University managers call for closer academia and industry ties

Universities from the East Africa region have been asked to forge closer ties between the education sector and industry in order to produce industry-oriented graduates.

Such collaboration between academia and the private sector would reduce the cost that companies incur in training graduates. It would also further enhance the global competitiveness of Kenyan graduates.

The discussions on collaborations between the education and industry were held during the Inter-Universities Council of East Africa’s (IUCEA’s) biennial Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) held March 12 -14 in Kigali, Rwanda.

The forum, now in its 13th edition, brought together a wide range of stakeholders.

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Mount Kigali University Vice Chancellor Martin Kimemia, described the forum as a vital gathering key to finding solutions.

“IUCEA has been at the forefront of enhancing partnerships to address the persistent skills mismatch between university education and the evolving demands of the job market,” said Dr Kimemia.

His Mount Kenya University (MKU) counterpart, Prof Deogratius Jaganyi, said the top minds gathered at the forum shared important ideas on how to tackle this problem.

Chair of the Education Sector at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance and Chairman of MKU’s University Council, Dr Vincent Gaitho, emphasized the need for higher education institutions to develop curricula in direct collaboration with industry.

The three dons said it was time to cultivate closer academia-industry partnerships.

MKU Chairman Simon Gicharu met with Rwanda's envoy to Kenya, Martin Ngoga and discussed areas of collaboration.

Prof Gicharu encouraged East African students to consider courses on Maritime studies. He said that MKU Malindi academy is to for prospective students in Esat Africa.

"There are many highly qualified experts in the industry, who can contribute significantly to academic training," said Dr. Gaitho.

During the forum, MKU’s principal for corporate services and director linkages and partnerships, Prof. Peter Wanderi, said the institution was walking the talk on academia-industry collaboration.

He highlighted the initiatives both MKU and Mount Kigali University were involved in that are helping to produce graduates fit for the job market.

Prof. Wanderi explained how universities can promote Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) initiative.

The MKU Innovation and Incubation Center, co-sponsored by the European Union through the Erasmus Plus Program, plays a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship and technological advancements.

In a major expansion, Mount Kigali University has on its part embarked on two ambitious projects to enhance practical training for students.

The Kigali Paramount Hotel, projected to be a four-star training facility, will provide hands-on learning opportunities for students pursuing careers in hospitality and tourism.

Meanwhile, the University Medical Center is being developed as a teaching hospital designed to offer real-world experience for medical and healthcare students. [John Muchucha]