Universities Promoting Linkages for Impactful Training, Innovation and Technology Transfer in Agriculture (UPLIFT.Ag)

Name: Prof. Shelmith W. Munyiri 

Title: Associate Professor of Agronomy

Email: smunyiri@chuka.ac.ke/ munyirishelmith@gmail.com

Phone numbers: +254722 269532/+254733 986204

1. Professor Stephen K. Wambugu
2. Prof. Jackin Nanua
3. Dr. Samuel Chege
4. Dr. James Kinyua
5. Ms. Judy Wamuya

1. Prof. Maina Mwangi – Kenyatta University (KU) – Entire Consortium Coordinator
2. Dr. Mwamburi Mcharo (TTU) – Taita Taveta University Coordinator

1. University of Rwanda – Rwanda
2. University of Lay Adventists of Kigali – Rwanda
3. Université de NGOZI – Burundi
4. Universite Du Burundi – Burundi
5. Chinhoyi University of Technology – Zimbabwe
6. Zimbabwe Open University – Zimbabwe
7. Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Neu-Ulm – Germany
8. Universita Politecnica Delle Marche – Italy
9. Sara Marie Ehrenreich Green – Denmark

Agriculture teaching higher education institutions (HEIs) in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Zimbabwe are expected to ensure high quality training, impactful research and effective transfer of knowledge and technologies. However, the HEIs effectiveness is severely limited by curriculum that is not well aligned to the needs of employers and use of ineffective teaching methods that lack interaction and roles for industry and business practitioners. In particular curricula lack content in critical knowledge and skills for employability and entrepreneurship, perspectives on research and innovation and commercialization of intellectual property. HEIs lack meaningful relationships with industry which would be necessary for effective teaching, research and technology transfer. The bureaucratic processes, inefficient management systems and structures, and poorly enforced policies cause low quality service delivery in HEIs, which puts off potential partners. Furthermore, HEIs lack the mechanisms and capacity to identify, protect and commercialize their intellectual property. Few HEIs have established incubation centers and technology transfer offices, and where existing, they operate sub-optimally.

The project on Universities Promoting Linkages for Impactful Training, Innovation and Technology Transfer (UPLIFT) in Agriculture (UPLIFT-Ag) aims to enhance the effectiveness of HEIs in the four countries by strengthening relationships with actors and stakeholders in agriculture industry, introducing improved methods of teaching agriculture with specific roles for industry in co-teaching activities, design of innovative curricula that enhance knowledge, skills and attitudes for employability and entrepreneurship, and building innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of the HEIs through establishment and strengthening the function of innovation incubation centers and technology transfer offices. This will be accomplished in partnership with HEIs in Germany, Italy and Denmark.

The project on Universities Promoting Linkages for Impactful Training, Innovation and Technology Transfer (UPLIFT) in Agriculture (UPLIFT-Ag) aims to enhance the effectiveness of HEIs in the four countries by strengthening relationships with actors and stakeholders in agriculture industry, introducing improved methods of teaching agriculture with specific roles for industry in co-teaching activities, design of innovative curricula that enhance knowledge, skills and attitudes for employability and entrepreneurship, and building innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of the HEIs through establishment and strengthening the function of innovation incubation centers and technology transfer offices. This will be accomplished in partnership with HEIs in Germany, Italy and Denmark.

By improving the quality and effectiveness of learning, research and innovation in HEIs, and strengthening collaboration with industry, the project will contribute to the objective of sustainable economic growth, quality jobs and social cohesion anchored on innovation and the effective transfer of knowledge to society. The project will strengthen the network of HEIs in Africa and EU, linked to relevant private sector and public bodies, thus improving the ecosystem for HEIs to become visible and more relevant to their communities. The project fosters linkages between HEIs, industry and other actors, thus enabling collaboration in defining and addressing the significant constraints to development in the different countries. The developed network of institutions and actors is relevant to achievement of the European strategic co-operation in the field of education and training.

The UPLIFT.Ag Project has 6 Work Packages that are currently ongoing on Baseline data collection.

Visit uplift website here