FOSTER PROJECT
Fostering digital transformation of science in Kenya and Tanzania
ABOUT THE FOSTER PROJECT
FOSTER project, a co-funded initiative by the European Commission (EU) addresses the Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) action, which seeks to strengthen inclusive, collaborative and responsible Science, Technology, and Innovation ecosystems through the implementation of Open Science principles and values in Kenya and Tanzania Partner Countries (PCs). FOSTER, is a three-year project running from 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2027. The project will entail awareness creation events, policy formulation for partner universities, dissemination of output, capacity building on open science, informal short courses and curriculum, staff mobilities for bench marking best case practices, and the creation of an open science hub, which will be one of the few in Sub-Saharan Africa, for more enhanced collaboration, research and higher educational development.
Despite scientific knowledge being a critical driver of innovation, policy development, and socio-economic growth, Africa is lagging behind with uneven access to scientific resources, collaborative networks, and funding opportunities. This project will promote adoption of Open Science practices and infrastructure in higher education institutions (HEIs) hence improving publication outputs among African academics. The benefits for HEIs are digitization of university structures and practices, increased visibility and ranking of academic staff, tangible community engagement in society together with increased revenue generation.
The project partner universities are St. Paul’s University, Daystar University (Project Coordinator) and Garissa University, in Kenya; University of Dar Es Salaam and the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI), in Tanzania; University of Zaragoza (Spain); International School for Social and Business Studies – ISBSS (Slovenia); VU Amsterdam University (Netherlands); and European Policy Development and Research Institute - EPDRI (Slovenia), the Project Co-Coordinator.PROJECT ACTIVITIES
To date, St. Paul’s University has actively participated in the consortium meeting held on 22 nd to 23 rd April, 2025 and the Open Science Forum held on 24 th to 25 th April, 2025 that had key stakeholders in attendance such as Prof. Mike Kuria, Chief Executive Officer, Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya Education Network (KENET), Dr. Penninah Musangi, Amref International University, Prof. Arnold Mwanzu, Kenya Libraries and Information Services Consortium (KLISC), and Ms. Joy Owango, Director, Training Center in Communication, among many others.