Mount Kenya University, in collaboration with Vincent Pol University of Poland, will host the eighth International Interdisciplinary and Inter-Universities Consortium-Africa Conference 2023.
The meeting is set to be held from March 29 to 31 under the theme, “Participatory leadership, innovation and knowledge transfer for sustainable economies”.
The three-day conference seeks to bring together more than 100 delegates and stakeholders from academia, public and private sectors to discuss strategies to entrench peace, security and socio-economic development.
The institutions set to take part in the conference include Kyambogo University of Uganda, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (Nigeria), University of Makeni (Sierra Leone) and University of Eldoret.
The institutions are members of the Inter-University Consortium Africa dedicated to the advancement of the theory and practices in knowledge and technological innovation.
Dr Henry Yatich of MKU, who is also the conference chairperson, said the conference is the first initiative of the re-branded and a more enhanced Inter-Universities Consortium-Africa in the post-Covid-19 times.
He said "the conference will provide an opportunity for academicians, professionals, and researchers to interact, share experiences, and promote research and practice.”
Dr Yatich also said the conference aims to provide potential knowledge-based guidelines to policymakers and policy implementers through research and community engagement.
He said that the conference also comes at a time when the world is experiencing a relapse into anti-life challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine War, global climate change, the desire for innovation and its effects as well as civil tension and hunger in several countries like Kenya.
The conference embraces the recently launched African Union-European Union innovation agenda and MKU's status as the United Nations Academic Impact SDG10 on Reduced Inequalities Hub in collaboration with Vincent Pol University-Lublin.
The conference's proceedings are expected to suggest recommendations for policymakers and policy implementers, and post-conference activities planned will contribute positively to the public good in line with SDGs 2030.
To ensure delegates' hospitality, MKU has partnered with three hotels in Thika to offer subsidised accommodation.
Dr Yatich said that several relevant post-conference activities are planned and shall be encouraged in different parts of the continent all of which will project toward the pertinent positive contribution to the public good from an international perspective and in line with SDGs 2030.
