24 lecturers drawn from different universities across Kenya have graduated from the Microsoft Africa Development Centre’s (ADC) intensive upskilling programme.
The 12-week programme which was launched in partnership with Microsoft Leap exposed the lecturers to rigorous training that included technological advancements to improve their understanding of technical issues.
Throughout the program, participating faculty members were assigned projects that combined AI, software engineering principles, and modern learning designs, allowing them to understand better how a developer team operates in practice.
This culminated in a project competition where the faculty was required to develop a solution that required an understanding of software development principles, artificial intelligence, and the considerations made by software engineers.
“We are delighted that all 24 lecturers who began the programme have graduated because it aims to improve faculty skills in teaching and research, as the world seeks to do more with the power of artificial intelligence. ‘’, Irene Githinji, Education Engagements Lead at Microsoft ADC said.
‘’Our overall educational goal is to create a strong pipeline of capable individuals who will help to advance Africa’s technology landscape. There is no better way to accomplish this than to improve lecturers’ understanding of how the industry operates and what skills are required,” Ms. Githinji stated.
Yolanda Natal-Santos, Director of Microsoft Leap, said their continued collaboration with the ADC, has successfully delivered in-depth learning experiences for local faculty to help them thrive in our increasingly digital world. ‘’This program’s impact is two-fold: advancing individual careers while also strengthening educational institutions, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation.
”This second cohort introduced a new skillset for this group, teaching with AI, which reflects the growing role of generative technology in everyday life, including the classroom. The program also focused on software engineering fundamentals and 21st-century learning design through a project-based learning approach that allowed participating faculty to earn Microsoft certifications. ‘’ she added.
The programme brought together faculty from institutions, including Zetech University, Kabarak, Multimedia University, Jomo Kenyatta, St Pauls University, Jomo Kenyatta University, Strathmore University, USIU, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, and Meru University.
The faculty skilling programme is part of Microsoft ADC’s larger mission to improve the tech talent pipeline, which includes initiatives such as campus tours, the Game of Learners competition for university students, and curriculum reviews for technology-related courses in universities.
ADC also recently launched a cybersecurity skills enhancement initiative in collaboration with Cyber Shujaa to train students on cybersecurity fundamentals.
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