From training sessions to workshops and summer schools, the cooperation with the University of Nairobi is now taking shape.
Launched in 2019, the cooperation with the University of Nairobi took shape with the signature of the tripartite agreement between four schools of the ParisTech Group, CentraleSupélec – Paris-Saclay University, and the Kenyan university in May 2023 and later with the kick-off activities in Nairobi in July.
In addition to the construction of the Engineering and Science Complex, the cooperation project revolves around six pillars: the governance of the complex, research, curriculum development in engineering, science and technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, internationalization, and relations with industries and companies. Given its strengths and assets, CentraleSupélec is mainly involved in managing and implementing research, curriculum, innovation, industries, and international pillars.
In October 2023, following several online trainings, the school’s Department of Corporate Relations welcomed two colleagues working on academia-industry relations and the development of the UoN Foundation. This week of training sessions and visits was an opportunity to witness the “Be Prepared” event organized by CentraleSupélec students for the companies’ forum and to attend two career round tables to share best practices on organizing workshops and student-company conferences.
The Kenyan colleagues met with several actors in corporate relations, alumni, and entrepreneurs at CentraleSupélec, such as the Foundation and the Department of Entrepreneurship, and visited thematic spaces like the FabLab – La Fabrique and Station F.
In order to share best practices with the different schools in the project, the colleagues visited AgroParisTech and Chimie ParisTech to exchange views on their corporate relations and visit their incubators.
Summer School on climate change in Africa
In November 2023, the International Affairs Departments of CentraleSupélec and Chimie ParisTech jointly conducted a training session on the organization of summer schools. With their strong experience in the organization of summer schools, especially CentraleSupélec, the training allowed two colleagues from the Directorate of University Advancement & Institutional Development at the University of Nairobi to build a summer school program on climate change and adaptation in Africa.
The University is thrilled to announce that the call for applications is now open on its website. The program relies on the expertise of the lecturers and researchers of the Institute of Climate Change and Adaptation, based at the Faculty of Science & Technology, one of the faculties at the core of the cooperation with the French schools' consortium.
From July 1st to 12th, 2024, the students will not only attend scientific classes, work on a project in multicultural groups, and participate in four conferences but will also have the opportunity to visit the UN headquarters in Nairobi and the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies.
The program also includes an introduction to East African culture and history and a basic language course in Kiswahili, the national language of Kenya and common with a large part of East Sub-Saharan
Africa. While in Kenya, the participants may also visit the National Museum or do a safari in Nairobi National Park. Students from CentraleSupélec and the ParisTech schools are particularly welcomed.
Workshops in computer and data science
Early March 2024, time came for the professors in computer and data science to have a virtual meeting and discuss potential collaborations.
Funded by the French Agency for Development (AFD), the Engineering and Science Complex project will help with the mobility of PhDs and post-docs between Kenya and France. As the coordinator of the “research” pillar of the partnership, Chimie ParisTech took this initiative where seven researchers from CentraleSupélec, Paris-Saclay University, Agro ParisTech, and Chimie ParisTech and three researchers from the University of Nairobi presented their research focuses to around thirty colleagues. This workshop reunited professors from both parties to define joint research projects and look into putting short- and long-term mobility between the institutions in place. The initiative will be re-conducted with researchers working on other topics in accordance with the identified centers of excellence, namely industrial engineering and advanced manufacturing, water, earth and environment, and innovation.
Internationalization of the University of Nairobi
Following an online training session on international academic project management organized by the International Affairs Department, CentraleSupélec will receive three other colleagues from the Directorate of University Advancement & Institutional Development for a two-day training session next May. It will be an opportunity to exchange views on international student and staff mobility, partnership management, and the reception and welcoming of international students to our institutions. CentraleSupélec and its partners – Chimie ParisTech, AgroParisTech, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Mines Paris, and Paris-Saclay University – express their appreciation for the project developments and will pursue their efforts in strengthening French-Kenyan collaboration.
