The university launched a Sh28 million access centre that allows to boost access to different digital tools, write FREDRICK OBURA and MACHARIA KAMAU
The Multimedia University has raised the stakes in the country’s drive to building a knowledge economy.
The university recently opened an information access centre (IAC) that allows its students and the local community access to different digital tools.
Students of Multimedia University College of Kenya follow proceedings of the launch the institution’s information access centre on the computers. [PHOTO: COURTESY/STANDARD] |
The new facility includes teleconferencing facility, computer laboratories and a state-of-the-art Internet cafe.
Known as the Kenya-Korea Information Access Centre, it is expected to help raise Information Technology literacy and awareness in the country as well as promote cooperation in IT between the two countries.
Prof Walter Oyawa, Multimedia University principal noted that this was just one among the many efforts the university has in place aimed at positioning the learning institution as a reference point as Kenya marches towards being a knowledge-based economy.
"This is a major investment in helping Kenya achieve its vision 2030," he said. "The centre will also help equip our students with modern IT skills — readying them for the fast changing world."
The Vision 2030 economic blueprint makes specific references to Multimedia University as tasked with building infrastructure upon which the country will lurch forward.
Besides being an ICT centre of excellence, Multimedia University has extensively embraced current technology trends with a view to providing quality education through use of advanced technology in service delivery.
The institution is among the first constituent colleges of public universities to integrate the use of video conferencing in their mode of teaching.
"This is an indication of the institution’s extensive utilisation and inclusion of ICT in quality training and research," Prof Oyawa said, adding that the institution would open centres across the country that will have video conferencing facilities, which would enable students access education without necessarily moving into Nairobi.
Apart from students, the centre also targets training community members on basic IT skills and how to use the same understand the socio-economic dynamics in the country and beyond.
The information access center has so far trained over 1,100 community members selected from Jua-Kali sector and community-based organisations in basic computer operations, Internet access and communication skills.
Great challenge
Mutahi Kagwe, Chairman of Multimedia University says the institution is positioning itself for the great challenge of building an information society as captured in the country’s Vision 2030.
"A fundamental thread that runs through Vision 2030 is the desire for Kenya to ultimately become a knowledge-based economy," Kagwe said.
"In such an economy, technology, knowledge and skills play a more profound role in economic growth and competitiveness than other factors of production such as labour, capital, and natural resources."
In the country’s first long-term growth development plan, it is envisaged that science and technology will play a bigger role in growing economies and societies in the coming decades as they will be the sources of the nation’s competitive advantage.
This is based on the realisation that knowledge is the only factor of production that increases with use as opposed to, say, capital.
"As an information age institute, we will play a critical role in the ICT initiatives encompassed in the economic master plan by providing top notch innovators and delivering world class ICT solutions to meet Kenya’s development challenges in the next decade and beyond," Kagwe said.
He said the institution would be putting up a training facility at the Konza Technopolis, which is expected to come in handy in training of BPO and other ICT personnel that will be essential for the achievement of goals of the tech city.
The Business Process Outsourcing Park at the proposed Konza City is among the key facilities at the ICT Park and has been projected to cost Sh59.4 billion. The park will be on a 1.4 million square metre area.
Initially the industry was taken to mean outsourced related services like customer care and telemarketing but the Kenya ICT Board has since expanded this to include other services high skilled service like software development.
The industry is now referred to as BPO/ITES (information technology enabled services).
Skilled graduates
"There have been efforts aimed at increasing the number of ‘work ready’ graduates who can easily be absorbed by the industry but this needs to be scaled up if we are to be a recognised BPO/ITEs destination," said Oyawa.
The President of NCIA Kim Kyung Sup said the small but many information centres across the country could help bridge the rural-urban digital divide in the country by giving communities new tools to socialise with and access both local and global markets.
"Our information access centres will allow students and people from the local communities to enjoy the richness and convenience of the digital era... they can help local communities communicate with the world, which can transform their social and economic lives.
ICTs can be a catalyst to changing Kenya at both the individual and societal level," Oyawa said.
