US technology firm IBM has partnered with three local universities to develop skills in cyber security, data science, social business and cloud computing.
In the joint venture, IBM will provide Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Riara University and Strathmore University the latest enterprise software and systems.
The three universities will also have free access to IBM experts, real time world case studies from a range of industries and an extensive library of IT curricula for computer science, business and other degree programmes.
This comes on the backdrop of a growing demand of cyber security experts due to the rising number of related crimes that has seen the government lose some of its specialists it had trained to the private sector.
Last year, hackers attacked more than 100 government websites as it lost four of six security experts it had trained to the private sector.
“Working with universities is a way to speed up the skills development required for the next generation of experts that companies such as IBM and other international and local enterprises need to enhance and grow the IT sector in Kenya,” said Tony Mwai, IBM general manager for East Africa.
“Curriculum development and collaborative research reach a much wider student population.”