Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 16th March, 2023: Academic institutions and private sector companies in the East African Community (EAC) have been urged to develop strong partnerships to produce graduates with skills to succeed in employment.
Speaking at the 12th Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) and Exhibition held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Chief Guest, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Prof. Adolf Faustine Mkenda, urged educational institutions, and the private sector to work together to produce market-driven programmes that are responsive to the dynamic needs of the labour market and train graduates that are relevant for the socio-economic development of the region.
Dr. Irene C. Isaka, the Director Social Sectors at the EAC Secretariat, representing the EAC Secretary General, urged academic institutions to work with the private sector to develop curricula that is in tandem with the requirements of the labour market.
“I would like to encourage you to continue to work together to constantly review and adapt your curricula to remain in tandem with the current development agenda of the region, and requirements of the labour market,” Dr Isaka said.
The IUCEA Executive Secretary, Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, observed that skills required to succeed in employment are constantly evolving which necessitates close collaboration between the private sector and higher education institutions to keep pace with the changes demands in the world of work.
“The reality of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning demonstrates the need to continuously revise and alter our training to develop learners that are able to adapt to the changing demands in employment. Some of the skills learnt today in our various learning ecosystems become outdated even before students graduate. Therefore, it is only through strong partnerships between academia and the private sector that we shall be able to identify skills required for future success in the job market,” said Prof. Banyankimbona.
Mr. Johannes Sperrfechter, BMZ Representative and Head of Regional Development Cooperation at German Embassy, on behalf of the Ambassador, Dr Regine Hess, disclosed that the German Government had committed 2.5m Euros additional funds to the dSkills@EA project to strengthen its support and initiatives in the Master Programme, digital skills trainings and entrepreneurship support.
Amb. Hess said that IUCEAA and GIZ will sign their implementation agreement on Friday at the conference.
The Chief Executive Officer of the East African Business Council (EABC), Mr John Bosco Kalisa said to achieve greater productivity, countries must focus on demand-driven technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship, and business training programmes tied to sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
"Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines require special attention focusing on the transfer and adoption of technology," said Mr. Kalisa.
The APPPF is a biennial forum that brings together universities, technical and vocational colleges, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and private sector to deliberate on how to foster joint dialogue and enhance the linkage between the private sector and higher education institutions, as well as government institutions. This year’s forum was organised by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in partnership with the German Cooperation, through GIZ, the East African Business Council (EABC) and Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
For more Information contact:
Godwin Bonge Muhwezi, Communication Officer Inter University Council Tel: 256 414 256 251/2 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.iucea.org
Anthony Taiti Head of Corporate Affairs Pan African University Tel: +254730955555 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)
Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is an institution of the East African Community (EAC) responsible for development and coordination of higher education and research in the region. IUCEA members include accredited public and private universities, commissions and councils responsible for Higher education in EAC Partner States.
For more information, please visit theIUCEA website.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 15th March, 2023:The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Republic of Uganda, Hon. Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu has confirmed preparations were in the final stages as Uganda readies to host the 10th East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition, 2023.
“I take this opportunity to welcome our distinguished guests and participants from all the seven Partner States and beyond to the 10th edition of the East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition that Uganda will host from 9th to 11th May, 2023 at Serena Hotel in Kampala,” said the Minister.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 8th March, 2023:The East African Community (EAC) capacity building workshop on ‘Dossier Evaluation and Basic Risk Assessment’ for regulators from Partner States is currently underway in Kigali, Rwanda.
The four-day workshop from 6th -9th March, 2023 is being attended by members of the EAC Technical Working Group (TWG) on Pesticides and regulators responsible for evaluation of applications for registration of pesticides, evaluation of pesticide dossiers, risk assessment of pesticides and evaluation of efficacy trial reports. The regulators from Ghana and Ethiopia are also in attendance for benchmarking purposes.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 5th March, 2023:The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan officially handed over the Title Deed of 125 Acres of land, to the EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki.
The land donated is located in Kisongo, Arusha and will be utilised in the Community’s development and expansion drive.
Dr. Mathuki, who held talks with the President in the State House, in Arusha, appreciated the President for her continued commitment to supporting the EAC.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th March, 2023:The EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki and the Managing Director of the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI), Dr. Martin Lwanga, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a framework of collaboration in jointly developing training and capacity-building activities in trade-related areas, in a bid to foster greater business development and enhance the region’s competitiveness.
The partnership between ESAMI and EAC will further undertake to provide training programs in all trade and trade-related areas of interest to the EAC and within the capacity of the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (TRAPCA).
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 23rd February, 2023:Following the Mini- Summit of Heads of States and Governments on Peace and Security in Eastern DRC recently held in Addis Ababa; the EAC Secretary General, Hon (Dr.) Peter Mutuku Mathuki, held a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Amb. João Caholo, deliberating on areas of cooperation between the two institutions in supporting the restoration of peace and security in Eastern DRC.
The two leaders committed to enhancing collaboration between the two institutions by partnering and availing necessary support to each other, in the quest for restoring peace and security in Eastern DRC.
… Report of the Verification Mission on the Admission of Somalia into the EAC is among items on the Agenda
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 20th February, 2023: The 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the East African Community (EAC) Council of Ministers is currently underway via hybrid (physical and virtual) means in Bujumbura, Burundi.
The five-day meeting from 19th – 23rd February, 2023 is being conducted through the Session of Senior Officials which ends on Tuesday, 21st,February 2022, the session of the Coordination Committee (Permanent /Principal/Under Secretaries) set for Wednesday, 22nd February, 2023 and the Ministerial session that will take place on Thursday, 23rd February, 2023.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 14th February, 2023:The East African Community (EAC) has secured US$1.4 million for a feasibility study on a key section of the Northern Transport Corridor linking the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Uganda.
The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Eng. Steven Mlote, disclosed that the funding from the African Development Bank would be used to conduct feasibility studies on the 256 km multinational Kisumu-Kisian-Busia/Kakira – Malaba-Busitema-Busia expressway project.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 13th February, 2023: The EAC Secretariat is developing an EAC Diaspora Policy and Plan of Action to establish a strategic framework for mobilising and integrating East African Diaspora in the regional integration process and harnessing communication links within the East African Diaspora community.
The process, which is supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), includes assessing Diaspora-related information and proposing the ideal data sharing and protection principle among the key stakeholders.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 7th February, 2023: The 18th meeting of the Sectoral Council on Transport Communications and Meteorology (TCM) is currently underway at the Royal Palace Hotel in Bujumbura, Burundi.
The five-day meeting from 6th -10th February, 2023 brings together stakeholders from the Government Ministries in the Partner States, agencies, regional organizations and the private sector to discuss challenges in the development of infrastructure and make recommendations on how to address them.
