NAIROBI, Kenya- In a significant stride towards advancing Africa’s tech landscape, faculty members from Kenyan universities have graduated from the second cohort of the Microsoft Africa Development Centre’s (ADC) intensive upskilling program.
Launched in partnership with Microsoft Leap, this initiative achieved a 100% completion rate, equipping lecturers with cutting-edge technological knowledge to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
Irene Githinji, Education Engagements Lead at Microsoft ADC, highlighted the growing importance of AI in modern academia during the graduation ceremony.
“We are delighted that all 24 lecturers who began the program have graduated. This initiative aims to improve faculty skills in teaching and research, fostering collaboration and innovation,” she stated.
“Our goal is to create a strong pipeline of capable individuals who will help advance Africa’s technology landscape,” she added.
The 12-week program featured a curriculum developed in collaboration with Microsoft Leap instructors.
It brought together faculty from institutions across Kenya, including Zetech University, Kabarak University, Multimedia University, and others.
The curriculum covered software engineering fundamentals, 21st-century learning design, and a new focus on teaching with AI, reflecting the growing role of generative technology in everyday life and education.
The program wasn’t just about lectures; it was hands-on and practical.
Faculty members were assigned projects that combined AI, software engineering principles, and modern learning designs, mirroring real-world developer team operations.
These projects culminated in a competition judged by Microsoft engineers, where a team from Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and Zetech University emerged victorious.
The upskilling program is a vital part of Microsoft ADC’s broader mission to enhance the tech talent pipeline in Africa.
This mission includes initiatives like campus tours, the Game of Learners competition for university students, and curriculum reviews for technology-related courses.
Recently, ADC launched a cybersecurity skills enhancement initiative in collaboration with Cyber Shujaa to train students on cybersecurity fundamentals .
Peter Muturi, a programming lecturer at Multimedia University and a graduate of the program, underscored the transformative impact of the training.
“Through the program, we have learned what the industry is looking for. It has shown us that we need to work with AI to enhance our productivity as lecturers and that of our students,” he remarked.
