NAIROBI INNOVATION WEEK: "WE NEED TO URGENTLY ADOPT AN INNOVATION CULTURE"

"We need to urgently adopt an Innovation Culture", was the message that was echoed during the official opening ceremony of the Nairobi Innovation Week 2023.

This year’s NIW theme was ‘Sustainable and Commercialization for sustainable development. This was the theme of the three days event that took place at the University of Nairobi, Main Campus from May 17th – 19th, 2023.

Speaking during the event, Education CS, Machogu urged University of Nairobi students and staff to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship saying that innovation has been able to push many countries forward and improve their economies. Many examples were given including China, USA, Singapore and South Korea among others. “By supporting innovation, we can stimulate economic growth”, he said.  He pointed out the various innovations that have taken place in the recent past including finding vaccines for COVID 19 pandemic in record time. 

The CS took the opportunity to launch the Kenya Universities Students Placement Portal, where students have an opportunity to choose courses of their liking and fees will be based on the newly launched University Funding model.

University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama urged students to innovate to bring about appropriate development and make the lives of people better.

Chancellor, Dr. Vijoo Rattansi took the opportunity to celebrate the milestones made since the first Nairobi Innovation Week was launched 7 years ago. “University should be a thriving laboratory”, she said. She added that Universities should embrace problem based learning to meet tomorrows challenges where digital skills rules the world. “Innovation pipeline should be watered with fresh ideas. The problems and challenges facing humanity call on us to innovate”, she said.