JKUAT Hosts Workshop on Responsible Computing
What does it mean to design technology responsibly in today’s world? How can universities shape ethical, sustainable, and human-centered technology?
These were some of the guiding questions explored during a workshop hosted by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) on Integrating Responsible Computing in Teaching and Student Projects. Held at AICAD, JKUAT, the event attracted more than 60 participants, including researchers, students, and staff, who engaged in discussions on how computing can be aligned with ethical and societal values.
Opening the workshop, the Director of ICT, Prof. Stephen Kimani, and Co-lead of the Mozilla Project, together with the Director of the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT), Agnes Mindila, reaffirmed JKUAT’s commitment to fostering innovation grounded in ethics and social responsibility.
“The future of technology must be guided not just by innovation, but by responsibility. As we train the next generation of computing professionals, our goal should be to ensure they create solutions that are responsive to the needs of society,” said Prof. Kimani.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Jacki O’Neill, Director of Microsoft Research Africa in Nairobi, emphasized the need for inclusivity in innovation. “Technology should not only be innovative but also inclusive, fair, and representative of the varied societies in which it is used,” said Dr. O’Neill.
Further insights from Dr. Victoria Mukami, Lecturer at Embu University and Mozilla Responsible Computing Awardee, who underscored the value of embedding ethics in student projects, Dr. Minha Lee, Assistant Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology, who explored the ethical dimensions of human emotions in collaborative computing, and Prof. Melissa Densmore from Cape Town University, who discussed the societal impact of Human-Computer Interaction
A key highlight of the workshop was the presentation of the Responsible Computing Framework (P.A.U.S.E.), which focuses on Privacy, Accessibility, User Support, and Societal Equity. The framework emphasizes the importance of integrating ethical, social, environmental, and governance considerations into computing education and practice. Participants engaged with the framework, shared feedback, and reflected on its potential application in teaching and student projects
The workshop was organized and facilitated by Dr. Eunice Njeri, Lecturer and Principal Investigator for the Mozilla Responsible Computer Challenge (RCC) project at JKUAT, in collaboration with Prof. Stephen Kimani, Director of ICT.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Njeri commended the spirit of collaboration that characterized the workshop and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to nurturing graduates who are not only technically proficient but also ethical, socially conscious, and prepared to tackle global challenges.
As technology continues to shape societies worldwide, the discussions and insights from the workshop reinforced JKUAT’s dedication to producing graduates who are both innovative and responsible. The integration of frameworks such as P.A.U.S.E. into teaching and research will be instrumental in ensuring that future innovations remain inclusive, sustainable, and human-centered.
