- Kennedy-Mboya Partnerships: As the United States and Kenya celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations, and recalling the positive and enduring impact of the Kennedy-era student airlift, the newly announced Kennedy-Mboya Partnerships support a new scholarship program that promotes intellectual, academic, and innovative exchange. The Administration intends to provide $3.3 million for a U.S. Department of State program for sixty Kenyan undergraduate students to study for a semester in the United States, with a focus on STEM. This program supports the development and success of the next generation of Kenyan scientists, researchers, and engineers.
- Partnership 2024: The Administration intends to provide $500,000 for Partnership 2024 to support the development of Kenyan students, scientists, researchers, and engineers by encouraging U.S. universities to increase investment in relationships with Kenyan universities and research institutions. Faculty and research collaboration are planned to bolster the program, supported by Fulbright Specialists to provide additional expertise.
- EDTECH Africa: The Governments of Kenya and the United States, in collaboration with Microsoft, Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth, Howard University, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College announced the establishment of EDTECH Africa. This initiative serves as an emerging technology bridge between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African scholars, aimed at cultivating educational exchanges in the ever-evolving landscape of emerging technology. This initiative expands Mastercard’s existing investment of $6.5 million for the Atlanta University Center Consortium Data Science Initiative and $5 million for Howard University’s Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics, actively involving African scholars with HBCU students and faculty in the journey toward greater proficiency as data scientists. Microsoft will invest an additional $500,000 to support HBCU and Kenyan students engaged in research at the Microsoft Africa Research Institute (MARI) in Nairobi, Kenya, complementing its recent contribution of $350,000 for the Atlanta University Center Consortium Data Science Initiative to establish a network of data science faculty across HBCUs. USAID intends to invest $850,000 to facilitate this partnership between HBCUs and Kenyan universities.
- National Science Foundation (NSF) International Activities: NSF has committed to offering workshops, planning grants, or supplements to U.S. universities to strengthen connections between U.S. and Kenyan universities, jointly identify research foci, and facilitate collaboration in research, education, and workforce development.
- Employment Pathways for Youth: USAID announced $6.5 million to support a partnership between Edison State Community College in Piqua, Ohio, and Kenya’s United States International University of Africa to strengthen up to 40 Kenyan technical vocational education and training institutions in the high-growth sectors of information and communications technology (ICT) and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and textiles.
- Framework for Cooperation: The United States and Kenya signed a Framework for Cooperation to support higher education partnerships for STEM education. The Framework describes U.S. and Kenyan priorities and is accompanied by a commitment from Microsoft, Micron, Mastercard, and several U.S. and Kenyan universities expressing their support for STEM education. The Framework fosters higher education partnerships and commitments to partner private sector stakeholders, Kenyan institutions, and U.S. institutions to build mutual capacity in information and computer technology, microchip manufacturing, and other STEM-related education and career opportunities.
