Business leaders in the East African Community (EAC) bloc are agitating for setting up a regional university for applied sciences.
The proposed East African University of Applied Sciences will boost to boost industrialization, innovation, competitiveness, economic growth and job creation in the region, they said.
"It is important to align the academic curriculum to industry needs and bridge the skills gap and mismatch in the EAC" said John Bosco Kalisa, the executive director of the East African Business Council (EABC).
He was speaking during the second Expert Advisory Board On Applied Sciences in East-Africa held in Nairobi recently.
On his part, in particular, Chairman Vimal Shah of the Kenya-based Bidco Africa called for more investments in the education sector and building robust world-class manpower for the EAC bloc.
He stated that the East African University of Applied Sciences would transform the EAC bloc "into a leading exporter of new skills, expertise and innovations to Africa and the world".
The Board On Applied Sciences convened brough5t in professors from leading universities in the EAC and Germany, government officials and industry captains, among others.
Bidco Africa chairman Mr. Shah and Dr. Kevit Desai Principal Secretary at the Ministry of EAC and Regional Development (Kenya) shared insights and missing links on advancing science and technology in the region.
The proposed university will adopt best practices on applied sciences curriculum from German networks and build innovative solutions for manufacturing, value chains, interconnectivity, transport, mechatronics and energy.
In the context and global dynamics, the higher education learning institutions are geared to boost production, efficiency and competitiveness of the EAC bloc at continental and international markets.
Although no timeframe on the proposal was revealed the board was expected to chart out a roadmap to fast-track the set-up of the East African University of Applied Sciences.
In May 2016, The EAC Heads of States declared the EAC a Common Higher Education Area whereby the national higher education and training systems shall operate.
Under this,higher education would be guided by the common regional framework under which curricula, examinations and certification as well as academic and professional qualifications.
This would, among other things, enhance the quality of the education and as well as harmonize the higher education training in the region for the common good.
Applied science is the use of the scientific method and knowledge obtained via conclusions from the method to attain practical goals.[1] It includes a broad range of disciplines such as engineering and medicine.
It is often contrasted with basic science, which is focused on advancing scientific theories and laws that explain and predict events in the natural world.
Applied science can also apply formal science, such as statistics and probability theory, as in epidemiology. Genetic epidemiology is an applied science applying both biological and statistical methods.
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