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Researchers need to be assessed on every aspect of their work, no matter where it takes place. Photo by marlenefrancia/Shutterstock How do you assess academic researchers for promotion or funding? This question has become ever more central in higher education settings since the 1980s saw substantial growth in investment in research. This significantly increased the number of researchers in the academic workforce and the need to assess their output for employment, promotion and other career advancements. One response to the need … Continue reading “RESEARCHERS SHOULD BE ASSESSED ON QUALITY NOT QUANTITY: HERE’S HOW”

Enrolment at public universities dipped for the first time in three years in a period that saw the intake at technical colleges offering diploma and certificate courses increase 22 percent. FILE PHOTO | NMG Enrolment at public universities dipped for the first time in three years in a period that saw the intake at technical colleges offering diploma and certificate courses increase 22 percent. Official data shows that students joining public universities for undergraduate degrees dropped for the first time … Continue reading “PUBLIC UNIVERSITY ENROLMENT DIPS AS TVET NUMBERS GROW”

In robot-assisted surgery, surgeons guide minimally invasive instruments remotely. Photograph: agefotostock/Alamy In world-first trial, bladder cancer patients who had robotic surgery went home sooner and were less likely to be readmitted Patients having major abdominal operations should be offered the option of robotic surgery, doctors and scientists have said, after a world-first clinical trial found the procedures dramatically speed up recovery times, reduce complications and cut the risk of blood clots. In a first-of-its-kind three-year study, experts at University College London … Continue reading “ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGERY CAN CUT BLOOD CLOT RISK AND SPEED RECOVERY, STUDY FINDS”

Kenya’s Delegation during the Preparatory Committee Meeting for the Ninth Review Conference in April 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland. The preparatory committee meeting for the Ninth Review Conference of the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BWC) was held from 4th to 11th April 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland. Kenya was represented by H.E Amb. Cleopa Mailu (Head of Permanent mission), as the head of the delegation, Prof. Walter Oyawa (Director General, NACOSTI, and BWC National Focal Point), CEO’s from several research institutions … Continue reading “KENYA PARTICIPATE IN PREPARATORY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR THE NINTH REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE BWC”

Trucks dumping rocks to complete a river closure for a dam in China’s Sichuan province in 2021.Wang Lei/China News Service via Getty Images China is poised to build a hydropower dam in two years using artificial intelligence, construction robots, and zero human labor, scientists involved in the project said. The Yangqu dam on the Tibetan plateau is set to be assembled layer by layer, like with 3D printing, The South China Morning Post first reported on Sunday, citing a paper published in April in … Continue reading “CHINA IS USING AI AND 3D PRINTING TO BUILD A 590-FOOT-TALL DAM WITHOUT THE NEED FOR HUMAN WORKERS”

Every two seconds, an individual is forcibly displaced from their home. Among them are countless scientists, engineers and others with advanced training, who may be displaced internally or forced into exile, unable to continue their vital research and teaching work and their contributions to science. This a loss for the entire scientific community, as well as for society more widely. In April 2022, together with The World Academy of Sciences (UNESCO-TWAS) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) the ISC launched the Science … Continue reading “SUPPORT AT-RISK, DISPLACED AND REFUGEE SCIENTISTS”

Hosting of second ICGEB Regional Research Centre. From 31 January – 4 February 2022, ICGEB Director-General Dr Lawrence Banks led an international Review and Assessment Committee conducting site visits to three shortlisted Kenyan Universities proposing to host an ICGEB Regional Research Centre (RRC) in Kenya. The RRC is envisaged to play a key role in serving Kenya and the East Africa region. The International Review Committee, hosted by Prof Walter Oyawa (Director General of the Kenyan National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation … Continue reading “ICGEB VISIT TO KENYA”

NACOSTI received three new board members following their appointment by The Cabinet Secretary responsible for matters of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) through Gazette Notice No. 10692 dated 5th October 2021. The three are; Prof. Francis Muregi, Ms. Rachel Shibalira and Prof. Rapahel Munavu, following the expiry of the term of the previous Board on 5th December 2020. The board and management retreat was organized for the members to be provided with adequate briefs by the management team for the … Continue reading “NACOSTI HOLDS INDUCTION RETREAT FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS”

Figure 1:Left to Right Prof. Mark Bailey Executive Director UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Deputy Director & Science Director Prof. Alan Jenkins paid a courtesy call to the Director General, NACOSTI Prof. Walter Oyawa at the Commission headquarters on 7th March 2022. UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Executive Director Prof. Mark J. Bailey accompanied by Deputy Director and Science Director Prof. Alan Jenkins, paid a courtesy call to the Director General for National Commission for Science Technology and … Continue reading “VISIT BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY TO NACOSTI”

Without a huge investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, Africa will not achieve the goals the African Union has laid out in her 2063 agenda. Indeed, given the complexity facing the developing world, economic growth, and improvements in the standard of living there will continue to rely on innovations and technological breakthroughs. Moreover, such revolutions can only happen for Africa if there is active participation in STEM at all levels of education—especially for girls. Despite the fact that women … Continue reading “MAKING THE FUTURE OF AFRICAN STEM FEMALE”