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Kenyan President Dr. William Samoei Ruto visited Spelman College in Atlanta last week to strengthen partnerships between HBCUs and Kenyan scholars.
During his visit to Spelman College last week, Ruto signed an agreement with the United States to establish exchanges between Kenyan universities and HBCUs. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that representatives from Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Howard University signed the framework agreement along with higher education and corporate leaders from both countries.
Additionally, according to a press release issued by the White House, Microsoft, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the four schools announced the launch of EDTECH Africa, an initiative that aims to build bridges in emerging technologies between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African scholars to foster educational exchange in a rapidly changing technology environment.
When it comes to technology, Kenya has established itself as East Africa's Silicon Savannah. Its capital, Nairobi, has long been known for innovation and has become a “global player shaping the growth of the technology industry.”
The goal of collaboration between Kenya, the United States, and HBCUs is to enrich science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and promote economic development. This relationship has been nurtured over the past 60 years, beginning with then-US Senator John F. Kennedy's funding of “a young Kenyan leader, Tom Mboya's program to send his country's students to the United States.” Former President Barack Obama's father, Barack Obama Sr., was a beneficiary of these “airlifts” that took place between 1959 and 1963, enabling hundreds of Kenyans to attend college in the United States.
In his announcement, Root said, “Following in the footsteps of that historic airlift, we will nurture a new generation of disruptive thinkers, ambitious visionaries and innovative problem solvers, foreseeing a brighter knowledge-driven future where progress transcends borders, transforms lives and brings prosperity.”
“Spelman College already has strong ties and engagement with African countries, which is why we are excited to deepen our relationship with Kenya,” said Spelman College President Helen D. Gayle. “HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) are beacons of economic and social mobility for people of African descent, and one of the things Spelman College is proud of is its impact on economic mobility.”
Howard University President Dr. Ben Vinson III also attended and said, “As technology brings our global community closer together, it is critical that people of the African diaspora have the resources to accelerate change.”
“I would like to thank the presidents of Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University for their efforts in supporting our institutions' partnership with the Government of Kenya to invest in our shared future through higher education,” Vinson continued. “This collaboration aims to strengthen Kenya's higher education system and develop a new generation of Kenyan leaders who will drive the development of a resilient and prosperous nation.”
