Karel de Grote University of Applied Sciences and Arts (KDG) explores partnership opportunities with JKUAT.
Exploring partnership opportunities is not only crucial for universities, but it also presents a unique chance for both KDG and JKUAT to enhance academic experiences, steer innovation, and foster global collaboration. This shared goal underscores the mutual value of this endeavor, creating a dynamic and interconnected ecosystem that benefits not only students and faculty but also the broader society.
A team from Karel de Grote University of Applied Sciences and Arts (KDG) in Belgium visited JKUAT on Monday, May 27th, 2024, and held talks with faculty and management from the School of Computing and Information Technology. The talks entailed possible partnership opportunities in various avenues, ranging from International Research to knowledge sharing, Project collaborations, and Student and Staff Exchange programs.
Bart Vochten, Program Coordinator/Instructor of Software Development at Karel de Grote-Hogeschool, expressed his excitement and support for this collaboration, noting that he is looking forward to seeing how this partnership will provide opportunities for growth between the two institutions. “I am thrilled about the potential of this partnership to advance in the field of Information Technology,” he added.
Prof. Robert Kinyua, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs, JKUAT, reiterated the importance of this engagement, emphasizing the positive impact it will have on JKUAT’s global collaboration, visibility, and knowledge sharing with the wider community. He also highlighted that partnering with KDG will further strengthen ties with Belgium Universities, providing a sense of confidence and reassurance about the potential of this partnership. “The opportunities presented here are crucial in fostering global collaboration, enhancing our visibility, and encouraging the sharing of knowledge with the wider community to drive research and innovation,” Prof. Kinyua emphasized.
The partnership will seek to strengthen the internationalization of the university engagements and JKUAT programs, enhance the competitiveness of JKUAT Students worldwide, and ensure they remain relevant in the constantly changing field of Technology.
On the other hand, Prof. Stephen Kimani, Director of ICT, JKUAT, highlighted that opening doors to partner with KDG in the field of IT will be of great significance as it will open more room for student exchange and more project collaborations in solving world challenges in the field of IT “Our students are very competitive and have taken part in various programs that are recognized worldwide and championed by well-known companies like Huawei. Some of our students have already secured job opportunities while still studying, and this is true evidence of the kind of students we produce,” asserted Prof. Stephen Kimani, Director, Information and Communication Technology.
The deliberation concluded with both parties agreeing to work on a framework on how to effect the partnership, breaking down into the three major areas of collaboration with a proposal of having joint webinars with students and staff from both. The team also visited the School and interacted with students who are currently doing projects.
