The Coordinator, Strategic Planning Dr. Rose Opiyo.
We are thrilled to inform you that the Coordinator, Strategic Planning Dr. Rose Opiyo has clinched a competitive global grant dubbed ‘Going Global Partnerships for Addressing Gender Equality in Higher Education’. The Gender Equality Partnerships (GEP) Programme will support higher education institutions and sector bodies to progress gender equality as well as build on the potential of sectors to influence wider society. The GEP 2023/24 award has been won by Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST)- Kenya and King's College London – United Kingdom. The project’s Principal Investigators are Dr. Rose Opiyo and Dr. Fred Ajwang respectively.
The Gender Equality Partnerships will support 12 projects in participating countries of between £20,000 and £25,000 in value each, for 12 months, starting from January 2023. The fund prioritizes partnerships that focus on one or more of the priority themes that are globally relevant including the Prevention of violence against women and girls with a particular focus on higher and further education institutions as safe spaces for women, Addressing women`s underrepresentation in higher and further education leadership, Enabling access and tackling subject segregation, particularly in the area of STEM (including encouraging STEM-related learning) and Strengthening pathways into employment for women graduates from further and higher education.
This project is funded by the British Council. The project team will be working with practice partners both from Kenya and the United Kingdom. One of the key partners is the African Foundation for Women and Youth in Education, Sciences Technology and Innovation led by Prof. J. Catherine Ngila, which will help in designing a robust STEM mentorship program for seeding the next generation of women on STEM graduates in Kenya and beyond. The award-winning proposal was on ‘Breaking Down Barrier; Unveiling Hidden Challenges to Achieving True Gender in STEM Education and Leadership in Kenya.’ The project’s Co-Principal Investigators are Dr. Eglay Tsuma (Registrar Administration) and Dr. Dorothy Rambin (Chairperson- Department of Computer Sciences) from MMUST and Dr. Adelide Borges of Women in STEM (WiSTEM) from the UK.
Such global awards strengthen and empower scholars to enhance the potential of their ideas. It also shows a desire to create global change, and the dedication to give back to society. We applaud the scholars for attaining this global recognition.
By Linet Owuor
