The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology announced on the 28th that the campus construction for the Kenya Institute of Science and Technology, the first phase of a project that has been underway for 10 years, has been completed. The Kenya Institute of Science and Technology held a completion ceremony on the 11th and issued a site acceptance certificate on the 28th.
The Kenya Institute of Science and Technology is an African-style higher education model that implements the know-how of scientific and technological education accumulated by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology according to local needs. It is one of the representative overseas aid projects of the Korean government, which was launched in earnest through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund of the Export-Import Bank of Korea in 2019.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology was selected as the feasibility study agency commissioned by the Export-Import Bank of Korea and was responsible for the overall planning of the project, and it won a consulting project for the construction of the Kenya Institute of Science and Technology commissioned by the Kenyan government in 2019.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology participated as the main organization responsible for project management and education design, while Sunjin Engineering & Architecture was responsible for architectural design, Sunjin was responsible for construction supervision, and Bommi Construction undertook the actual construction. Over 20 faculty members from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology participated as advisory professors in the project, and following Lee Soo-young (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering), Song Tae-ho (Department of Mechanical Engineering), Kim Hak-sung (Department of Life Sciences), and Sung Pung-hyun (Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering), Kim So-young (Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy) is currently serving as the project manager.
In the first phase, educational design, construction bidding, construction, and supervision were completed, and in the subsequent second phase, preparations for operation, including faculty training, administrative education, and laboratory equipment enhancement, will be fully underway. The six initially established departments will be mechanical and nuclear engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, ICT engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, and agricultural biotechnology.
The Kenya Institute of Science and Technology is located in the Konza Innovation City, an innovation cluster called 'Silicon Savannah' that is being developed about 60 kilometers southeast of the capital Nairobi. It is a key project of the Kenyan government's national medium- to long-term plan, 'Kenya Vision 2030.' Jung Geun-mo, former Minister of Science and Technology, who serves as an advisor to the Kenyan president, also participated in the establishment of Kenya Vision 2030.
Lee Kwang-hyung, president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, said, "The Kenya Institute of Science and Technology will be a representative case of KAIST's creative education and challenging research model spreading across the globe," and added, "This will go beyond simple education export; KAIST will be a strong partner in the journey to help Kenyan youth prepare for the future through the Kenya Institute of Science and Technology."