Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Kenya to be built with the support of the Korea government.

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has contracted with the Kenya Government on the launch and construction of a similar educational institution called Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)..

The establishment of the research institution, which is said to cost the state KES 10 billion (USD 95 billion) was signed in a fair held at Konza.

The project will be constructed in Konza, the technology city. In 2008, the Government of Kenya approved the creation of Konza Technology City as a flagship Kenya Vision 2030 project. Vision 2030 aims to create a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030. As part of this vision, Konza will be a sustainable, world class technology hub and major economic driver for Kenya.

Konza is intended to be a smart city, with an integrated urban information and communication technology (ICT) network that supports delivery of connected urban services and allows for efficient management of those services on a large scale.

As recognized by the draft ICT Policy, Kenya is not the only country with insufficient numbers of skilled and experienced experts in ICT and in other professions that rely on ICT.

The main policy objectives include to increase the size and quality of ICT-skilled human resource base in Kenya and to incentivize industry with ICT specialization to conduct their own training programmes and to
contribute to institutional training programmes.

Per the draft policy, in order to have global competitiveness of ICT products and services the government will
encourage universities to establish post-doctoral research fellow positions on contractual and attractive terms in order to attract world-class researchers.

This agreement enforces the intended policy position and is a step in the right direction in terms of increasing knowledge and skills on ICT in Kenya.

As reported by Techweez here,