Marie Gry Torup Idvedsen is only half a year into her new role of managing BSU IV for Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC). On February 24, 2025, she walked into Gulu University’s New Library with symptoms of a cold. Nonetheless, she looked strong and determined to accomplish what had brought her to Uganda. By the time she was bidding farewell four days later, the expressions of gratitude from the BSU team at Gulu were a basketful. There was a renewed sense of purpose and confidence among members of the team:
“We were able to see the new face of DFC. Her coming was timely. It gives us new energy to run the project. At one point there was a slump but things are now clear. Key of these is outcome harvesting which previously we all understood differently,” said Dr. Agatha Alidri, the BSU Coordinator.
BSU Coordinator Dr. Alidri (r) shares a light moment with Marie during the latter's visit
“She clarified what DFC expects from us as a programme – the implementation plan, log frame, result framework – which helps us in reporting. She made it very clear about the write-ups expected by DFC and we are very happy with that. We are now working on BSU III reports and we see the direction is clear. I think she, too, was appreciative of the job we are doing here,” said Dr. Francis Atube, the BSU Deputy Coordinator in charge of administration.
Dr. Atube holds a conversation with Marie outside the BSU offices in Gulu
Gulu was the third and last BSU programme-implementing university in Africa Marie was visiting on this round of trips. She had already covered the University of Hargeisa (UoH) in Somaliland and the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA). Her purpose was to interact with project teams on the ground, understand their successes and challenges, but also work with them to realign the programme in a way that it can meet the expectations of both the universities and the donors.
She and her colleague, Mike Dahlgaard, a DFC consultant, spent a week in diverse engagements with BSU IV teams. The engagements included reviews of BSU technical and financial management approaches. She also participated in seminars of BSU’s sister projects – CONSCOV and PBL Hybrid – and attended Science Day celebrations as well as the launch of a green charcoal demonstration facility at Pabbo by UPCHAIN, another project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and administered by DFC.
BSU Chair Prof. Charles Nelson Okumu (r), Dr. Alidri (2nd right), and other BSU implementors from Uganda and Denmark follow a presentation by Marie
Speaking of her tour of the three universities Marie said: “Overall I am very happy with the set-up of BSU. It gives me the freedom to manage the programme. It is not a top-down. I think BSU is a great and interesting programme. There are very different situations in Hargeisa, SUZA and Gulu but it is very interesting to see the level of commitment in all three universities.
“I do see that with small amounts of funding to these universities, you can make a difference. I am excited. I can see where the gaps are and I know what to do. I hope to work with everybody to make things happen. I will support the teams to see that they reach their targets," she said.
While she is confident that she can guide the entire BSU IV, there are particular changes she would like to see by the end of the programme in 2028.
“SUZA and Gulu have been part of BSU longer. By the end of BSU IV, I would like to see some aspects institutionalised – including grants management and new teaching and learning approaches. With Hargeisa, they are new. But they are running fast. I wish they get one or a few other funding opportunities,” she said.
