KCA and St. Paul's Universities ink deal on innovation, research

KCA and St. Paul's universities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for joint collaboration in research and innovation.

"These are in terms of capacity building for both our staff and students. It has to do with writing joint grant proposals and fellowships, knowledge sharing, and joint research and innovation ideas," KCA Vice Chancellor Prof Isaiah Wakindiki said.

The MoU was signed during a luncheon to see off Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP) scholar John Okpara on Friday, June, 30.

Wakindiki said that the process is an affirmation of a long-standing partnership that KCA and Paul's University have had in innovation and research in extensive cadres.

"In this MOU, we are looking forward to strengthening our bilateral ties that have been going on and today we are just formalizing the same," he stated.

St Paul's University Vice Chancellor Prof James Kombo said that the occasion was a demonstration of a culture that the two institutions have built for a reasonable time.

"What we are doing is part of what has been the interest of the two learning communities for many years," Prof Kombo said.

He expressed his confidence in the collaboration that he says is the first that St. Paul's has engaged in locally seeking to expand opportunities for local and international scholars,

The two administrators underscored the vast opportunities that the MOU bears for the two institutions.

The event also marked the hallmark of a fellowship programme that the two universities have undertaken in collaboration with the Carnegie fellowship programme based in the United States.

"Another aspect was to celebrate the conclusion of a fellowship partnership we've had with Carnegie culminating into hosting Okpara from Bloomsburg University for eight weeks," Wakindiki of KCA stated.

Carnegie pairs African Diaspora scholars with higher education institutions and collaborators in Africa.

"Sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York, the competitive programme sponsors innovations, democratic engagement, and strengthening international peace and security through funding proposals." SPU DVC Peter Ngure said.

The scholars jointly work on curriculum co-creation, co-development, collaborative research, graduate training, and mentoring activities with the aim of developing sustainable partnerships.

In his stint in Kenya, Okpara had been involved in activities around the mentorship of junior and senior staff in research-grant writing proposals, during which four proposals were submitted, according to the two VCs.