On Friday, 21 August 2026, four faculty members from the Department of Computer Science participated in the Kenya-Japan Co-Creation Workshop held at Strathmore University.

The workshop provided an excellent opportunity to engage with researchers from Kenya and Japan, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities for joint research, innovation, capacity building and international academic collaboration.

The faculty members also had the opportunity to interact with researchers affiliated with research collaborations in Japan, led by Prof. Ondiba-https://jp.linkedin.com/in/hesborn-ondiba-06695864 , further strengthening their research networks and potential areas of collaboration.

A key highlight was the engagement with Dr. Yumi Yamane, Director, and Ms. Shiho Hara, Deputy Director, of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), also known as Gakushin-https://www.jspsnairobi.org/en . JSPS plays an important role in promoting scientific research, supporting young researchers, providing research grants and strengthening international scientific cooperation.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, challenged researchers to think beyond publications and academic outputs. He called for research to be judged by the problems it solves and the impact it creates, urging researchers to continually ask: “What are we doing research for?”

Prof. Abdulrazak further emphasized the need to move beyond academic silos and strengthen connections between universities, research institutions, government, industry and communities in addressing shared national and global challenges. The event also had a special St. Paul’s University connection beyond the participating faculty—the official photographer was an #SPU alumnus from the Department of Communication. This was a proud demonstration of the talent, creativity and professional capabilities of our students and alumni.

The workshop reaffirmed the importance of Kenya-Japan partnerships in advancing research, innovation, knowledge exchange and technology-driven solutions, while providing valuable opportunities for #SPU to strengthen its international research networks.