Our research expedition is not only about the study of Malagasy musical culture. On 1 August 2024, the penultimate day of our stay on the island, we met with representatives of the Catholic University of Madagascar (Université Catholique de Madagascar) to discuss the course of our trip, exchange experiences in research work, and discuss further cooperation.
Our research group was welcomed by Sohary Razanaparany, Director of the Development Research Centre, and Louise Boissenin, responsible for international relations at the University. Over morning coffee, with a beautiful view of the vast Antananarivo, we talked about our expedition and the first lessons learned. We shared our impressions, especially related to the research interests of the group members, but there were also more personal reflections on Malagasy culture. We also devoted a large part of the meeting to introducing our universities and the research carried out in them, while we also learned with interest about the activities of the Catholic University of Madagascar in Antananarivo – a young but very rapidly developing university.
The meeting at the Catholic University of Antananarivo was not only an opportunity to discuss our research and further plans for the expedition. Dr Łukasz Smoluch and Dr Jakub Kopaniecki from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań started discussions on potential future cooperation between the two universities. Particular attention was paid to the issue of student exchange, which could be fruitful for both Antananarivo and Poznan students. We are keeping our fingers firmly crossed for future relations between UAM and UCM!
Photos by: Joanna Kwapień, Łukasz Smoluch, Jakub Kopaniecki
