17 years of IUC (and ICT)
cooperation with Kenya
Professor Georges Eisendrath
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
VLIR-IUC-UoN programme
Initiators: Prof. Philip Polk(VUB) & Prof. Kenneth Mavuti
IUC-UoN :1998-2008
1. Research and Training in Marine Science and
Coastal zone Management
- Collaboration KMFRI
- RECOCIX (ODINA IODE )
- Reforestation Mangrove
- Capacity
- Baby Fame
- Law of the Sea
Building (6 +2PhD, 11 Masters)
- Master degree
- Rehabilitation Moana
IUC-UoN :1998-2008
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
- UoN Priority:
- No network, no internet, no PC’s
- Limited staff ICT- Comp. Science
4. Open Learning
5. Computer Sciences
- Capacity Building (10 PhD, 10 masters)
- Campus Network + Internet
- Network training
- Library (VUBIS)
- Masters in Computer Sciences
- ODL Centre
Additional funding
ICT Infrastructure
2 RIP’s (Marine & Open Learning)
Different NSS
CTG ( Blinds, ICRH)
Further collaboration
Marine Science
Ecological succession in tropical mangrove
ecosystems
Interactions between man, fauna and flora and
environment in natural mangrove
and related marine ecosystems
Response of marine fauna and flora of mangroves
and related ecosystems to
anthropogenic induced changes
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP SUSTAINABLE USE
OF COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES IN KENYA
Cfr . Presentation of Jan
Health: Reproductive Health, HPV
Cfr . Presentation of Marleen
Further collaboration
ICT
- ICT staff increased from 10 at +/- 120
- ICT and Network Management
- Support Library, Repositories, Website
- Initiator of KENET
https://www.kenet.or.ke/
Country or regional training
Further collaboration
Computer Science (≠ Information Science)
- UoN staff15 PhD ( 7 VLIR) +11 masters
- Master degrees ( only in Kenya)
- Highly oriented to research
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
Further collaboration
Open and Blended Learning
- Increasing Need
- Specialised staff trained
- Infrastructure available
Mobile learning
Ambient Learning
Learning using games - Research & product development
Vernacular literacy and bilingualism using m-learning
Supporting learners with learning disabilities using
Need for a regional
MSc Program - ICT for Education
- Research, Capacity building and Hub
VLIR-IUC-Moi University 2005
- Regional University
- Prior NUHIP Project
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.
Muk Phase 2
1 Projects 2012
2007 -2017:
-2012:
Project
Title
Civil & Structural
Engineering (CSE)
Capacity Building for Teaching, Research and
Extension in Civil and Structural Engineering
Agriculture &
Biotechnology
(AGBIO)
Health Sciences
(HEALTH)
Textile Engineering
(TEXTILE)
Strengthening Teaching, Research and
Technology Transfer in Agriculture and
Biotechnology
Building Capacity, Research, and Extension in
Health Sciences
Capacity Enhancement for Textile Research
and Extension
Gender Equity
(GENDER)
INSTDEV
Information Comm &
Technology (ICT)
Institute for Gender Equity, Research, and
Capacity building
through Institutional
Development
Project
Capacityan
Development
Creating
Enabling ICT Environment at Moi
University for Communication and Research
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)
Research Areas &
further collaboration
• 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)
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 report
www.vision2030.go.ke/cms/vds/Popular_Version.pdf
- Kenya Medium Term Plan 2013-2015
http://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/ISTAfrica_ICTInitiatives_ResearchCapacity_310114.pdf
- and all universities and research institutes
websites
Kenya is a
beautiful country
Where you can make
a lot of friends
Georges Eisendrath
geisendr@vub.ac.be
www.vliruos.be