European Commission officials visited Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) for a field monitoring exercise aimed at assessing the progress and impact of the Smart Manufacturing Engineering Education for Knowledge Economy (SME2KE) and IMPACT HE projects.
Ms. Lauriane Bertrand, Deputy Head of Unit for International Capacity Building, and Ms. Anna Hakami, Project Adviser for International Capacity Building at the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), held discussions with the JKUAT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Ngumi.
The discussions centred on the implementation and progress of the SME2KE and IMPACT HE projects, highlighting key achievements, challenges encountered during implementation, and opportunities for sustaining the gains and impact achieved through the initiatives.
During a courtesy meeting held on Thursday, June 4, 2026, Ms. Bertrand commended JKUAT and its partners for the progress made under the projects, noting the importance of international collaboration in strengthening engineering education, innovation, and capacity building within higher education institutions.
“Today’s visit forms part of our broader monitoring strategy. Its purpose is to complement the information gathered through project reports by engaging directly with the people behind these initiatives and to provide a constructive learning opportunity throughout the monitoring process,” said Ms. Bertrand.
She also underscored the importance of the exercise in assessing the tangible impact of the projects on participating institutions and most importantly, on the beneficiaries.
Ms. Bertrand further noted the significance of the visit as Kenya and the European Union celebrate 50 years of partnership, adding that Kenya’s participation in 32 Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education projects demonstrates the dynamism and commitment of its higher education sector.
While welcoming the delegation, Prof. Ngumi who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Robert Kinyua, reaffirmed JKUAT’s commitment to fostering international partnerships that strengthen teaching, research, innovation, and capacity building.
“At JKUAT, we are committed to high-impact partnerships that address industrial challenges through knowledge exchange and capacity building. The SME2KE and IMPACT HE projects exemplify this commitment,” said the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Ngumi also highlighted the impact of the two projects, noting that they have strengthened institutional capacity, enhanced staff and student competencies through improved postgraduate training, and fostered collaboration among universities, industry partners, and other stakeholders.
With JKUAT taking a leading role in both projects, the Vice Chancellor noted that the University remains committed to ensuring their successful implementation and sustainability while leveraging the partnerships to advance research, innovation and academic excellence.
As part of their visit, the delegation also met project leads, Dr. Rehema Ndeda (SME2KE) and Dr. Shem Kuya (IMPACT HE) at the University’s Innovation and Prototyping Integrated Centre (iPIC) to review project progress, key achievements, challenges and strategies required to sustain the gains and impact achieved through the initiatives.