UoN receives Sh4.6bn to boost science and engineering training

University of Nairobi Students pursuing science and engineering courses now have a chance to undergo further professional training.

This is after the French Development Agency signed a financing agreement with UoN to the tune of Sh4.6 billion.

The funds are meant to finance science, technology, engineering and mathematics training. 

Speaking to the Star in an interview, UoN vice-chancellor Kiama said the funds will link and expose engineering students to the industry to improve their hands-on skills.

He said the partnership is also meant to improve bilateral relations between Kenyan engineering students and those in French universities.

“We will link students with the complex industry so that the engineers don’t learn from a theoretical perspective but learn what is happening in the industry,” Kiama said.

He noted that the partnership will also allow the university to benchmark how science and engineering courses are implemented in other countries.

“It’s an avenue for collaborating with several French universities that have engineering so that we learn how they have brought in the industry,” he added.

The deal was signed in the presence of VC Kiama, Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, AFD director Bertrand Willocquet, and UoN chief operations officer Brian Ouma.

About Sh4 billion will support the detailed design, construction, and equipping of an engineering and science complex (ESC) at UoN.

An additional grant of about Sh645 million will help with the creation and launch of the new ESC. It is meant to support the architects' teams in monitoring building activities and reviewing curricula and pedagogy.

The grant will also support building stronger links with industry and increasing internationalisation in partnership with top French science and engineering universities. 

It will further allow the launch of a gender programme to support women in STEM. This will involve conducting a gender baseline survey to collect and analyse data that will enable the UoN to design and initiate initiatives that support women in STEM.

It will also raise awareness of gender issues, with special attention being paid to the situation of mothers and to the opportunity of providing potential solutions for childcare.

A gender committee will be formed to develop an action plan aimed at supporting women's participation and success in STEM at all levels. These include management, staff, students, and implementation of such an action plan.