University Education and Research Principal Secretary Amb. Simon Nabukwesi today visited Konza Technopolis to assess the excavation progress of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
The university will be modeled on the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, the first and top science and Technology University in Korea which emphasizes on specialized training.
According to the project contractor, BOMI Engineering and Construction Consortium, the institution’s signature building is set to be completed by June 2022 in readiness for the planned Presidential ground breaking. The first batch of students are expected to be admitted in September this year.
Speaking at the site during his visit, Amb. Nabukwesi encouraged the contractors to work with speed and ensure the set timelines are achieved.
The campus is being constructed on 36 acres of land in the Konza Techno City located in Machakos County. KAIST will comprise 10 research science labs working with specialized local and international researchers in science, technology and engineering.
KAIST will develop academic curricula for six initial departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, ICT Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Agricultural Biotechnology, which will lay the groundwork for engineering research and education in Kenya.
The Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology will be an institution of strategic national importance as Science, Technology, and Innovation is considered a critical catalyst for fast tracking modernization and transformation of Kenyan society into a middle-income country by 2030.
KAIST is expected to advance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses in institutions of higher learning in the quest to create a large number of specialists to industrialize the economy by 2030 as well as drive economic growth through advanced science and technology.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
