The inaugural Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) Innovation week started on a high note with several participants displaying their innovations from the various schools. The annual conference and innovation week theme is dubbed as “Re-engineering technical Education for the Big Four Agenda, and the event is being held at Kiziwi-Main Campus.
During the official opening ceremony Prof. Ioannis Tsipouridus from Greece urged youths to give priorities to innovations that are solution based to the most pressing problems that affect the society today in Africa. Prof. Tsipouridus advised innovators to share ideas that can combat challenges such as poverty, diseases, unemployment and garbage collection. The don said that innovators should be open to share ideas with the like-minded people across the globe to enable them tackle the challenges.
He said that successful innovators achieve significant multiples by accessing skills and talents of others. “In this way, they speed up innovation and uncover new ways to create value,” he said. Prof. Tsipouridus urged the TUM family and other stakeholders to be on the forefront on matters climate change. Further, he warned that 93% of world’s children breathe toxic air, which stunts their brain and causes deadly diseases.
“Air pollution is uniquely damaging to children’s health, the WHO warns. It reports that 93% of children – about 630 million under-fives- live in areas where pollutants breach World Health Organization (WHO) recommended safety levels and even in wealthier countries 52% of under-fives are routinely breathing harmful air.” Prof. Tsipouridus concluded.
Registrar Partnership Research and Innovation, Dr. Michael Saulo reiterated that Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) actively supports Partnerships, Research, Innovations and collaborations with industry, institutions, Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) and government organizations, for the enhancement of social economic wellbeing of local community and Kenya as a whole.
“Our world-class researchers collaborate with industry, local and international community organizations in bringing new ideas and technologies into our region providing industry the competitive edge in the local, national and global markets. We are committed to fostering and continuously improving our relationships with industry, institutions and all our stakeholders by helping them remain vibrant and sustainable through the mobility of people and ideas.” He added.
Dr. Saulo explained that the TUM innovation week and 1st Multidisciplinary conference will offer a forum for academicians and researchers to showcase research processes and methodologies that are aligned to the conference theme. “It will also provide an opportunity for practitioners and innovators to demonstrate how their innovations are changing the society and the world at large”.
Dr. Saulo added that the government is now implementing the Big Four Agenda, to achieve its sustainable developmental agenda. “ These are food security, affordable housing, affordable healthcare and job creation through manufacturing that are in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Kenya’s Vision 2030.” he explained.
ENDS
