Mt Kigali University Rwanda
Mount Kenya University has been honoured with a Certificate of Appreciation for the institutionβs active participation in the 13th Academia Public-Private Partnership Forum and Exhibition (APPPF) held in Kigali, Rwanda from March 12 to 14, 2025.
The prestigious forum, organized by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and the East African Business Council (EABC), brought together academia, researchers, innovators, policymakers, and industry leaders to strengthen collaboration between universities and industries in addressing regional development challenges.
Established in 2012, the AFP has grown into a pivotal event fostering academia-industry partnerships across the East African region. Held every two years, it provides a vital platform for networking, idea exchange, and co-creation of solutions to address pressing economic and developmental issues facing the region.
The theme of the meeting was Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship through University-Industry Partnerships for East Africaβs Sustainable Future. Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, IUCEAβs Executive Secretary, praised the forumβs role in fostering sustainable development, stating, βThrough strategic collaborations, we can transform research into impactful solutions and build a competitive knowledge economy for East Africa.β
Speaking at the forum, Hon. Joseph Nsengimana, Rwandaβs Minister of Education, who was the chief guest, emphasized the significance of strong academia-industry partnerships in driving Africaβs economic transformation. He also launched the Research Excellence Framework for Higher Education in East Africa (REFHE-EA), an initiative to bolster research quality and foster university-industry collaboration across the region.
The Vice-Chancellor represented MKU; Prof. Peter Wanderi (Principal Corporate Services, Communication and Director Linkages and Partnerships, Mr Boniface Murigi, who is the director of Marketing and Communication Affairs. Also present were the Mount Kigali University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Martin Kimemia, several other vice-chancellors and university heads, professors, as well as captains and chieftains of industry and commerce.
Prof. Peter Wanderi made a presentation on the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 9): Industry, innovation and Infrastructure. MKU is the UN Academic Impact SDG9 hub.
He focused on how universities can promote SDGs through the UNAI initiative. βAs a long-standing UNAI member, MKU previously served as the SDG 10 Hub on Reduced Inequalities (2021β2024) and has now been selected as the SDG 9 Hub Chair (2025β2027), emphasizing Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure,β he said.
He also presented initiatives, which have been implemented across multiple campuses of the institution, including Mount Kigali University (MKU Rwanda). βThe university aligns its policies, research, and community engagement with the SDGs through various initiatives,β said Prof Wanderi.
The three-day forum sought to delve into sustainable growth in East Africa in the context of a competitive world. Key factors to consider are the relevance of programmes EA Universities are offering to the industry. Dr Vincent Gaitho, Chairman, of the Education Sector, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and Chairman, of MKU Council, delivered a keynote speech on βPrivate sector perspective on Academia industry collaborationβ.
He said that at the dawn of the 3rd decade of the 21st century, the world is awake to a new frontier of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the relevance of business as-usual paradigm. βNever before has the question of academia-industry collaboration been featured than now,β he said.
Dr Gaitho said thereβs na need to engage the industry in programme development and review if the universities are to meet the talent requirements of the industry. βThere is also a need for pursuing industry-relevant research to offer solutions while ensuring new products and services, new markets and new fields,β he added.
He called on universities to engage industry champions in contributing to training and supervision while underscoring reliable industry engagement through dual training, internships and apprenticeships. βUniversities should inculcate work ethics and soft skills relevant to work environments to graduates while seeking opportunities to solve industry problems,β he noted.
Meanwhile, he said, the universities should be at the forefront to disrupt the norm and trigger EA-based solutions to EA. βFurthermore, academic-industry collaboration should be superseded by intra and inter-academia sector collaboration as a panacea for sustainability,β Dr Gaitho told the delegates.
Ms Veronica Nduva, East African Community (EAC) Secretary General told the delegates that the EAC Vision 2050 underscores the urgent need to develop a skilled workforce, drive industrialization, enhance agricultural value chains and harness technological innovations. βBy fostering strong collaborations between universities and industries, we can equip our youth with the skills, knowledge, and entrepreneurial mindset necessary to transform East Africa into a globally competitive region,β she noted.
The recognition of Mount Kenya Universityβs contributions highlights its dedication to fostering innovation, research excellence, and academia-industry linkages, ultimately driving socio-economic growth in East Africa.-
ENDS
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