MKU signs China partnership to enhance graduate employability

Mount Kenya University has signed a new partnership with Nanjing Zhongxing Xinyada Information Technology Co., Ltd., and Nanjing Vocational College of Information Technology to equip young Kenyans with job-market-ready skills.

The partnership is anchored on advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on such areas as aligning skills development with global priorities, as well as quality education, industry innovation and cross-border partnerships and addressing local labour market gaps

The five-year tripartite agreement will see the institutions establish a training centre under the China–Africa Skills Supermarket project.

MKU said it would leverage its role as a hub chair under the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) for Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG-9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) for the 2025–2027 period.

MKU said the five-year-long tripartite agreement will lead to a well-coordinated series of engagements that include the establishment of the China–Africa Skills Supermarket project.

Prof Deogratius Jaganyi, Vice Chancellor MKU, said other objectives of the partnership included promotion of cloud computing platforms, staff and student exchange, backlinking of websites, joint promotion of significant areas of this partnership at other Universities in Africa, and mounting of jointly implemented skill-based short courses, among other areas of engagement.

The partnership with the two Chinese institutions is a flagship project in support of MKU’s competitively achieved global role of serving as the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Hub Chair for the SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure for the period of 3 years (2025 to 2027). 

“This is also in line with our Mission, which is, ‘To provide world-class education, research, and innovation for global transformation and sustainable development,” said Prof Jaganyi.

“The partnership will also contribute towards the achievement of the Kenya Vision 2030, the East African Community’s Vision 2050, the African Union Agenda 2063, as well as a number of SDGs including SDGs 4 (Expansion of access to quality Education); SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure); SDG 17 (Partnerships for the goals) among others.”

MKU and Xinyada will partner to establish a training and certification base at MKU, as well as provide technical skills training for firms that are seeking particular skills. This will include working with Chinese firms in Kenya to bridge the skills gaps that they experience when recruiting fresh graduates.

Prof Jaganyi also said MKU and Xinyada are exploring the possibility of building a digital learning management platform and teaching resource database.

The partnership will also look into MKU working with Chinese universities to introduce new courses and models of learning at MKU, a move that will be aimed at improving the quality of education, increasing access to opportunities in China and providing high-quality education resources and cross-cultural learning experience for MKU students.

Xinyada is a high-tech company in China, specialising in digital product development, digital platform building, information engineering implementation, and international education and skills training.

Nanjing Vocational College of Information Technology is a publicly-run and state-owned institution whose ICT-related programs rank among the top in China with diverse training clusters including, among others, Network and Communication, Electronic Information, Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent Manufacturing, Intelligent Transportation, Inspection and Testing, Digital Business, and Digital Arts.

So far, it has collaborations with institutions of higher learning and educational organisations in other African countries, including South Africa and Ethiopia.