University Education and Research Principal Secretary Amb. Simon Nabukwesi on Tuesday visited Konza technopolis to inspect the progress of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Nabukwesi encouraged the contractors to work with speed and ensure the set timelines are achieved.
The campus is being constructed on 36 acres of land in the Konza Techno City and will comprise 10 research science labs working with specialized local and international researchers in science, technology and engineering.
Upon completion, the university is expected to advance STEM courses in institutions of higher learning in the quest to increase specialists to industrialize the economy by 2030 and drive economic growth.
“The Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology will be an institution of strategic national importance as Science, Technology, and Innovation is considered a critical catalyst for fast tracking modernization and transformation of Kenyan society into a middle-income country by 2030,” said Nabukwesi.
The facility will be modeled on the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) which emphasizes on specialized training.
KAIST is set to develop academic curricula for six initial departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering and ICT Engineering,
Others include Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Agricultural Biotechnology, which will lay the groundwork for engineering research and education in Kenya.
South Korea provided a Ksh.9.6 billion loan for construction of a postgraduate university at the city.
