EASTECO holds Regional Stakeholder Workshop on the EAC Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

Written on 12 October 2018. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), Kigali, Rwanda, October 12^th, 2018: The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) held Regional Stakeholder Workshop on EAC Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Policy on 24^th September 2018 at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies in Nairobi, Kenya.

The EAC Partner States have explicitly recognised the importance of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) for socio-economic development in the relevant provisions of Treaty establishing the Community. Science, technology and innovation is important for the enhancement of the socio-economic status of individuals and communities and is key to the establishment of the competitiveness of regional economies. It will be altogether impossible, to create wealth and improve the living standards of the people of this region without developing and applying science and technology and strengthening systems to harness innovation at the national level.

However, the implementation of national STI policies is at varying stages in the EAC Partner States. In some of the EAC partner states, the national STI policies are under a review process. Some of the key challenges hampering the development and implementation of effective STI policies in EAC Partner States are inadequate funds for the implementation of national STI policies, lack of up-to-date, reliable data and indicators on the current status of S&T, lack of indicators and support mechanisms for innovation. The National Institutions have focused on training, education, research and development of national STI policies, with less focus on innovation in the national STI policies. This has resulted in weak and non-direct linkages for science, technology and innovation to support societal needs and sustained economic growth.

The purpose of the meeting was to review and validate the draft policy for the East African Regional science, technology and innovation for sustainable regional development and socio-economic transformation.

The meeting output a validated draft EAC Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation and enriched with lessons and experience from STI Stakeholders, Partner States and partners; and effective support mechanisms identified and validated to enhance regional and national innovation systems for a sustained conducive environment in fostering S&T-led innovations.

The workshop gathered about 65 stakeholders’ representative from EAC Partner States including National Commission/Council for Science and Technology; Ministries responsible for Science, Technology and Innovation; National Departments responsible for Intellectual Property in EAC Partner States; Kenya Association of Professional Engineers; Universities/Academia; National Research Institutions; Private Business and Civil Society sector and Development Partners (UNESCO and UNECA).

The meeting was opened by Dr. Moses Rugutt, the Director General of National Council of Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) Kenya, who appreciated EASTECO efforts to have the IP Policy developed for the region. He further informed the meeting that this policy will form the basis for the development of the individual National IP Policy. The opening remarks were given by Mrs Ngabirano Gertrude, the Executive Secretary, Dr. Alice Ochanda representative from UNESCO Nairobi, Kenya and Dr. Kasirim Nwuke representative from UNECA, Ethiopia.

The EAC IP Policy development process was participatory and included national level consultations in all EAC Partner States.

After the consultative process, the reviewed draft Regional Policies will be submitted to the EASTECO Governing Board for adoption before consideration and approval by the EAC Council of Ministers.

For more information please contact:
The Executive Secretary,
The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO),
2nd Floor Telecom House, Kacyiru,
KIGALI – RWANDA.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About EASTECO

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) was established as an institution of the EAC, with an overall objective of “promoting and coordinating the development, management and application of Science and Technology in Partner States” composed with the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Uganda.

It is a semi-autonomous institution of the EAC established by the 5th Extra-ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State held on 18th June 2007,in accordance with Chapter 16, Article 103 (a) of the Treaty on the Establishment of the East African Community, where the Partner States undertook to promote cooperation in the development of Science & Technology within the Community.

EASTECO Headquarters are in Kigali, Rwanda, 2nd Floor Telecom House, Kacyiru.

IUCEA - World Bank Scholarship Recipients for 2018/2019

Written on 10 August 2018. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

Inter-University Council for East Africa August 10, 2018: On May 4, 2018, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Regional Facilitation Unit for the Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project, announced a Call for Applications for Masters fellowships targeting female students in the nine participating countries of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Mozambique and Malawi.

The aim of the competitive scholarship is to enhance the participation of young African female scientists at postgraduate level, encourage regional student mobility and identify and cultivate future leaders in the region.

A total of 30 fellowships were available for the 2018/2019 academic year and another 30 will be announced next year. The selected students will study full time at any of the 24 ACEs in the priority disciplines of the ACE II Project, namely: (i) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) or Industry, (ii) Agriculture, (iii) Health, (iv) Education and (v) Applied Statistics.

The Scholarship will cover cost for tuition, stipend, research, visa fees, laptop, books/stationeries and a round trip air ticket between the beneficiary’s home country and the study destination.

Names of candidates recommended for the award, areas of specialization and host institutions can be viewed on the list below. IUCEA shall contact all scholarship recipients through personal contacts submitted at the time of application.

“We congratulate the successful applicants and extend to them our best wishes for success in their studies. We have no doubt that when they return to their country of origin after completing their studies, they will play meaningful leadership roles at national and regional levels in identified priority science and technology areas for Africa,” said Prof. Goolam Mohamedbhai, the Chairperson of the Independent Selection Panel.

LIST OF STUDENTS AWARDED MSc. FELLOWSHIP UNDER THE ACE II PROJECT FOR 2018/2019 ACADEMIC YEAR

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For more information contact:
Agnes Asiimwe Okoth
Communication Officer
Mob: +256-752-980079
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://ace2.iucea.org/

Higher Education stakeholders to discuss Transformative Higher Education Leadership for Enhanced Linkage between Academia, Public and Private Sectors

Written on 19 June 2018. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), Kampala, Uganda, 19^th May 2018: Higher Education stakeholders will meet to discuss the transformative higher education leadership for enhanced linkage between academia, public and private sector during the 9^th IUCEA Annual Meeting that will take place on 21^st – 22^nd June 2018 in Bujumbura, Burundi at Hotel Panoramique.

Under the theme “Transformative Higher Education Leadership for Enhanced Linkage Between Academia, Public and Private Sectors”, Vice-Chancellors and Principals of member universities; representatives from Ministries responsible for higher education; and private sector from each Partner State will have an opportunity to discuss all aspects of industrialization. The discussions will look into the potential role of Higher Education institutions in the process through the partnership with the public and private sectors, both in terms of sharing of experience, knowledge and technology, enabling environment and adequacy of enabling environment for effective functioning of the partnerships. Other participants are the EAC Secretary General, the heads of commissions/councils for higher/university education, heads of national commissions/councils for science and technology, heads of EAC institutions and other higher education stakeholders.

The Annual Meeting will consist of two main parts: The Dialogue Session that will focus on the Theme of the Annual Meeting by discussing through keynote presentations on:

1. University leadership with notions on public sector and industry relations being shared,
2. Status of research in the EAC and role and prospects of the Higher Education sector contribution to enhancement of production and
3. Set-ups for Academia-Industry linkages, perspectives of both the academia and industry.

The second part will give an opportunity to higher education stakeholders and member universities to be briefed about the activities coordinated by IUCEA during 2017/2018, achievements made and challenges encountered.

Notes to the Editor:

Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), as a strategic institution of the East African Community (EAC) responsible for coordinating development of higher education and research in the region, has played a key role in coordinating various processes which include, among others: the Regional Quality Assurance System with its operational tools such the The Road Map to Quality: A Handbook for Quality Assurance in Higher Education in five volumes; Principles and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and benchmarks for academic programmes. Other documents include the East African Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (EAQFHE), which is both a human resources development tool and a platform for rationalization and mutual recognition of qualifications under the EAC Common Higher Education Area. IUCEA is steering a number of initiatives on the development of centres of excellence in various fields and levels, which will serve as hubs for the development of highly skilled human resources for the region. Mobility and networking of both academic staff and students, an important avenue for brain circulation as well as research and innovation information sharing facility are currently on top of IUCEA’s agenda to respond to various needs of our region. These developments reveal a unique and pivotal role the higher education plays in promoting enhanced socio-economic conditions for an integrated East African Community. The Annual Meeting is a platform for heads of higher education institutions to share among themselves and with Higher Education stakeholders, developments in higher education in the region and worldwide, in order to maintain and enhance the outputs and outcomes of their functions, reflective of competitiveness of the higher education sector in the East African Community. The 9^th Annual Meeting has been organized in line with the provision in Section 7(1) of the IUCEA Act 2009, stating that “The Council shall meet at least once every year provided that one of such meetings shall be an Annual Meeting of the Council”.

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For more Information Contact:
Wilhelmina Balyagati,
Corporate and Public Relations Officer,
Inter-University Council for East Africa
Plot M833, Kigobe Road, Kyambogo, Kampala,
P. O. Box 7110 Kampala, Uganda,
Website: www.iucea.org
Tel: 256 414 256251/2, Mob: +256 774165467 (Ug), Mob: +255 788 497339 (Tz)

About the Inter-University Council for East Africa:

The Inter-University Council for East Africa coordinates harmonisation of higher education and training systems in East Africa, facilitates their strategic development and promotes internationally comparable standards and systems.

For more information, please visit the IUCEA website.

Kigali Hosts 2nd EAC Regional e-Health and Telemedicine Ministerial Conference and International Trade Exhibition

Written on 18 May 2018. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

19^th  May, 2018, Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, Kigali, Republic of Rwanda:

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) in collaboration with the East African Regional Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Engineering and e-Health at the University of Rwanda, the EAC Secretariat and Partner States convened the 2^nd EAC Regional e-Health and Telemedicine Ministerial Conference and International Trade Exhibition at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village, Kigali, Rwanda on 17^th May, 2018.

The Ministerial Conference considered the report and recommendations of the 2^nd EAC Regional e-Health and Telemedicine Workshop that was held from 15^th to 16^th May, 2018 at the same venue.

The theme of the Conference was “harnessing science, technology and innovation to transform healthcare delivery and accelerate the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals in East Africa.”

The meeting was attended by the Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali H. Kirunda Kivejinja, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs, Uganda and Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers; Hon. Sarah Achieng Opendi, Minister of State for Health, Uganda; Hon. Dr. Patrick Ndimubandi, the State Minister for Public and Primary Health, Rwanda. Kenya was represented by Hon. Dr. Rashid Aman, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Health, and Hon. Ken Obura, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of EAC and Northern Corridor Development. Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children was represented by Mr. Toritoi Ngosayon Bunto, the Acting High Commissioner of Tanzania in Rwanda. The Ministerial Conference brought together 120 participants from the EAC region and beyond.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Guest, Rt. Hon. Dr. Kivejinja, Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers underscored the “importance of the conference in bringing together public and private policymakers, technologists, academia, researchers, medical professionals, NGOs and development partners to discuss how technology can be used to enhance healthcare delivery, brainstorm on eHealth policies and regulations and showcase eHealth solutions.”

Hon. Kivejinja called for a “continuous cooperation of EAC Partner States in developing relevant policies and adopting new technologies to enhance healthcare delivery through the use of information technology and communications systems with ultimate goal of improving the standards of living and increasing life expectancy of East Africans.”

In their deliberations, the Ministers noted that the 2^nd eHealth conference built on the 1^st conference that was convened by the EAC Secretariat in Kigali, Rwanda in 2010, in collaboration with Partner States. The meeting recalled that the regional agenda to invest in e-Government, which incorporates e-Health, was approved by the 13^th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State that was held in 2006. The Ministers further recalled that the 19^th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State held in Kampala, Uganda on 23^rd February, 2018 approved nine health sector investment priorities for the period 2018 to 2028 and that one of the priority areas was Investment in e-Health and that most of the other eight priorities heavily incorporate aspects of e-Health.

The 2^nd EAC Regional e-Health and Telemedicine Ministerial Conference:

1. a) urged the EAC Partner States that do not have a National e-Health Strategy develop it in line with the WHO - ITU National e-Health Strategy Toolkit by 2020;
2. b) directed EASTECO to conduct an EAC regional e-Health readiness assessment incorporating aspects of systems interoperability, costs and benefits of investing in e-Health by 30^th December 2019 in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat, East African Health Research Commission, Partner States’ National Science and Technology Commissions/Councils and Partners;
3. c) directed EASTECO to promote incubation of local digital health solutions in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat and the Partner States’ Ministries and Agencies responsible for ICT, Science, Technology and Innovation and submit progress reports to relevant Sectoral Councils and the Council of Ministers every two years;
4. d) urged the Sectoral Council on Health to coordinate  the development of regional policies, laws, regulations, guidelines, standards, on health facility/patient safety, data sharing, data security and privacy to facilitate e-health enabled in country and cross border patient referrals within the EAC Partner States by 30^th June 2020
5. e) directed the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Engineering and eHealth to conduct a study in the application of eLearning systems for training Health Professional in the Region and IUCEA to develop a regional framework to enhance regional and south-south collaboration in capacity building for e-Health by Jan 2020;
6. f) directed EASTECO to take leadership in convening the EAC regional e-health and telemedicine workshops, ministerial conferences and international exhibitions every two years on a rotational basis among the Partner States in last week of October as part of the meetings of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for Health in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat, the EAHRC and the EAC Regional Center for Excellence for Biomedical Engineering and e-Health; and
7. g) approved hosting of the 3^rd EAC regional e-health and telemedicine workshops, ministerial conferences and international exhibitions by the Republic of Uganda from 28^th to 30^th October 2020 as approved by the 16^th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health.

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For more information, please contact:

Richard Irakoze
Communication Assistant
The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO),
2nd Floor Telecom House, Kacyiru,
Kigali, Rwanda
Mobile: +250 783047164
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; C.C. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About EASTECO

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) was established as an institution of the EAC, with an overall objective of “promoting and coordinating the development, management and application of Science and Technology in Partner States” composed with the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Uganda.

It is a semi-autonomous institution of the EAC established by the 5th Extra-ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State held on 18th June 2007,in accordance with Chapter 16, Article 103 (a) of the Treaty on the Establishment of the East African Community, where the Partner States undertook to promote cooperation in the development of Science & Technology within the Community.

EASTECO Headquarters are in Kigali, Rwanda, 2nd Floor Telecom House, Kacyiru.

6th EAC Academia - Public - Private Partnership Forum and Exhibition concludes in Nairobi

Written on 23 March 2018. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

President Kenyatta commends IUCEA for the outstanding achievements in higher education and research systems

East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 23rd March, 2018:

The 6th EAC Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) and Exhibition 2018 concluded at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday 22nd March 2018, with a commendation by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta to the management of Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) for the outstanding achievements in the development of higher education and research systems that are responding to the regional social economic development needs, in particular transforming East Africa into a Common Higher Education Area.

The aim of the APPPF is to provide a point of connection between knowledge and human resources produced by the academia on the one hand, and on the other hand, the dissemination and utilization of such knowledge by the private and public sectors, for eventual diffusion into the productive, social and service sectors in the Community. The theme of the 6th APPPF and Exhibition 2018 was the East African Common Higher Education Area: Opportunities for Industrialisation through Academia-Public-Private Partnerships.

Addressing the official opening ceremony, President Uhuru Kenya said that it his conviction that once effectively operational, which IUCEA should work hard so that, the Common Higher Education Area will contribute significantly to the shaping of the landscape and impact of higher education of the East African Community.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was represented by Hon. Peter Munya, the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Northern Corridor Development, urged the participants to come up with concrete proposals for policy and decision makers on how the region can shape-up and refine its industrialisation strategies for maximum utilisation of abundant natural resources for the industrialisation of the bloc.

The Guest of honour challenged the participants to consider leveraging the region’s human resources and skills potentials to promote mobility of labour and services as provided for by the EAC Common Market Protocol, which calls for opening up education and training to the local environment and beyond through mobility by strengthening links with business and by developing education for enterprise.

“This should be one of the key milestones that the Common Higher Education Area and this partnership (Academia-Public-Private) should endeavour to achieve as building blocks for industrialisation of our region”, noted the President.

President Kenyatta urged the forum participants to consider innovative ways in which the Academia-Public-Private Partnership could be strengthened in order to increase productivity of public and private investments and services in higher education as a focus for a new investment paradigm in education and training; maintaining universities as a public responsibility; promoting and consolidating research as an integral part of higher education for impact enhancement to society; furthering mobility and the social dimension; making access to learning easier and accessible and making it easier to move from one part of the education system to another, across and between programs and system, and across borders; and rethinking the definition of skills for the knowledge society.

He commended the management of the Inter-University Council for East Africa for the outstanding achievements in the development of higher education and research systems that are responding to the regional social economic development needs, in particular transforming East Africa into a Common Higher Education Area.

“It is my conviction that once effectively operational, which IUCEA should work hard to that, the Common Higher Education Area will contribute significantly to the shaping of the landscape and impact of higher education of the East African Community”, affirmed H.E Uhuru Kenyatta.

At the Forum, Rt. Hon. Kirunda Kivejinje, the Chairperson, EAC Council of Ministers and Uganda’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs, noted that given the difficulties of entering into highly-competitive global markets, and the lack of prospects for a significant upsurge of foreign investments in the manufacturing sector, the only realistic option for the development of EAC industry was to focus on both ‘recapturing domestic markets’ and simultaneously exploiting better, the potential of regional markets and the resources at hand within the public and private sectors of which research and innovation were critical prerequisites.

The Chairperson of the Council observed that historically, the EAC economies had continued to be dominated by agriculture as the core economic sector employing 90% of the region’s respective populations and accounting for 24% to 46% of gross domestic product (GDP). On the other hand, the contribution of manufacturing to the GDP in East Africa was estimated at 8.9%, which is considerably below the average target of about 25% that the EAC Partner States have set for themselves to achieve by 2032.

He said the industrial sector in the region had the potential to reverse this trend and transform significantly the EAC economies to create jobs and stimulate the development of other sectors, with research and innovation taking the centre stage.

On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Inter- University Council for East Africa, Prof. Alexandre Lyambabaje disclosed that the Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum had, in the short span of its existence, exhibited great potential for playing a critical and catalytic role in spurring socio-economic development in the Community through various  interventions.

“The partnership is expected to exploit the available political commitment and enabling legal framework at the national and regional levels to drum-up and consolidate views of stakeholders, for the outcome of the Forum and Exhibitions to spearhead the implementation of the socio-economic developmental agenda of the Community for achieving the region’s short- and long-term goals”.

Resolutions and Way Forward of the 6th EAC APPPF and Exhibition 2018

1. IUCEA should strengthen the administrative arrangements for coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the process of transforming EAC into a Common Higher Education Area

2. IUCEA should create a system that can document best practices from the Centres of Excellence to facilitate sharing of knowledge to promote industrialization. IUCEA should also recommend more centres of excellence in other areas.

3. IUCEA should continue to facilitate networking among research institutions, academia and industry for best practice sharing, and building partnerships for collaborative R&D, technology and innovation within the region. In this regard, IUCEA should come up with a policy framework for university-industry collaboration.

4. IUCEA should support new VCs with training on leadership and management to enable them transform their universities.

5. Universities should Strengthen collaborations and networks amongst regional institutions including CoE to enhance capabilities for industrial policy design and management.

6. Universities should Institutionalize Research & Research Uptake to create an enabling platform for industrialization.

7. Universities should review their policies to require graduates to produce a research uptake component before they graduate.

8. Universities should build their relationships with industry on a gradual and structured way by involving the industry in curriculum development, its delivery as guest lecturers, joint supervision and internships.

9. Universities should fully embrace the use of ICT in teaching, research and administration. Available opportunities with German universities to set up virtual classrooms for collaborative teaching is worth considering.

10. Partner States should establish/increase national research and innovations fund to promote sustainability of externally funded projects.

11. Partner States should establish Regional Awards as a means to catalyse innovation and entrepreneurial efforts and support collaborative science technology and innovation initiatives.

DOWNLOAD: Summary, Emerging Issues & Resolutions of the Forum

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For more information, please contact:

Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org

About the East African Community Secretariat:

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. 

The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified

Nairobi to Host Academic-Public-Private Partnership (APPP) Forum and Exhibitions 2018

Written on 12 March 2018. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

The Inter-University Council for East Africa, Kampala, Uganda, 12^th March 2018:

The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the East African Business Council (EABC), the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), and the East African Development Bank (EADB) are jointly organizing the Academia-Public-Private Partnership (APPP) Forum and Exhibitions 2018.

The forum’s theme is The East African Common Higher Education Area: Opportunities for Industrialization through Academia-Public-Private Partnerships. The forum seeks to explore the status and potential for linkage between the three sectors in utilizing opportunities brought about by the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol. The forum will take place at Catholic University of East Africa in Nairobi, Kenya on 21^st to 22^nd March 2018.

The APPP focuses on (i) enhancing linkage between the academia, research institutions, and public and private sector enterprises; (ii) promoting the utilization of higher education research output and innovations by the private sector/business community; (iii) promoting consultative engagement in curriculum and research development and implementation and (iv), jointly organizing dialogue forums and exhibitions. The pioneer Forum organizers – IUCEA and EABC were joined by EADB in 2013 and EASTECO in 2017.

The key themes of discussion will include Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) as a catalyst for transformation of the production systems and outputs, contribution of medium, small and macro enterprises (MSMEs) to ensure optimization of productive potential for sustainable economic growth; education ecosystems for knowledge management and information sharing within the EAC industrialization processes; role of centers-of-excellence initiatives in the EAC Partner States in industrialization; and the role of media and creative arts in promoting APPP and EAC integration.

The plenary and breakaway sessions will be run in parallel with exhibitions, in which products, systems and services emanating from research and innovations from universities, research institutions and the private sector will be showcased as a way of promoting and enhancing academia-public-private partnerships.

“Academic-Industry linkages have become critically important at this stage when we know that the convergence between academic, public and private institutions both productive and service providers can drive innovative development,” said Prof. Alexandre Lyambabaje, Executive Secretary, IUCEA.  “Whereas publication of research findings in peer-reviewed journals is good, translating these research findings into innovative products and services that can be commercialized and used in everyday life is greater,” he said.

He encouraged academics, researchers, innovators, students, SMEs and all interested members of the public to attend the forum for sharing experiences and use the forum as opportunity for learning.

Registration for the Forum and Exhibitions

The Forum which has been in place since 2011, is open to all stakeholders in East Africa and beyond from the academia, public and private sectors, higher education institutions, Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs), employers, manufacturers and other players in the wide industry value chain and business community in general, national commissions and councils for higher education and national commissions and councils for science and technology as well as organizations responsible for research, development and industrialization and the media. To register to participate as an exhibitor, visit the website www.iucea.org/forum.  Deadline for registration is 5^th March 2018.

For more information, please contact Ms. Wilhelmina Balyagati, Inter-University Council for East Africa, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +256774165467/ +255 788 497339

About the Organisers

Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA): IUCEAis an EAC Institution whose mission is to promote strategic and sustainable development of higher education systems and research for supporting East Africa’s socio-economic development and regional integration. www.iucea.org

East African Business Council (EABC): EABC is the umbrella organization of the Private Sector in East Africa and is at the forefront in facilitating Private Sector participation in the EAC integration process. EABC members are drawn from the Private Sector in the EAC Partner States, consisting of companies, business associations and government agencies involved in facilitating trade. www.eabc-online.com/

East African Development Bank (EADB). Established in 1967 under the Treaty of the then East African Co-operation that established the former EAC, and re-established under its own Charter in 1980, the role and under its mandate, EADB offers a broad range of financial services in the Member States of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, with an overriding objective of strengthening socio-economic development and regional integration. The four Member States own EADB. www.eadb.org

East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO): EASTECO is a specialized EAC Institution with a mandate to promote and coordinate the development, management and application of science and technology to support regional integration and socio-economic development. https://easteco.org/

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Africa Centers of Excellence meet to discuss investment in skilling graduates, research and quality of Science and Technology education in Africa

Written on 09 November 2017. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

Accra, November 07, 2017

A joint workshop for the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) from ACE I and ACE II is underway in Accra, Ghana, from 7-10^th November, 2017. The 22 Centers of Excellence from West and Central Africa and 24 Centers from Eastern and Southern Africa are meeting for the first time to learn from peers, and share knowledge, experiences and success stories. It’s an opportunity for the 46 centers to review their progress, deliberate on the challenges and collectively come up with solutions. The workshop was officially opened by the Minister of Education, Republic of Ghana, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

Hon. Opoku said the Centers should be “models to drive changes that will entrench Higher Education Institutions as principal producers of knowledge that directly impact on socio-economic development,” he said. “This after all,” he added, “is what the mission of Higher Education institutions must be about.”

Kathleen C. Beegle, who represented Heny Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia said that the ACE project is leading ground breaking research to bring new solutions to problems in the region. “For example, the Africa Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases based at Reedemer University in Nigeria published world class research on the Ebola virus in Nature Science about where the first sample of Ebola was tested in Nigeria within a short time frame, and which strong scientific capacity was integral in battling the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria and the region.”

The Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence, an initiative of participating African governments and the World Bank was launched as a key step towards providing the higher education necessary to strengthen competitiveness and employment through production of quality skilled human resources in priority growth sectors. The 46 Centers are working in health, information technology, energy, agriculture, extractive industries, transport, education, statistics, material science and mining and water management and infrastructure. The phase one in West and Central Africa (ACE I) started in 2013 with 22 Centers of Excellence in eight countries and has advanced in implementation. The phase two in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACE II) was launched in 2016 with 24 Centers of Excellence in eight countries. Both ACE I and ACE II will be financed with $313 million dollars over the project period of five years, with $165 million for ACE I and $148 million for ACE II.

Andreas Blom, World Bank Task Leader for ACE I called on the Centers to aim for academic excellence. He revealed that from ACE I, 50 new PhD students are graduating this year, of which one third is regional students. “This is an investment that makes sense, it’s an investment that produces results. If you can keep producing those results we can keep arguing for more money for higher education in science and technology development education in Africa.”

He said that a third phase (ACE III) is in the pipeline. “We are looking at another $200 million investment but only if we keep producing results.” He emphasized the scarcity of high level skills in water, health, mining, oil and gas in Africa and how industrialists keep getting consultants from outside the region to do the work. “Real development is skills and knowledge that lies in Africa,” he said. “Step out and get your faculty and students to solve real life problems.”

Xiaoyan Liang, Task Leader for ACE II noted that while Africa can still prioritize different levels of education at different stages of economic development, higher education must be part and parcel of the reform agenda.

“The ongoing investment and economic transformation in Africa is boosting the demand for well-educated and skilled labor force. Yet there remains a large gap between the demand and supply of skills,” said Liang.

“We have done our homework to ensure that each center while catering to the needs of their respective country’s higher education arena is also conscious of the entire region,” she said, adding, “Some of these interventions include developing new and relevant masters, Ph.D. programs and short term courses, research, provision of teaching and learning facilities, capacity building of faculty, scholarship for students, motion of partnership with regional and international world class institutions as well as the private sector, and generating revenues.”

Prof. Etienne Ehouan Ehile, Secretary General, Association of African Universities (AAU) said the joint meeting will provide a platform for learning and knowledge sharing among the two ACEs, and an opportunity for guidance on improving university linkages and collaboration.

Prof. Mike Kuria, Deputy Executive Secretary at Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) said, “The Centers of Excellence give us what Barack Obama would have called the audacity of hope. The Centers of Excellence are giving us an opportunity to take the destiny of Africa in our hands. They are going to become a beacon of hope, they are going to become centers against which other universities and institutions can benchmark so that we can have excellence in those serious fields.”

AAU and IUCEA are the Regional Facilitation Units for ACE I and ACE II respectively. The project is in 16 countries including Cote D’ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Senegal. Gambia, Burundi and Zimbabwe which do not host any ACE are eligible to access services offered by the ACEs in other countries and regional capacity building activities under the project.

For more information on ACE I and ACE II, visit the project websites https://ace.aau.org/ and http://www.ace2.iucea.org

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:

Agnes Asiimwe Okoth
Information and Communication Officer
ACE II Project
Mob: +256752980079 (UG)
ace2.iucea.org/

Permanent Secretaries and EASTECO Discuss Strategic Plan and Priority Programmes

Written on 16 October 2017. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), Kigali, Rwanda, October 13^th, 2017:

Permanent Secretaries of Ministries responsible for East African Community Affairs (MEACA), held a two-day meeting at EASTECO Headquarters to discuss the EASTECO Strategic Plan and Priority Programmes, starting on Wednesday 11^th October 2017.

The delegation include Mrs. Edith N. Mwanje, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of EAC Uganda, Mr. Claude Nikobisanzwe, Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community, Rwanda, Amb. Ali Idi Siwa, Tanzanian High Commissioner to Rwanda, Mr. Nshunguyinka John, Director of Social Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community, Rwanda, Mr. Musiime Andrew Director of EAC Affairs in Ministry of East African Community Affairs (MEACA) Uganda.

The meeting was also joined by Mr. Badru Ntege, the EASTECO Governing Board Chairman.

In her welcome remarks, Ms. Gertrude Ngabirano, the EASTECO Executive Secretary, informed the meeting on the status of development and implementation of the EASTECO 5-year Strategic Plan, 2017/18 - 2021/22, as well as the ongoing EASTECO regional activities in Science, Technology and Innovation for the FY 2017/18, including the development of a Regional Policy for Science, Technology and Innovation, the establishment of an EAC Journal on Science, Technology and Innovation and organizing the Second EAC Regional E-Health and Telemedicine Workshop, Ministerial Conference and International Trade Exhibition, 2018.

The Permanent Secretaries made recommendations to enable the smooth implementation of the EASTECO strategic plan including mechanisms for funding Regional Programmes in Science, Technology and Innovation. They underscored the need for a coordinated regional approach in harnessing gains in science and technology including putting in place an enabling environment at the regional level.

The permanent secretaries recognised that high levels of investment in research and innovation are essential for economic competitiveness in areas such as agricultural value addition, healthcare, energy technologies and ICT which have high potential to make immediate and tangible improvements to quality of life of the population in the EAC partner states.  The further underscored the commitment of the EAC Partner States to promote the development and use of science and technology in solving socio-economic development challenges.

Mrs. Edith N. Mwanje expressed her gratitude to the Government of Rwanda for hosting EASTECO and their commitment to provide land for the Commission to build its headquarters. She reiterated the EAC Partner States commitment to guide organs and institutions in their collaboration in harmonizing their activities. She further expressed the commitment of Partner States to make Science and Technology a key enabler of social economic development and achievement of regional integration agenda.

The delegation also visited Positive GBH which is assembling laptops and other electronics, K-Lab and FabLab which constitute an ICT Hub and Incubator in Rwanda.

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:

Richard Irakoze
Communication Assistant
The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO),
2nd Floor Telecom House, Kacyiru,
Kigali, Rwanda
Mobile: +250 783047164
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; C.C. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About EASTECO

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) was established as an institution of the EAC, with an overall objective of “promoting and coordinating the development, management and application of Science and Technology in Partner States” composed with the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Uganda.

It is a semi-autonomous institution of the EAC established by the 5th Extra-ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State held on 18th June 2007,in accordance with Chapter 16, Article 103 (a) of the Treaty on the Establishment of the East African Community, where the Partner States undertook to promote cooperation in the development of Science & Technology within the Community.

EASTECO Headquarters are in Kigali, Rwanda, 2nd Floor Telecom House, Kacyiru.

Kiswahili - a Key Tool in Regional Integration, says Uganda's Minister for EAC Affairs

Written on 08 September 2017. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

East African Kiswahili Commission; Zanzibar, Tanzania; 08 September 2017:

The Uganda’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of EAC Affairs and Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Rt Hon. Kirunda Ali Kivejinja,  has reiterated the need for Kiswahili to be mass oriented and used as a tool for integrating the people of East Africa.

Rt Hon. Kivejinja said that it is only through the use of Kiswahili as a tool for integration that the region shall achieve the provision of Article 137 (2) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC, that provides for Kiswahili  to be developed as a lingua franca of the Community.

The Minister, who was speaking at the closing ceremony of the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) 1st International Conference in Zanzibar, Tanzania, said it was important that the language is made as simple and adoptive from the East African indigenous languages for ownership by a large section of the EAC population.

Rt Hon. Kivejinja underscored the commitment of the Community's leadership in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tasked the EACK to generate proposals on how Kiswahili can be used in the achievement of these goals. " I would like to therefore pledge the commitment of the Council of Ministers in taking forward the Conference resolutions. We appreciate the progress being made by the Commission and will continue to guide and enable it execute its mandate," he added.

The Minister noted that with more than 120 different ethnic groups in Tanzania, Kiswahili was the most efficient and effective integration tool. "I would like to pay tribute to the founders of Tanzania for discovering an important tool in the foundation of the nation," added Rt Hon. Kivejinja.

The EAKC Executive Secretary, Prof. Kenneth Simala informed the participants of the Conference that the Commission was working closely with regional Kiswahili associations in a bid to harmonize the activities of these association. He added that various activities are underway towards the implementation of Kiswahili as an official language of the EAC.

Convened from 6th to 8th September, 2017 at the Golden Tulip Boutique Hotel in Zanzibar, the Conference has brought together Kiswahili stakeholders from the region and beyond to deliberate on how the development and use of the language can creatively be used in deepening and widening EAC integration and contribute towards the realization of sustainable development in the region.

The participants of the Conference have put forward the need to  fastrack the establishment of National Kiswahili Councils and National Kiswahili Associations in all Partner States; the introduction and use of Kiswahili at different levels of Education while making it examinable; the integration of Kiswahili into functional adult education programmes; and the promotion of Kiswahili research.

The Conference concludes today with an excursion to various historical and tourist sites in Zanzibar.

- ENDS -

For more information, please contact:

Executive Secretary
East African Kiswahili Commission
Tel: +255 242 232 704
email: isimala [at] eachq.org

About the East African Kiswahili Commission:

The East African Kiswahili Commission (EACK) is an institution of the East African Community based in Zanzibar, The United Republic of Tanzania. The Commission started its operations in May, 2015 and has developed the Annual Operations Plan for 2016-2017. The Commission’s vision is to be the leading body in the promotion and coordination of the development and usage of Kiswahili for regional integration and sustainable development.

EAC Partner States urged to embrace Kiswahili as the Lingua Franca for the region

Written on 06 September 2017. Posted in Education, Science & Technology News

East African Community Secretariat; Zanzibar, Tanzania; 06 September 2017:

The Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Samila Suluhu Hassan, has underscored the importance of the Kiswahili language in promoting development and regional integration in East Africa.

Ms. Hassan said Kiswahili has immense potential to unite the people of East Africa and should therefore be embraced by all East Africans as the lingua franca of the region, adding that the language could be an important tool in the pursuit of economic and social development in the region.

"It is my hope that the East African Kiswahili Commission will aid us in ensuring that the people of East Africa are not mere receivers of strategies for development, but active agents for change. Kiswahili should be promoted and used to enhance our ability to steer the development efforts," said the Vice President.

Vice President Hassan disclosed that the United Republic of Tanzania would work with other East African Community (EAC) Partner States to promote Kiswahili as the lingua franca of the Community.

"Tanzania shall continue standing at the forefront of the promotion of Kiswahili, and is ready and willing to provide Kiswahili teachers to the rest of the region," said the Vice President.

H.E. Samia Sahulu Hassan was addressing delegates at the official opening of the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) 1st International Conference, under the theme: Transforming the East African Community through Kiswahili.

Convened from 6th to 8th September, 2017 at the Golden Tulip Botique Hotel in Zanzibar, the Conference has brought together Kiswahili stakeholders from the region and beyond to deliberate on how the development and use of the language can creatively be used in deepening and widening EAC integration and contribute towards the realization of sustainable development in the region.

In his remarks, the Secretary General of the EAC, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, said that the Commission was held in high regard and considered an integral and important institution of the Community.

"I would like to wish that existing cooperation between the Commission, the EAC Secretariat, and other EAC Organs and Institutions is intensified in all areas so as to use Kiswahili in ensuring active citizen participation in the development agenda of the Community," said Amb. Mfumukeko.

"There is no doubt that Kiswahili is an important ingredient in the integration and sustainable development of the EAC. It is for this reason that Article 137 of the EAC Treaty recognizes its importance as a lingua franca. In an effort to give Kiswahili the force that it deserves to drive development in the Community, the East African Legislative Assembly in July 2016 resolved to make it one of the Official Languages of the Community. We promise that the Secretariat will do what it takes to ensure that this desire is realized," added Amb. Mfumukeko.

Welcoming delegates to the Conference, the EAKC Executive Secretary , Prof. Kenneth Simala, said that the development of Kiswahili will provide the Community with an opportunity to survive and thrive in an ever-changing environment, characterized by innovation and transformation.

"We have convened this Conference in Zanzibar in an effort to appreciate and acknowledge the critical role that Zanzibar has played in the development of Kiwswahili not only in East Africa but worldwide. We can not talk about the history of Kiswahili without acknowledging the role played by Zanzibar," said Prof. Simala.

The EAKC's 1st Internatinal Conference was marked with the official opening of the Commission's offices along Maisara Road in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Also launched was the Commission's Strategic Plan 2017 - 2022 which was developed in line with the aspirations of the EAC's Vision 2050 and the African Union Agenda 2063.

Among the dignitaries attending the Conference are the former President of Tanzania, H.E Ali Hassan Mwinyi; Minister of Information, Culture, Artists and Sports, Tanzania, Hon. Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe; Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Amb. Augustine Mahiga; Ministers from the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar; Principal / Permanent Secretaries form the EAC Partner States and Heads of EAC Organs and Institutions.

- ENDS -

For more information, please contact:

Executive Secretary
East African Kiswahili Commission
Tel: +255 242 232 704
email: isimala [at] eachq.org

About the East African Community Secretariat:

The East African Kiswahili Commission (EACK) is an institution of the East African Community based in Zanzibar, The United Republic of Tanzania. The Commission started its operations in May, 2015 and has developed the Annual Operations Plan for 2016-2017. The Commission’s vision is to be the leading body in the promotion and coordination of the development and usage of Kiswahili for regional integration and sustainable development.