African Development Bank (AfDB) intends to fund establishment of a center of excellence in the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM).
The proposed multi-million-dollar initiative is part of the Higher Education, Science and Technology (HEST) phase II of the AfDB.
The AfDB exists to support the development and enhancement of higher education, science, and technology institutions in Africa, focusing on constructing new technical institutions, upgrading existing ones, and developing human capacity.
Other aims include carrying out curriculum reviews, creating centres of excellence and developing new academic programmes.
As part of this funding, TUM is set to receive financial support to upgrade its facilities, invest in cutting-edge technology and equipment, and enhance its research capabilities.
This will enable the university to provide a more conducive learning environment for students and faculty, as well as to carry out high-quality research that addresses local and regional challenges.
Addressing the TUM top management at the Conference room on Monday 15, July 2024, African Development Bank Principal Development Economist Ms Susan Olang’o stated that the University should identify its niche so that funding can be used to establish a Centre of excellence, where other institutions can use it for benchmarking.
“This will not only benefit the university, but also it will contribute to the overall development and economic growth of the Coast region,” Ms Olang’o stated.
Higher Education, Science and Technology (HEST) phase II project coordinator Mr Mulatya Nzumbi highlighted that the funds will enable TUM to strengthen its academic programs, develop new courses that are in line with industry needs, and enhance its capacity to produce skilled graduates who are ready to meet the demands of the job market.
Moreover, the funding will support the University in establishing partnerships with other institutions, both locally and internationally, to promote knowledge exchange, collaboration, and joint research projects. This will help TUM to enhance its academic reputation further and contribute to the advancement of knowledge and innovation in various fields.
Vice Chancellor Professor Laila Abubakar lauded the African Development Bank (AfDB), Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Ministry of Education for coming up with the noble idea to help institutions of higher learning achieve their objectives.
Professor Peter Gichangi, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor responsible for Academics Research and Extension, stated that the TUM community would engage in discussions to consider the specialization of the centre of excellence.
The Technical University of Mombasa stands to greatly benefit from the HEST phase II funding from the African Development Bank, which will enable the institution to strengthen its infrastructure, research capabilities, academic programmes, and partnerships.
This support will not only elevate the status of TUM, but also it will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Coast region and beyond.
The project is among projects expected to support the realization of Kenya's Vision 2030 by providing readily available technically skilled quality human resources to run the enhanced economy.
Those attending the function also included Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Administration Finance and Planning Prof Joseph Rasowo, Prof Marcella Mwaka from CUE, Registrar Partnerships Research and Innovation Prof Rahma Udu, University Librarian Dr Wanyenda Chilimo, Director of Quality Assurance Dr Sylvia Mutua and Chairpersons of various Departments within the University.
