Throughout the day-long meeting, discussions centered on fostering collaborations and partnerships through initiatives like student and academic exchange programs, research endeavors, exploring distance learning and teaching, and exchanging insights on higher education for the betterment of teaching, research, and community engagement in both nations.
Representatives from over 20 Kenyan institutions, along with 17 UK vice-chancellors, recently gathered at De Montfort University (DMU) Leicester to explore avenues for international collaborations in research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and employability.
The Second UK-Kenya Vice-Chancellors’ Round Table, hosted by Professor Katie Normington, vice-chancellor of DMU, focused on fostering collaborations through initiatives such as student and academic exchange programs, research efforts, distance learning and teaching, and knowledge-sharing in higher education.
The event saw participation from the Kenyan Ministry of Education, The Kenyan High Commission, the Kenyan Parliament, and notable figures from the Kenyan and UK higher education sectors. Dr. Chris Odindo and Dr. Charles Kariuki from DMU played pivotal roles in organizing these initiatives.
“What I loved most about this event was that it’s about something that’s part of our DMU DNA as an empowering university, which is building local, national, and global partnerships with purpose,” said Odindo.
The series of initiatives, orchestrated by DMU academics in collaboration with students from DMU and the University of Leicester, aims to nurture networks and partnerships that enhance education locally, nationally, and globally.
Monica Blagescu, head of education for the British Council in Kenya, conveyed gratitude to DMU for providing their campus for this significant gathering, emphasizing the importance of connecting like-minded individuals to foster stronger trust and understanding, ultimately leading to more positive engagements.
Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, principal secretary of the State Department for Higher Education and Research in Kenya, highlighted the vice-chancellors’ compelling narratives on advancing various sectors, including health, information technology, business, innovation, agriculture, engineering, and the creative economy in Kenya.
Darius Mogaka Ogutu, director of higher education in Kenya, highlighted the productive engagement during the event, expressing excitement about the potential for fruitful collaborations and partnerships in the upcoming year.
“There are so many pathways that can be taken forward in terms of more student mobility opportunities, transnational education, capacity development [to improve public services] and research collaboration,” Ogutu stated.
Key discussions included advancing sectors like health, information technology, business, innovation, agriculture, engineering, and the creative economy in Kenya, focusing on enhancing teaching, research, and community engagement.
In March, the University of Manchester initiated a program to bridge the healthcare gap between Nairobi and western Kenya. The program aims to provide Western Kenya with essential healthcare capabilities and establish a Center of Excellence for Healthcare Education and Training in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
Additionally, UNESCO and Prada recently have united to propel the “Keeping Girls in the Picture” campaign, an initiative aimed at fostering the education of girls in the ICT and STEM fields in Kenya.
Over 200 girls from Kajiado and Kwale Counties participated in ICT-STEM boot camps at Moi Isinya Girls High School and Waa Girls Secondary School. The participants delved deep into the world of artificial intelligence, coding, robotics, 3D printing, and other pivotal digital skills of the modern age.
