Challenges in engineering education in addressing industry needs in Kenya

Abstract

Engineering education in Kenya started in the 1950s. The curricula offered were Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Later, other disciplines were introduced, including: Agricultural/Bio-systems, Chemical, Mechatronics, Marine, Mining, Petroleum, software, Aerospace, Aeronautical, Geomatic, Medical and Textile Engineering. From the 2000's onwards, Kenya experienced a steep rise in the number of universities offering engineering programmes. However, the requisite growth of the human resource and infrastructure did not match that growth. For purposes of maintaining quality and regulating engineering practice in Kenya, The Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) was established. The Engineers Act 2012 gives EBK the mandate to register engineers and engineering consulting firms, regulate engineering professional services, accredit engineering degree programmes, set standards and develop the general practice of engineering. It was also mandated to evaluate for purposes of recognizing equivalent engineering degrees obtained from foreign jurisdictions, so that holders of such degrees may be licensed to practice in Kenya. On the other hand, the Commission for University Education (CUE) was established and mandated to accredit all degree programmes, including engineering.