欧美视频

Students from Lee鈥檚 Summit and Kenya participate in a video conference on July 23. Also participating were Curtis Cook of Summit Technology Academy, John Musau (at left) of Digloso and Joe Mullins (at right) of UCM. 

Thanks to a virtual project involving Lee鈥檚 Summit area students working with students and officials from Kenya, an international partnership is launching this fall. The partnership under development includes the 欧美视频 (UCM), the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB), Makueni Innovation Centre, Eastern Kenya Integrated College and Digloso Ltd.

 

During a July 23 video conference, representatives from UCM, SEKEB, Makueni County Government (who run the Innovation Centre), Digoloso Ltd., Eastern Kenya Integrated College and Summit Technology Academy participated in presentations and discussions regarding the potential partnership鈥檚 next steps.

 

鈥淭his unique collaborative effort will allow UCM Extended Studies to work with the university鈥檚 Kenyan peers on education and workforce program development,鈥� said Joe Mullins, UCM Workforce and Professional Education and the chief development person for the partnership.

 

Through the project, partners will leverage technology to foster global collaboration in resolving local challenges. The partners will work together to develop real-world sustainable solutions for students and adults. Students will also gain hands-on experiences in areas such as Internet of Things, virtual reality, telehealth and entrepreneurship -- just to name a few -- while working on industry-recognized certifications and accelerated degree programs.

 

鈥淭he Makueni Innovation Centre will provide an avenue for young people within the county, the SEKEB Region and beyond to develop skills and innovations that are necessary in creating an economic ecosystem,鈥� said Professor Kivutha Kibwana, governor of Makueni County in Kenya.

 

鈥漊nemployment is a major challenge in Kenya, especially among the youth, and I believe the experience they will receive through this partnership will create employment opportunities for them. They will get a head start in exploiting the Konza Techno City digital space, which is coming up within the SEKEB Region. We will play our part in making this dream a reality for the benefit of our young people.鈥�

 

This proposed partnership has benefitted from the involvement of Digloso, a company focusing on providing emerging populations with technological infrastructure and modular application platforms.

 

鈥淚t remains clear that lack of access to technology has hampered workforce development for most youth as well as obscured exposure to essential technology-based community services,鈥� said Digloso鈥檚 founder and CEO John Musau. 鈥淪o through Digloso鈥檚 CSR arm, the Global Classroom Exchange, we have established academic, industry and public partnerships as the force to support Project Based Learning to apply a series of goal-oriented academic programs that augment workforce development. Students collaborate to develop solutions that lead to sustainable and diverse community economic ecosystems in an effort to reduce poverty, preserve natural resources and protect the environment.鈥�

 

Musau is a native of Kenya and has located his company鈥檚 headquarters in Machakos, Kenya.

 

Business, individuals and organizations have the opportunity to collaborate in the project, which is actively seeking partners to help with solutions. For more information, contact Joe Mullins at jmullins@ucmo.edu.

 

The 欧美视频 operates campuses in Lee鈥檚 Summit and Warrensburg, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certificate programs, professional education courses and customized corporate curriculum. UCM and have shared space and resources in the award-winning Missouri Innovation Campus facility since its opening in fall 2017. The South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc includes three counties: Kitui, Machakos and Makueni with an combined estimated population of 4.7 million. The Bloc was created to provide social and economic development for its citizens.