Germany, Kenya to establish regional university of applied sciences

15 Feb 2017
Financial Nigeria

Summary

The East African-German University of Applied Sciences is based on the practice-oriented German university model.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta

Germany and Kenya are collaborating to establish the East African-German University of Applied Sciences, building on the practice-oriented German university model. The initiative was announced during the German-African Business Summit, which held last week from February 8-10 in Nairobi.

A declaration of intent was jointly signed at the summit by German Ambassador to Kenya, Jutta Frasch and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of Education, Fred Matiang’i. Under the terms of the declaration, Germany will contribute to build the planned university through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.

Study courses to be offered at the university will be designed to focus on meeting the contemporary educational, economic and development needs in East Africa. The academic concept will be practice-oriented and rely on close cooperation between the universities and the business sector.

“Academic exchange between Kenya and Germany has been flourishing for many years,” said Margret Wintermantel, DAAD President. “I look forward to the impetus this new project will give to further intensifying our cooperation with Kenya and the East African region.”

She emphasised the critical significance of the initiative to Kenya’s economic prosperity and booming start-up industry. Innovative applied science programmes are of specific importance to certain countries and are particularly useful in preparing graduates for the labour market.

“It is very important for the DAAD to make a substantial contribution to the employability of young graduates with the setting up of this innovative and application-oriented higher education model,” Wintermantel added.

DAAD has been supporting such transnational educational projects and German courses abroad for over 15 years. The collaboration brings students and universities at home and abroad closer together and strengthens international ties between countries. Experts say needs-oriented, innovative and practice-related academic programmes are particularly important for the target countries, especially by preparing university graduates for labour markets.


Other Photos/Videos

Advertisement