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Tender for Sh10bn Konza tech varsity

konza

An artist’s impression of an office in Konza tech city. FILE PHOTO | NMG

South Korea has provided a Sh9.6 billion loan for construction of a postgraduate studies university at Konza Technopolis.

The Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist Kenya) to sit on 22 acres is modelled on the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology whose emphasis is specialised training that addresses skills gap in emerging technologies.

Upon completion in 24 months, Kaist Kenya will admit its first batch of master’s and PhD students in three faculties — Mechanical, Electrical and ICT Engineering, Chemical Civil and Agriculture Engineering/Biotechnology, and Basic Science Education.

In a tender notice, Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) invited South Korean building contractors and suppliers for building facilities and equipping laboratories and engineering workshops.

Export-Import Bank of Korea has provided the loan from the resources of the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) where bidders will prove ability to post a Sh103 million security bond by May 8 when the tender closes.

The tender is for building a three-storey education and campus core complex, four storey twin-education buildings, a six-storey student dormitory, a five-storey staff quarters and a twin administration block of four floors.

“The contractor will also supply and install educational, research equipment and furniture, establish university enterprise resource planning system and a digital library system with all the works expected to be completed on schedule,” said the tender notice.

Last month, KoTDA staff moved to its Sh1.9 billion office complex at Konza from where it will oversee the implementation of the planned city-within-a-city sitting on 5,000 acres.