Kenyan students are set to benefit as the government seeks to strengthen its educational and research ties with the State University of New York (SUNY)in the United States.
In December 2024, Kenyan Ambassador to the United Nations, Erastus Ekitela Lokaale, visited SUNY Oswego to explore opportunities for developing educational and research connections between the university and Kenya.
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During the visit to the Northeastern U.S. campus, located on the shores of Lake Ontario, Lokaale engaged with SUNY Oswego President, Peter Nwosu, along with administrators and faculty members, to discuss various collaboration opportunities.
Boost for Kenyan Students as Govt Seeks Education Partnership with SUNY
Lokaale stated that his visit aimed to learn more about the university’s programs and identify opportunities for Kenyan students to study and gain knowledge at SUNY Oswego.
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“We hope to host some of your students in Kenya so that they can see the work that’s happening there and also get some of the Kenyan students to come over and interact with our counterparts here,” Lokaale said.
“They would get to learn from one another.”
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Nwosu expressed his appreciation for Loakaale’s visit and emphasized the university’s commitment to fostering partnerships with Kenya.
“We are so honoured that Ambassador Lokaale dedicated so much time to learn about our university and discuss increased partnerships with Kenyan institutions, research and students,” President Nwosu said.
“We look forward to more conversations and opportunities that will benefit everyone, especially our current and future students and we will learn a lot from each other.”
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Why Kenya Seeks Collaboration with State University of New York
Lokaale highlighted Kenya’s growing interest in higher education, driven by its predominantly young population eager to learn.
He cited a recent Open Doors report from the Institute for International Education, which shows that Kenya is the fastest-growing African country for F1 student visas, recording a 52.4% increase in just one year.
“Within our region, we call ourselves the Silicon Savannah, the headquarters of technology in Africa,” Lokaale said.
“And that has come as a result of kids who are able to go out to some of the best universities, including those in New York state, and then come back home with the skills that they’ve learned.”
The ambassador said that as he learned more about SUNY Oswego, he became increasingly convinced that it would be an excellent destination for Kenyan students.
“What is remarkable about Oswego is you put students at the centre of everything that you do. So, there’s always talk about improving the student experience and investing in facilities to make learning interesting for the students,” Lokaale noted.
“Everybody wants to do more for the students, which is why I’m keen on this kind of exchange program because I see a lot of good and positive things that we can learn from one another.”
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