Somali National University Sign Research Cooperation Deals with Chinese Institutions

By Shire Abdi - Reporter

China, 9 April 2026 Somali National University (SNU) has signed a series of agreements with Chinese institutions to advance technology and research cooperation, aiming to modernize Somalia's higher education system, the university said in a statement on Wednesday.

The agreements with companies and academic institutions were signed in Beijing during a visit by a delegation from the university led by the institution's rector, Mohamed Mahmoud Mohamed. The deals will aid in integrating modern technology into Somalia’s public education curriculum.

A key component of the visit included a technology development agreement with Beijing Hisign Technology Co., Ltd., a firm specializing in artificial intelligence and biometric identification systems such as fingerprint and facial recognition, widely used in China’s national security sector.

The university said the partnership with Hisign would support joint research projects. The delegation also toured the company’s headquarters to observe advancements in big data and machine vision, with plans to incorporate these technologies into the university’s curriculum.

In a separate agreement, the university signed a cooperation deal with the China-Africa Institute (CAI), established in 2019 under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The institute serves as a national platform for academic exchange between China and Africa.

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The agreement focuses on faculty and student exchange programmes aimed at improving the quality of higher education in Somalia, the university said.

SNU described the agreements as a “strategic milestone” in its efforts to produce graduates equipped for the global digital economy.

The university said it remains committed to leveraging advanced technologies and innovation to prepare students for modern challenges, noting that the visit aligns with its five-year strategic plan.

The trip forms part of SNU’s broader push to expand international partnerships since its reopening in 2014. As Somalia’s largest public university, SNU has said it is working to rebuild its research capacity to meet the country’s technological and reconstruction needs.