Mount Kenya University (MKU) has signed a groundbreaking partnership with China’s Nanjing Zhongxing Xinyada Information Technology Company to establish an ICT hub and apprenticeship centre, aimed at equipping Kenyan graduates with job-ready skills.
The initiative, driven by the need to align academic training with industry demands, is also set to open doors for the Thika headquartered institution to collaborate with Chinese universities.
MKU and Xinyada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last week, paving the way for collaboration in various digital education areas, including developing a cutting-edge technology hub at MKU’s Thika main campus.
This hub will not only serve students from MKU but also become a resource for other Kenyan and Chinese universities, offering enhanced teaching and skills development in ICT.
MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi emphasised that this partnership is a significant step toward exploiting the benefits of ICT in university education.
“We are proud to host our Chinese counterparts and have signed an MoU to establish a training centre focused on advancing Kenya’s technological capabilities,” Prof. Jaganyi said.
"We are looking to create a data centre, starting on a small scale, but with a vision to grow into something bigger—an apprenticeship centre that will equip graduates with skills in high demand by global tech firms operating in Kenya and the region."
The partnership will also look into MKU working with Chinese universities to introduce new courses and models of learning at MKU, a move that will be aimed at improving the quality of education, increase access to opportunities in China and provide high-quality education resources and cross-cultural learning experiences for MKU students.
The agreement also highlights a commitment to developing joint courses tailored to the needs of both Kenyan and Chinese industries.
With a focus on fields such as electronic and information technology, intelligent manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, the partnership is set to address the skills gap experienced by companies when recruiting fresh graduates.
In addition to student and faculty exchange programs, the MoU outlines plans to establish a certification base at MKU.
This facility will provide technical training to bridge the gap between the current skill set of graduates and the requirements of firms, particularly Chinese companies operating in Kenya. Botao Zeng, CEO of Xinyada, expressed optimism about the partnership: “We aim to improve the quality of education and cultivate globally competitive digital talent through this collaboration.”
The initiative will also focus on developing a digital learning management platform, allowing for greater access to learning resources and creating opportunities for cross-cultural learning experiences between Kenya and China.
By partnering with Chinese universities, MKU is exploring new courses and learning models that will elevate the quality of education and increase opportunities for Kenyan students.
This collaboration is expected to provide a sustainable foundation for education development in Kenya, ensuring graduates are well-equipped to compete in the global digital economy.
The MKU-Xinyada ICT hub is expected to become a central resource for technical education, nurturing the next generation of tech-savvy professionals ready to make an impact in both local and international markets