About the AHEAD project

The AHEAD project (African Higher Education Leadership in Advancing Inclusive Innovation for Development) is a three-year Capacity Building project, started on October 15, 2017 and ending on October 14, 2020. The consortium consists of 4 universities from Europe (Romania, Poland, UK, Italy), a consultancy company from Bulgaria, 5 universities from Kenya, 2 universities from Tanzania and 3 universities from Uganda. In Uganda, the participating Universities are Kyambogo University, Lira University and Makerere University. 

The project seeks to build capacities of staff in the Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan universities’ to lead and manage innovation that best fits their countries’ inclusive and sustainable development needs. 

Project objectives

The overall objective is to enhance the management, governance, teaching, research and evaluation capacities of the Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan Partner Universities in view of enabling them to implement the knowledge triangle and better integrate their research, education and innovation functions in support of sustainable development and inclusive growth.

Expected Impact of the project

The project seeks to help the Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan Partner Universities achieve improvement in the following aspects:

  1. Aligning teaching and research with community engagement, knowledge transfer, inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship support in local economies
  2. Aligning research activities with socio-economic challenges and key national inclusive development goals
  3. Taking leadership of open inclusive innovation and knowledge exchange in both low-tech and high-tech sectors, in particular by following a multidisciplinary approach, involving a variety of stakeholders and building the necessary human capital and managerial skills
  4. Building human capacities, support structures and expertise to promote grassroots inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship at the local level.

AHEAD training of Trainers at Birmingham City University UK

The AHEAD train the trainers workshop took place from 21st to 24th of May 2019 in Birmingham City University. The aim of the training was to ensure the transferability and multiplication of the AHEAD open educational recourses (OERs). The intention is to prepare members from the Partner Country Universities to teach and/or train in the area of innovation management, inclusive development and social entrepreneurship education.

Kyambogo University was represented by 3 members that constituted 35 representatives from the AHEAD partnership Universities. The training covered: Delivery of entrepreneurship teaching/ training; Human-centred Design, Design Thinking and Social innovation, customer development process; Innovation systems; Types of innovations; Technological learning, technological catch-up, technological leapfrogging; Inclusive and Grassroots innovation.

AS part of the training, a visit was taken to the STEAM Laboratory in Birmingham city. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) is an interdisciplinary way of thinking aimed at finding the most inclusive innovative solutions to today’s challenges.is a laboratory where scholars who have innovation in art. 

Next AHEAD training of Trainers to be hosted by Kyambogo University

During the meeting, it was agreed that the next meeting is held in Uganda. Kyambogo University was honoured to host the training. The training is scheduled to take place from 30th October to 1st November 2019.

All the participating Universities from the three East African Counties namely Kyambogo, Makerere and Lira Universities – Uganda, Kibabii, Kisii, The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Mount Kenya and Keyatta universities – Kenya, Dar Es Salaam Institute of Technology, and State University of Zanziba – Tanzania as well as European Universities of Petru Maior University of Targu-Mureş, Romania, University of Molise, Italy, University of Social Sciences, Poland, Birmingham City University, United Kingdom and Bulgaria European Center for Quality, Bulgaria.

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News_AHEAD training

 

AHEAD Innovation Hub

Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation Innovation and Incubation Hub is located at the Disability Support Center within the Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation Offices.

The Hub is supported by a team well trained and experienced internal and external innovation and entrepreneurship mentors including Disability Students Alumni. We welcome all to visit the Hub to start the journey of transforming our ideas into tangible disability inclusion products and services for societal transformation.

So far eight (2) innovations by students with visual impairment (blind and low vision) are under incubation at the Hub

Students with low vision using a CCTV camera – adjustment to suit vision needs in print and color
Adapted technology for using a clear reader by a blind student

Other expected innovations include

  1. Electric White Cane production
  2. Making liquid soap as an enterprise
  3. Production of  Charcoal Briquettes

For More Information Contact:

Coordinator: Dr. Paul Emong (Lecturer); Tel. Mobile: +256-772-444-405

Email: emongemorut@gmail.com

Disability Support Services, Kyambogo University.

More details are on the link below

African Higher Education Leadership in Advancing Inclusive Innovation for Development