Kenyan universities lead region in ICT investment

By Fredrick Obura

Increased investments in information and communications technology (ICT) over the past decade have spurred the adoption of technology in institutions of higher learning, a new survey reveals.

Kenya boosts of four undersea fibre optic cables that promise higher capacity and better speeds compared to previous satellite connections. The entry of privately owned Seacom in 2009, followed by Government backed TEAMS cables, unleashed a floodgate of investors looking to tap to the promise that the industry offered.

Since seen the entry of two other cables — the EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System), which is spearheaded by regional operators and Lower Indian Ocean Network submarine cable (LION2), which is owned by Orange Kenya’s parent firm France Telecoms— the industry has flourished.

Local Universities have used the resources to improve efficiency and skills of learners. A number of universities such as Kenyatta University have even built fibre optic cables.

Top 20

According to the CPS International Social and Market Research, the East Africa universities ranking, Kenya produced more than half of the universities in the top 20 categories of institutions compliant in the use of ICT in either teaching or overall adoption in their day-to-day operation.

Strathmore University, which is currently transferring its IT systems to less expensive open source software from copyrighted software, was voted best in the country but came second in the regional ranking after Uganda’s Makerere University Business School.

Multimedia, African Virtual, Nairobi, Mount Kenya, Kenyatta, Bondo, Moi, Daystar, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and Egerton universities also featured in the top 20 regional list.

Strathmore University says it embarked on automation of its operations in 2004 to efficiently serve growing number of its customers. The university also adopted open source software — which is relatively cheaper than the proprietary software — to avoid cost related obstacles.

A key area of interest for the East Africa universities ranking project was to determine how universities and other higher education institutions in the region have embraced the use of ICT in teaching and enhancing quality and effective education. The results of the survey were used to rank the best 100 institutions in East Africa in adapting the use of ICT in enhancing quality university education.

CPS International Social and Market Research Regional Director Dann Mwangi noted that Institutions that have exhibited higher compliance to the use of ICT in teaching and general administration tended to attract more international students, local and foreign grants and collaborations with private ICT service providers.

“ICT has become the fulcrum on which the world revolves and everyone has to keep himself updated on the current trends, innovations and inventions,” he said.

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