17 years of IUC (and ICT) cooperation with Kenya

Professor Georges Eisendrath Vrije Universiteit Brussel

VLIR-IUC-UoN programmeInitiators: Prof. Philip Polk(VUB) & Prof. Kenneth Mavuti

IUC-UoN :1998-20081. Research and Training in Marine Science and

Coastal zone Management- Collaboration KMFRI - Baby Fame

- RECOCIX (ODINA IODE ) - Law of the Sea

- Reforestation Mangrove

- Capacity Building (6 +2PhD, 11 Masters)- Master degree- Rehabilitation Moana

2. Research and training in STD/HIV (under the Regional Training Network) (HPV-Cervical Cancer)

- Regional Training- Capacity Building (4+1 PhD )

IUC-UoN :1998-2008

3. Enhancement of networking infrastructure and Services

- Capacity Building (10 PhD, 10 masters)- Campus Network + Internet- Network training- Library (VUBIS)- Masters in Computer Sciences- ODL Centre

IUC-UoN :1998-2008

- UoN Priority: - No network, no internet, no PC’s- Limited staff ICT- Comp. Science

4. Open Learning 5. Computer Sciences

Additional fundingICT Infrastructure

2 RIP’s (Marine & Open Learning)

Different NSS

CTG ( Blinds, ICRH)

Further collaborationMarine Science Ecological succession in tropical mangrove

ecosystemsInteractions between man, fauna and flora and environment in natural mangrove and related marine ecosystemsResponse of marine fauna and flora of mangroves and related ecosystems toanthropogenic induced changes

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP SUSTAINABLE USE OF COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES IN KENYA

Health: Reproductive Health, HPVCfr . Presentation of Jan

Cfr . Presentation of Marleen

Further collaborationICT

- ICT staff increased from 10 at +/- 120- ICT and Network Management- Support Library, Repositories, Website- Initiator of KENET

Country or regional training

https://www.kenet.or.ke/

Further collaborationComputer Science (≠ Information Science)

e-Governance

 

ICT in Health /Health Informatics

Health Analytics

MSc,PhD Program:

- Health Informatics

 

Urban mobility

Transport data Analytics

 

HLT for resource scarce languages

Social media data mining

- UoN staff15 PhD ( 7 VLIR) +11 masters- Master degrees ( only in Kenya)- Highly oriented to research

Further collaborationOpen and Blended Learning

- Increasing Need- Specialised staff trained- Infrastructure available

Mobile learningAmbient LearningLearning using games - Research & product developmentVernacular literacy and bilingualism using m-learningSupporting learners with learning disabilities usingNeed for a regional MSc Program - ICT for Education - Research, Capacity building and Hub

VLIR-IUC-Moi University 2005

Contribution to the Socio-Economic

Welfare of Western Kenya

Thematic areas prioritised based on location of Moi University, scientific and social-economic importance for MU and

Kenya.

- Regional University- Prior NUHIP Project

Muk Phase 1 Projects 2007 -2012:Project Title

Civil & Structural Engineering (CSE)

Capacity Building for Teaching, Research and Extension in Civil and Structural Engineering

Agriculture & Biotechnology (AGBIO)

Strengthening Teaching, Research and Technology Transfer in Agriculture and Biotechnology

Health Sciences (HEALTH)

Building Capacity, Research, and Extension in Health Sciences

Textile Engineering (TEXTILE)

Capacity Enhancement for Textile Research and Extension

Gender Equity (GENDER)

Institute for Gender Equity, Research, and Development Project

Information Comm & Technology (ICT)

Creating an Enabling ICT Environment at Moi University for Communication and Research

Muk Phase 2 Projects 2012 -2017:

INSTDEVCapacity building through Institutional Capacity Development

Research Areas & further collaboration

• CSE – watershed management in the fields of flood management and irrigation engineering, (3PhD)

• Affordable housing, monitoring and design of concrete roads (2PhD)

• AGBIO ( University of Eldoret)• nutritional value of the soybean, techniques

to improve and multiply• Development and preservation of germplasm

of target crops and seed handling (5PhD)

• HEALTH – Public Health

Reproductive Health (HPV) (5+2 PhD)• TEXTILE – Acquisition of a textile

factory for training, research and development (3 PhD)

• INSTDEV – Computer Science (4PhD)

Crosscutting research (1 PhD)

Gender (1 PhD)

Research Areas & further collaboration

Additional funding 2x VLIR ICT infrastructure

- University network & Wifi

5 NSS projects 3 CTG ( secondary schools)

Challenges•Number of Public Universities

•From 7 to 33•Vocational schools, almost no research•Insufficient academic staff -> drain of staff•Huge need for capacity building

•Consultancy versus research•Search for money, but salaries increased

•Self sponsored students•More interest in teaching

•Hierarchy•Involve management

Select carefully your partner

Opportunities•Centres of Excellence with Flemish support

•KMFRI•Cervical cancer HPV (UoN-Moi)•ICT-ODL- Computer Sciences (UoN)•Agriculture ( Moi and others)•Textile (Moi)•Civil engineering …

•Good quality of education•National Selection•Very good students

•Clear National Vision•Vision 2030 - 5y Medium Term Plans•Supported by Government

Recommended Reading

- Kenya Vision 2030 reportwww.vision2030.go.ke/cms/vds/Popular_Version.pdf

- Kenya Medium Term Plan 2013-2015http://www.vision2030.go.ke/cms/vds/Second_Medium_Term_Plan_2013_-_20171.pdf

- Guide to ICT Initiatives and Research Capacity in IST-Africa Partner Countries

http://www.ist-africa.org/home/files/IST-Africa_ICTInitiatives_ResearchCapacity_310114.pdf

- and all universities and research institutes websites

Kenya is a

beautiful country

Where you can make a lot of friends

And Finally

Thank You

www.vliruos.be

Georges Eisendrathgeisendr@vub.ac.be