CAPACITY BUILDING FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOSAFETY IN KENYAN UNIVERSITIES
Joel W. Ochieng, PhD Centre for Biotechnology & Bioinformatics UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
Tel: 0711 121359; e-mail: [email protected]
3rd National Biosafety Conference, KICC, Nairobi, 14 August 2014 Order of presentation
• Need for capacity development
• Public universities offering Biotechnology & biosafety courses
• Admission to biotechnology compared to other courses
• How available infrastructure determines number of students admitted into Biotech courses
• Specialized training facilities at public Universities
• Impact of Biotech training at public universities
• Challenges in developing biotech and biosafety capacity and how some of these can be surmounted Capacity building for Biotech and Biosafety
• Skilled manpower needed in agriculture and health • Manpower to regulate and promote safe use of STI • Biotechnology and biosafety development requires: • Infrastructure • Human resources • Legal framework • Universities mandate to develop human capacity
• Increased need has seen enormous expansion in University programs related to biotech & biosafety
List of public universities in Kenya (Most colleges now have full charter)
• University of Nairobi • Jaramogi OO University of Sci. & Tech • Kenyatta University • University of Kabianga • Eger ton University • Multimedia University of Kenya • Moi University • Laikipia University • Maseno University • Kiabanga University College • Jomo Kenyatta University of Agric & Tech • Karatina University • Masinde Muliro University of Sci. & Tech • The University of Eldoret • Kimathi University of Sci & Tech • Taita Teveta University College • Technical University of Mombasa • Muranga Unversity College • Pwani University • Kirinyaga Unversity College • The Technical University of Kenya • Cooperative University College • Kisii University • Kibabii Unversity College • Chuka University • Garissa Unversity College • Maasai Mara University • Rongo Unversity College • Meru University • Embu Unversity College • South Eastern Kenya University • Machakos Unversity College
Universities offering degree courses in biotechnology (2012)
Most Universities started by offering courses related to Biotechnology
UoE first to offer straight undergraduate course on Biosafety Admission criteria for Biotech & related courses 2011/2012
Higher performance threshold required for Biotech compared to related courses
University slot (allocation) for Biotechnology
Admission allocation (slots) into BSc. Biotechnology courses (2012 – 2015):
2012/2013 UoN 93; Maseno University 43; Kenyatta University 35
2014/2015 UoN 84; Maseno University 38; Kenyatta University 35
• Admission slots allocated for Biotechnology decreasing
• Some slots taken up by younger Universities
• National need for biotechnology manpower increased
Current admission into BSc. (Biotechnology) 2014/2015
Premium on Biotech maintained by older Universities
Younger Universities quickly relaxing threshold for biotech
Specialized facilities at public Universities:
(Examples only)
Kenyatta University Tissue culture laboratory Molecular biology lab University of Nairobi Centre for Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
Genetics laboratory DNA sequencing facility Bioinformatics lab Student admission at Centre for Biotechnology, (UoN) Other biotech and biosafety trainings in Kenya
• ILRI; NBA – Strengthening of IBCs through training
• KARI Biotech Centre – SABIMA programme
• UoN/USAID Agricultural Biotechnology Support Programme
• NACOSTI/ State Dept of Agriculture – Bioaware
• Many other national efforts
– Student attachments/ internship
– Industry partnership
• Highest impact will be achieved through coordination
Challenges facing biotech training in Kenya
• Heavy investment in infrastructure required
• Low retention of trained personnel in biotechnology
• Choices by students skewed to ODL courses
• Continued demand for public info on biosafety
• Unstable policy environment for biotech dev
• Emergent challenges straining limited govt. resource
How to overcome some of the challenges
• Sharing of infrastructural resources among Universities and departments
• Universities to concentrate in areas of research strength
• Increased public education on biosafety & biotech
• Greater financial support from government to STI
• Science/ research driven policy formulation
• Biosafety in school curriculum to nurture young talents
• Collaboration between Universities and regulatory depts
Thank you for your involvement