Embracing AI Encouraged Among New Graduates as Technology Evolves Rapidly
In a groundbreaking speech at Mount Kenya University's graduation ceremony in Thika, Kenya, Tony Omwansa, the CEO of Kenyan National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), emphasised the importance of adaptation and the use of emerging tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in today's changing work environment.
Omwansa highlighted many untapped opportunities in AI for the youth to explore for personal and economic growth. He emphasised that innovation is a key driver of progress, and AI is being encouraged for young graduates to improve their livelihoods and contribute to national development.
To this end, the Science, Research and Innovation department within the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary has set up a new department housing KeNIA, Nacosti, and the National Research Fund. This department is spearheading specific initiatives targeted at universities to boost technology adoption and commercialization.
One such initiative is the Entrepreneurial Leaders’ Training Program (ELTP) under the Entrepreneurial Institutions Maturity Framework (EIMF), organised by KeNIA. This program empowers university leaders to reform governance, establish Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), allocate internal commercialization funding, and embed entrepreneurial thinking within their institutions.
The government is also supporting the scaling up of investments in university R&D, launching national think tanks, and advancing science diplomacy to ensure innovation reaches societal benefit and job creation. The National Research Fund (NRF) plays a critical role in facilitating research funding aligned with higher education priorities.
At the university level, specific institutions like KCA University have launched Scientific and Ethics Review Committees to advance ethical, credible, and impactful research. Partnerships with international organisations and regional actors are also being leveraged to make academic institutions more entrepreneurial and innovation-focused.
These initiatives reflect a national strategy under the Science, Research and Innovation ministry to reform university governance, institutionally embed entrepreneurship and commercialization capabilities, strengthen ethical research practices, and deepen collaboration with innovation ecosystems and international partners.
As the education landscape shifts from a focus on knowledge acquisition to adaptability and democratized learning, these initiatives aim to increase commercialized research outputs and contribute to national development goals. With the right tools and mindset, today's learners can be the driving force behind Kenya's technological and economic growth.
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- To foster personal growth and economic advancement, Tony Omwansa, the CEO of KeNIA, encourages young graduates to explore untapped opportunities in artificial-intelligence (AI) for innovation and livelihood improvement.
- The government's strategies, led by the Science, Research and Innovation ministry, include reforming university governance, institutionalizing entrepreneurship, strengthening ethical research practices, and deepening collaboration with innovation ecosystems (such as Nacosti and the National Research Fund) to support learners in becoming the driving force behind Kenya's technological and economic growth.
- As a part of this national strategy, specific programs like the Entrepreneurial Leaders’ Training Program (ELTP) under the EIMF, organized by KeNIA, empower university leaders to establish Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), allocate internal commercialization funding, and foster entrepreneurial thinking within academic institutions for the sake of education-and-self-development and social development goals.
