated conceptual tools that move beyond the limitations of "short-termism" and path dependency.

2 Theoretical Frameworks: The Cone of Possibility and Socio-Technical Imaginaries

To navigate the current era, leadership must abandon the antiquated "upward arrow" model of progress. Historically, institutional planning assumed a linear trajectory toward a guaranteed "better place." However, current ecological and social realities suggest we are at a tipping point where paths may lead toward degradation or institutional obsolescence. Strategic foresight offers a non-linear methodology to map these divergent trajectories.

A foundational tool is the Cone of Possibility, distinguishing between:

• Probable Futures: What is likely if current trends—AI-driven labor displacement, erosion of public funding—continue uninterrupted.
• Plausible Futures: Outcomes that could realistically occur based on current understanding, even without immediate momentum.
• Possible Futures: "Wild card" scenarios and remote possibilities not yet fully reflected in data.
• Preferable Futures: Normative trajectories we actively work toward, often in tension with "probable" trends.

The realization of these futures depends on Socio-Technical Imaginaries. As defined by Sheila Jasanoff, these are collectively held, institutionally stabilized visions of social life and social order. History proves their power: 19th-century socialist imaginaries prefigured modern credit cards, while Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927) provided the architectural imaginary for today's mega-cities. The imaginary we adopt today will dictate which institutional model takes hold.

3 Comparative Evaluation of the Four Future University Models

The tensions within contemporary higher education contain the "seeds" of four potential futures. These models are prefigurative — elements of each already exist simultaneously within our current landscape.

⚡ The Reactive University

Perpetual crisis management, audit culture, "change without transformation." Researchers become "portfolio workers." Probable continuation of current trends.

🏰 The Fortress University

Nationalized, securitized sphere. Governance shifts to authoritarianism, surveillance of scholars. Research as strategic state asset. Seeds visible in US, Hungary, Turkey.

📱 The Platform University

Big Tech provides primary infrastructure. "Vendor lock-in," loss of sovereignty. Two-tier researcher class: elite controllers vs. data inputs.

🌱 The Regenerative University

Custodian of planetary and social repair. Knowledge as a "common," open science, deep co-production. Success measured by long-term societal impact.

📊 Strategic Trade-offs of Future Institutional Paths

Model Type	Governance Logic	Role of Research	Primary Risk
Reactive	Managerial / Audit-led	Driven by funder/gov agendas	Erosion of leadership; status quo stagnation
Fortress	Authoritarian / Securitized	Strategic state asset; compliance-focused	Loss of autonomy; isolation from global science
Platform	Algorithmic / Private-led	Mediated by Big Tech infrastructure	Vendor lock-in; loss of institutional sovereignty
Regenerative	Collegial / Commons-based	Steward of planetary & social repair	Institutional resistance; perceived as utopic

4 The "So What?" Layer: Strategic Implications for Leadership

The choice of imaginary is the ultimate leadership imperative. The "Fortress" and "Platform" models are the default, probable outcomes of passive management. If we do not actively intervene, the "pressure toward the probable" will continue to drive universities toward "quick fixes"—short-term research trends that fail to address the long-term vision required to survive the polycrisis.

Strategic planning must account for "Black Swan" events and non-linear trajectories. Organizations like the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge are already analyzing extinction-level threats — the stakes of future-building are now survival-level.

🎯 Strategic Mandates for Future-Building

• Infrastructure Sovereignty: Resist "vendor lock-in" by developing independent, public-interest digital infrastructures.
• Active Decoupling from Surveillance: Actively decouple research activities from restrictive state surveillance.
• Reject the "Quick Fix": Shift funding and prestige away from short-term, trend-based research toward long-term stewardship.
• Embrace the Power of Desirability: Recognize that the research and values we deem "desirable" today determine which futures remain open.

5 Conclusion: From Imagination to Institutional Action

The university stands at a critical tipping point between institutional decline and regenerative transformation. The status quo is no longer a viable trajectory in an age of causal entanglement and systemic crisis. We are currently choosing — through our actions or our apathy — between becoming technological subsidiaries, securitized fortresses, or fundamental forces for planetary repair.

The central takeaway: our present-day decisions are entirely shaped by the specific imaginary we hold for the future. If we commit to the Regenerative University as our normative goal, our governance, research, and ethics will naturally align to meet that vision. We must consciously choose to be custodians of knowledge and repair, ensuring the university remains a vital steward for the world’s survival.

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Strategic Foresight Report · Polycrisis & Higher Education Futures · #RegenerativeUniversity · Knowledge Sovereignty

National Research Week 2026

📅 April 20–24, 2026 · Second Edition

National Research Week 2026

The second edition of the National Research Week, held from April 20 to 24, 2026, served as a platform for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and aligning research outcomes with national socio-economic imperatives. It was organized by the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research and coordinated by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC), it saw the participation of both public and private Higher Education Institutions.

Deliberations on Future Society and Human Development

Friday, April 24, 2026 session focused on the theme "Future Society, Education, and Human Development". The morning session began with opening addresses by Assoc. Prof. Ravhee Bholah and Mrs. Mila Devi Seeruttun-Dosieah, both representing the Mauritius Institute of Education.

🎤 Keynote Address & Research Impact

Assoc. Prof. Nico Pizzolato of Middlesex University, London, delivered a keynote address titled, "Research futures: Designing tomorrow's sociotechnical imaginaries". This exploration of social theory and labor dynamics provided a theoretical grounding for the subsequent session, in which Prof. Romeela Mohee, Commissioner of the Higher Education Commission, examined the significance of carrying out Impactful Research.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on AI and Higher Education

The morning concluded with a panel discussion titled, "To what extent is higher education and research shaping future-ready societies in the age of AI?". Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Anwar Rumjaun, the panel synthesized diverse perspectives from a distinguished group of academics:

Prof. Romeela Mohee · Higher Education Commission

Prof. M. Santally · University of Mauritius

Prof. H. Mariaye · Mauritius Institute of Education

Prof. Michael Anthony Samuel · University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

This dialogue underscored the urgent need for higher education institutions to evolve into proactive architects of societal change, particularly regarding the integration of artificial intelligence.

📌 A summary of the discussions for the morning session is provided in the following posts.

🔬 Significance of Impactful Research 🤖 Role of AI in Higher Education

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National Research Week 2026 · #NRW2026 · Future Society, Education & Human Development

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The Regenerative Campus:
A Strategic Manifesto for AI in Mauritian Higher Education

⚡ navigating turbulence · architecting our own future

As we navigate the AI whirlwind of 2026, the arrival of sophisticated Generative AI isn’t just a "tech update"—it’s a fundamental challenge to the soul of teaching, research, and institutional identity.

Following the recent high-level discussions, it has become clear that the "wait and see" approach is officially dead. From the Higher Education Commission (HEC)’s February 2026 regulations to the grassroots experiments in our lecture halls, we are at a crossroads. Will we be passive recipients of technology, or the active architects of our own intellectual future?

1. The Epistemological Trap: Whose World Are We Building?

One of the most profound concerns facing us is "epistemological"—the question of whose knowledge we are actually producing. Most Large Language Models (LLMs) are trained on datasets dominated by Western, industrialized perspectives. When a student in Moka or Réduit uses an AI to draft an analysis, they aren't just getting help with grammar; they are inadvertently "importing" a Western lens that may ignore Mauritian history and local values.

We face a choice: do we remain "Recipients"—passive consumers of foreign digital logic—or do we become "Regenerative"? To be regenerative means using AI to amplify our stories, ensuring we don't succumb to "epistemic capitulation," where we hand over our capacity for truth-seeking to an external algorithm.

2. The Agency Mirage: Seduction by Efficiency

A critical danger identified by the panel is the "Agency Mirage". This occurs when both students and academics become "seduced" by the sheer efficiency and rationality of AI outputs.

• The Illusion of Progress: We often mistake "task optimization" for genuine learning or scholarship.
• The Complicit User: When we hand over the responsibility for knowledge production to AI, we stop being active "scholars" and become "complicit users".
• The Loss of Critique: The "mirage" masks the fact that by choosing the fastest route to an answer, we lose the ability to discriminate between genuine insight and the "hallucinations" or biases embedded in the system.
• True Agency: Authenticity in education is not just about completing a task; it is an "active core"—a relational and interactive way of engaging with work and society.

3. The Strategy of "Frugal AI": A Mauritian Case Study

Mauritius cannot always compete with the massive computing power of Silicon Valley, but we can lead in "Frugal AI". This involves developing specialized, cost-effective tools tailored to our specific challenges.

💡 Localized Diagnostics:
Generic global AIs struggle with the specific nuances of our curriculum. A "Frugal AI" approach involves building local systems that understand the Mauritian context, providing more accurate diagnostic feedback than a generic giant.

🌱 Contextual Intelligence:
By focusing on our own student data and local industry needs, we create tools that are more ethical and relevant.

4. The Crisis of Assessment: From Product to Process

If an AI can produce a "First Class" essay in forty seconds, the era of the "simple assignment" is over. We must stop assessing students as if AI does not exist.

• 🎤 The "Viva Voce": A return to verbal examinations ensures students can "critically mediate" and defend their ideas.
• 📊 Process-Based Grading: We must grade the "breadcrumb trail"—the drafts, the critiques of AI-generated outlines, and the ethical reflections—rather than just the final PDF.

5. The Missing Bridge: Communities of Practice (CoP)

The HEC’s 2026 guidelines provide the "guardrails," but rules alone cannot foster intellectual growth. Many lecturers are already "flying while flying," experimenting in isolation because they lack a structured space to share their work.

• From Compliance to Competence: We need collaborative peer-learning networks where lecturers can share "productive failures" without judgment.
• Institutional Soul-Searching: These communities allow us to ask why we use a tool, ensuring that pedagogy focuses on higher-order thinking rather than just task-completion.

Strategic Call to Action: The Roadmap to 2030

To move beyond the mirage, our institutions must commit to three immediate steps:

1️⃣ Redesign Curricula for Agency: Transition assessments to focus on higher-order skills like creative and critical thinking.

2️⃣ Invest in Frugal Infrastructure: Support local AI projects that automate administrative "grunt work" so lecturers can focus on human-centric mentoring.

3️⃣ Formalize Communities of Practice: Create dedicated forums where academics can move from being isolated "consumers" of AI to being a collective of "critical practitioners".

✈️ The jet engine is still running, and the flight is far from over. It’s time we decide exactly where we want this plane to land.

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Research for Impact:
Transforming the Mauritian Higher Education Ecosystem

🎤 Speech by Prof. R. Mohee

The Strategic Shift: From Publications to Impact

For decades, the academic culture in Mauritius has prioritized the production of papers, book chapters, and webinars. While these contribute to the global knowledge system, they have often failed to address localized challenges.

• 🔻 The "So What?" Challenge: Despite generating hundreds of papers on management, AI, and chemical engineering, critical issues like landfill management and waste recycling remained unresolved for 30 years.
• 📌 Defining Impact: Research for impact is defined across six primary categories in the Mauritian context:
  • Economic: Contributions to economic growth and business.
  • Social Welfare: Improvements in the quality of life and societal well-being.
  • Behavioural: Changes in individual or collective actions.
  • Environmental: Solutions for ecological preservation and resilience.
  • Technological Advancement: Innovations and advancements in tech.
  • Policy and Capacity Building: Influencing governance and developing human capital.
  🧠 knowledge creation remains foundation, but not final goal with public funds.

Institutional Framework and Policy Reform

Legislative Amendments and the MREF

Under the HEC strategic plan and recent legislative amendments (July 2025), the Academic Research Committee was established. This body is tasked with developing and maintaining the Mauritius Research Excellence Framework (MREF). This framework is designed to:

• Promote high-quality, ethical, and impactful research.
• Review research policies and provide guidance on funding priorities.
• Establish indicators of research success that prioritize societal outcomes over mere publication counts.

National Supervision Guidelines

Released in September 2025, the National Guidelines for Supervision of Research address systemic issues — ensuring students are matched with mentors and research projects are rigorously managed from inception.

Research Funding and Capacity Building

159
Funded Projects

₨ 204M
Total Value

43%
Interdisciplinary & inter-institutional

Govt/Taxpayer
Primary Source

Human Capital Development

• 🎓 Current Scholarships: 84 ongoing MPhil, PhD, DBA scholarships
• 🏆 Historical Awards: 225 scholarships awarded to date (97 full-time, 128 part-time)
• 📈 Growth: Full-time scholarship awards from ~2–3 per year → 10 per year

Methodology: Result-Based Management (RBM)

The HEC revised funding criteria to require a "Logic Model". Researchers must demonstrate outcomes beyond publication:

• 🔹 Inputs: Resources used (staff, funding)
• 🔹 Activities: Setting up labs, fieldwork, hiring assistants
• 🔹 Outputs: Immediate products (completed research, papers)
• 🔹 Outcomes: Changes in behaviour, policy, or practice
• 🔹 Impact: Long-term changes in society, economy, environment, governance

Critical Challenges and National Resilience

International reports (World Bank) highlight "damning" challenges:

⚠️ Negligible R&D 🤝 Lack of collaboration instruments 📉 Skill mismatches 🌍 Low international student recruitment

Research is positioned as the primary tool for National Resilience: pandemic solutions, economic growth, environmental crisis response.

Evidence of Impact: Case Studies

♻️ Waste Management & Composting
150 peer-reviewed papers + 22 PhDs → national policy change: green waste diverted from landfills, national compost industry, plastics roadmap approved by Cabinet.

🗣️ Language Policy
4 years on Creole use → adopted in Parliament, enabling non-English/French speakers to follow legislative debates.

📐 Education & STEM
Research on why students (especially girls) avoid STEM → comprehensive STEM education framework.

🌾 Agriculture & Nanotechnology
Nano-fertilizer projects moving toward commercialization, new company with industrial partners.

🍋 Regional Impact – Rodrigues
Lemon cultivation research helped planters improve practices, established lemon factory for export.

The Way Forward

The future of higher education in Mauritius relies on "advancing research for impact" to create tangible societal and developmental outcomes. This aligns with UNESCO’s vision of forging a "new social contract" for education and research, ensuring they are prepared for emerging societal transformations and radical disruptions.

To secure future funding, particularly from international bodies like Horizon Europe, Mauritian researchers must master the logic model and prioritize the translation of academic findings into practical, real-world solutions.

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Adpated from Prof R.Mohee Speech delivered on 24 April 2026.

Architects of Sustainable Agriculture

Celebrating the Graduates of 2026 | Faculty of Agriculture

~100 Total Graduates

07 PhD Awards

23 MSc Degrees

70 BSc (Hons)

In Memoriam: Dr. Ballah Mohun

A moment of profound significance was observed during the ceremony as a Posthumous Doctor of Philosophy in the field of Water Ecology was awarded to Dr. Ballah Mohun. This award recognizes his dedicated research and lasting contribution to the field of ecological science, serving as an inspiration to all new graduates beginning their professional journeys.

Celebrating the Graduates of 2026

The Faculty of Agriculture has just released its latest cohort of graduates, and the numbers tell a story of high academic achievement and specialized expertise. With nearly a 100 graduates entering the professional landscape, the future of our food systems looks brighter—and safer—than ever.

• A Powerhouse of Food Safety A standout feature of this year’s list is the MSc in Food Safety and Food Innovation. With 11 graduates achieving Distinction, this group represents a high-caliber task force ready to innovate in food processing, quality control, and safety protocols.
• Doctoral Leadership & Advanced Research The conferment of 7 PhDs (including the posthumous award in Ecology) underscores the faculty’s commitment to high-level research in vital fields such as Marine Biology, Marine Biotechnology, Molecular Plant Pathology, Natural Product Research, and Postharvest Technology.
• A Balanced Pipeline of Talent The faculty continues to produce a steady stream of specialized technical professionals, with 70 BSc graduates across four core disciplines: Agricultural Science and Technology, Applied Biochemistry, Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, and Food Science and Technology.
• Excellence at Scale Across all programs, the high frequency of First Class Honours and Distinctions highlights a sustained culture of excellence and academic rigor within the Faculty of Agriculture.

From the lab to the field, and from safety audits to tropical animal production, these 100 graduates are the new architects of a resilient agricultural sector. Their diverse expertise across biochemistry, environmental health, and innovative food technologies ensures they are equipped to tackle the world's most pressing nutritional and environmental challenges.

Congratulations to the Graduates of 2026—your journey to feed the future starts now!

University of Mauritius | Faculty of Agriculture Blog Series 2026

Build a career that feeds the world!!! - The Role of the Faculty of Agriculture

Cultivating Excellence in Agriculture

In a short promotional reel, Associate Professor (Dr) Joyce Govinden Soulange, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Mauritius (UoM) directly addresses prospective students, highlighting how the faculty is “cultivating excellence” and preparing the next generation of agricultural professionals and leaders. Click here for more info 

“Build a career that feeds the world!”

She positions studying agriculture not just as a degree, but as a meaningful, impactful vocation contributing to global food security, sustainability, and development — especially relevant for Mauritius and similar island or developing economies facing climate challenges, limited land, and the need for resilient food systems.

Key Messages from the Dean 

She emphasizes three main strengths of the Faculty:

Applied, Specialised Courses 

• Programmes blend scientific theory with practical, industry-relevant skills.
• Topics often cover crop and animal production, food science and technology, biotechnology, microbiology, agribusiness, sustainable practices, digital technologies in agriculture, biosecurity, climate resilience, and more.
• The focus is on modern, problem-solving education rather than purely theoretical learning.

Hands-on Experience Through Internships 

• Students gain real-world exposure via structured internships in the agricultural sector (farms, agribusinesses, research institutions, food processing companies, etc.).
• This bridges the gap between classroom knowledge and professional demands, helping graduates become job-ready.

The UoM Farm: Where Theory Meets Practice 

• The faculty operates its own UoM Farm — an 8.5-hectare (21-acre) teaching and research facility on campus in Réduit.
• It serves as a living laboratory for students to apply concepts in crop production, animal husbandry, soil management, and experimental work.
• This is one of the oldest and most distinctive features of the faculty (originally founded as the School of Agriculture in 1914).

Programmes Offered 

• The faculty has a long history but is pushing modern, applied training.
• Many programmes are designed to align with national priorities (food security, sustainable agriculture, blue economy elements like aquaculture) and international trends (digital ag, climate-smart practices).

Visit the official page here: https://www.uom.ac.mu/foa/ ]

Why This Matters (Broader Context) 

Mauritius is a small island nation with limited arable land, vulnerable to climate change, and focused on diversifying its economy beyond tourism and sugar. Agriculture here includes traditional crops, emerging high-value sectors (horticulture, aquaculture, agro-processing), and innovation in sustainability.

Graduates from UoM’s Faculty of Agriculture often go into:

• Government/extension services 
• Private agribusiness and food industries 
• Research and development 
• Entrepreneurship (e.g., starting farms or tech-enabled agri ventures) 
• International organisations focused on food security 

The Dean’s message frames agriculture as a high-impact career — “feeding the world” — which ties into global challenges like UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), climate action, and economic resilience.

Teaching mobility at the University of Palermo (UNIPA)

Mr. Kamlesh Boodhoo of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius is pleased to share highlights from his teaching mobility under the Erasmus+ at the University of Palermo (UNIPA), Italy, within the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF). It has been a rewarding experience engaging with undergraduate and graduate students in the Lecture Hall Fierotti (AULA A) to discuss the evolving landscape of animal science.

Mr K.Boodhoo (middle) with the Students and Prof. A.Bonanno (on the right) 

📚 Key Lecture Highlights

• Biosecurity & Food Safety: We explored "Farm-to-Fork" protocols, focusing on practical measures like quarantine and vector control. We specifically addressed how climate change is driving disease migration—the "tropicalisation" of Mediterranean climates.
• Animal Welfare & Ethics: A deep dive into the "Five Freedoms" and the unique challenges of assessing welfare in extensive grazing systems where human contact is limited.
• Integrated Animal Health Management: A comprehensive session on livestock epidemiology emphasizing the "One Health" approach, critical for protecting both animal populations and human consumers.

Summary: Principles of Farm Animal Biosecurity

A Scientific Framework for Disease Prevention and One Health Integration

This lecture presented biosecurity as a holistic mindset and the "first line of defense". Safeguarding animal health is the only way to effectively secure human food safety and mitigate zoonotic risks within the One Health framework.

The Three Pillars of a Robust Program

• Conceptual: Strategic decisions like farm siting (>500m buffer) and "All-in/All-out" cycles.
• Structural: Physical barriers like perimeter fencing and Danish Entry Systems.
• Procedural: Daily operational protocols and rigorous cleaning and disinfection (C&D).

Science-Based Rigor

We analyzed pathogen tenacity: E. coli can survive in dry dust for up to 120 days, and Avian Influenza for 30 days in damp droppings. This underscores the "Golden Rule": You cannot disinfect dirt. Dry and wet cleaning must always precede chemical application.

The 2026 Paradigm

The "Final Frontier" of biosecurity involves tech-enabled defense: geofencing to track compliance, thermal drones for perimeter integrity, and point-of-care diagnostics at the farm gate.

Animal Welfare: Ethics and Modern Husbandry

Navigating the Five Freedoms and the Virtuous Bicycle of Improved Welfare

This session engaged students in the ethical complexities of modern animal husbandry, focusing on how we measure and improve the quality of life for livestock in various production systems.

The Five Freedoms Framework

We used the "Five Freedoms" as our foundational metric for assessing animal well-being:

• Freedom from Hunger and Thirst: Ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.
• Freedom from Discomfort: Providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
• Freedom from Pain, Injury, or Disease: By prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
• Freedom to Express Normal Behavior: Providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal's own kind.
• Freedom from Fear and Distress: Ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Challenges in Intensive Systems

A significant portion of the lecture addressed the specific welfare issues found in intensive systems, such as dairy cow management. We analyzed the conflicts between maximizing productivity and maintaining high welfare standards, identifying choices that farmers must make to minimize pain and alleviate fear during handling and transportation.

The "Virtuous Bicycle"

We concluded with the concept of the "Virtuous Bicycle"—a model illustrating how improved farm animal welfare acts as a delivery vehicle for sustainable agriculture. By aligning ethics with productivity, we create a system that benefits the animal, the producer, and the consumer alike.

Concluding Remarks: A Shared Vision for Sustainable Agriculture

As I conclude this lecture series at the University of Palermo, I realise that we face the same challenges in modern livestock production. Whether in the Mediterranean context of Sicily or the island ecosystem of Mauritius, the pillars of Biosecurity and Animal Welfare remain our most effective tools for ensuring a resilient animal production system.

Our discussions over the past week have highlighted that sustainable agriculture is not just about technology, but about a "One Health" mindset—recognizing that the health of our animals is inextricably linked to our own. By integrating ethical husbandry with rigorous scientific protocols, we create a "Virtuous Bicycle" that drives productivity and public trust simultaneously.

I am grateful to the students for their engagement, despite their native language is not English, and to Prof A. Bonnano of the SAAF Department for fostering this spirit of international cooperation. I look forward to the continued exchange of knowledge between our institutions as we work together toward a more sustainable and secure agricultural future.

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Mr. Kamleshwar Boodhoo | Erasmus+ Teaching Mobility | March 2026 

Erasmus+ Mobility Program | University of Mauritius & University of Palermo | March 2026

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