During the 13th Academia Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF), organized by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), university dons called for the development of curricula that directly align with industry needs. Led by Dr. Vincent Gaitho, Chair of the Education Sector at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and Chairman of the University Council at Mount Kenya University (MKU), they emphasized the necessity of collaboration between academia and industry to enhance graduate employability.
The 13th APPPF 2025 aims to explore sustainable growth in East Africa within an increasingly competitive global landscape. Dr. Gaitho stressed that universities must be proactive in disrupting conventional education models by fostering East Africa-based solutions. He advocated for academia-industry collaboration to be supplemented by intra- and inter-academic partnerships to ensure sustainability in higher education.
“One of the biggest pain points in academia-industry collaboration is program relevance,” Dr. Gaitho noted. “Do we develop our programs in isolation, or do we actively involve industry? Universities must serve as solution providers to businesses and employers, ensuring graduates are well-equipped for the job market.”
To bridge the gap, Dr. Gaitho highlighted the importance of involving industry professionals in curriculum development, research supervision, and mentorship. “There are many highly qualified experts in the industry, including PhD holders, who can contribute significantly to academic training. We need to involve them to make education more practical and aligned with real-world demands,” he added.
Eng. Kazawadi Papius, President of the Federation of Africa Engineering Organizations (FAEO), pointed out the lack of a standardized framework as a major hindrance to effective academia-industry partnerships. He noted that without clear guidelines, collaboration remains fragmented, limiting the commercialization of university-driven innovations.
Dr. Gaitho also stressed the importance of universities shifting from theoretical research to practical, industry-driven studies to address real-world challenges. He underscored the need for students to acquire soft skills such as leadership, communication, and adaptability to thrive in the job market.
Mount Kenya University (MKU) made a notable presentation at the African Public-Private Partnerships Forum 2025 in Kigali, focusing on how universities can advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) initiative. MKU, a long-standing UNAI member, previously served as the SDG 10 Hub on Reduced Inequalities (2021–2024) and has now been appointed as the SDG 9 Hub Chair (2025–2027), emphasizing Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. This underscores MKU’s commitment to integrating sustainability and innovation within higher education to drive regional economic growth
