The Microsoft Africa Development Centre (ADC) and Microsoft Leap are delighted to launch an inaugural workshop intentionally designed for university lecturers, proficient in leading technology-focused courses. University lecturers will be provided with an opportunity to engage with fellow educators in skill enhancement modules and identify best practices to incorporate into their curriculum. The 12-week program, which begins on March 6th, will use a hybrid classroom model and practical training to provide instructors with a better understanding of industry requirements and inspire a curriculum change that will align university classrooms with the needs of the technology industry.
“This program is the result of collaboration on many fronts, including university lecturers and their students. The training has been designed to provide lecturers with hands-on experience with industry needs, allowing them to design effective teaching for their students in an equally practical manner. The course will also expose them to advanced topics and allow them to learn and experiment with effective teaching techniques while obtaining essential aspects of carrying out research studies,” said Catherine Muraga, Microsoft ADC Managing Director, at the program’s launch.
Yolanda Natal-Santos, Microsoft Leap’s Senior Business Program Manager says “Rooted in our culture of the growth mindset and the belief that digital skills are for everyone, we are grateful for our partnership with the Microsoft ADC, as we extend Microsoft Leap’s global reach to a region that is rich in culture and talent. The growth of our partnership with the Microsoft ADC, has provided our program with a platform to continue identifying, engaging, and aligning with changemakers in Africa, as we impact and elevate together.”
Working collectively with Engineers from the ADC, Nairobi, the program will enhance skills, based on a curriculum developed and taught by Microsoft Leap instructors.
In addition to technical programming aspects and teaching a hybrid classroom, educators will receive training on specific Microsoft tools that are already being used in classrooms around the world and can be introduced to Kenyan lecture halls. The program will also provide technical educators with the tools they need to introduce popular Microsoft resources like Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Power Platforms, and Microsoft Dynamics. “JKUAT’s Department of Computing is thrilled to participate in the Microsoft Skilling Program, as it will provide our staff with access to cutting-edge technologies and a leading global company. This opportunity to engage with industry-relevant skills and knowledge
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brings great joy to the university”, Dr. Lawrence Nderu, Chairman/Lecturer, Department of Computing, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology said. “The world is changing quickly, and if we are to mould tomorrow’s leaders, we as lecturers must evolve too. Each day, there are new tools and methods being devised that are becoming increasingly crucial to operating within the tech industry. For the sake of our students, it is best that we learn how to leverage industry-standard and emerging technology from industry leaders.”
Githinji emphasised a multi-pronged approach to improving technical education in Kenyan universities. “Improving lecturers’ capacities is line with the ADC’s digital skilling initiatives that range from elementary school-level all the way into the workplace. We held several campus tours last year, which prompted us to begin a curriculum review process with JKUAT. Improving all aspects of the training ladder is critical if we want to create a tech talent pipeline that is not only robust enough to meet today’s needs, but also propels Africa to compete on a global scale,” she added.
The first cohort of 23 educators is drawn from both private and public universities, including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Multimedia University, and Kirinyaga University. Strathmore University, KCA University, Kabarak University, USIU- Africa, Zetech University, and Africa Nazarene University are the others.
This course is designed to magnify the lecturer’s delivery of core general management and drive engagement with advanced technology topics. Lecturers will be able to experiment with alternative teaching techniques and glean additional essential insight and research studies best practices.
About Microsoft Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
About the ADC Microsoft launched the Africa Development Centre (ADC) in 2019 with an initial site within Microsoft offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and another in Lagos, Nigeria. The centre’s goal is to attract world-class African engineering talent to create innovative solutions spanning the intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. Since its inception in Nairobi in 2019, the ADC has grown to over 500
University student teams from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa are among the shortlisted finalist of the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals. They are among 16 teams who will represent the Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region at the Microsoft Imagine Cup student technology competition.
The African teams consist of seven teams from Kenya, one from Nigeria, and one from South Africa. The remaining finalist teams from the region come from the UK, Pakistan, UAE, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The EMEA teams will be competing with 32 other finalist teams from the Americas and Asia regions. For a chance to win USD50,000 in prizes and a spot to present at the 2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup World Championship.
Only three teams will make it to the next stage of the technology competition. The teams will need to get the top-scoring points in the region or category to progress to the next stage. The winning teams will get support from Microsoft mentors to prepare for the World Championship in May during Microsoft Build. Where they will win the grand prize of USD100,000 and a mentoring session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella.
African student teams have been performing exceptionally well in the technology competition that seeks to empower the next generation of creators and problem-solvers. In 2021 and for the first time in its 19-year history, an African student team from Kenya won the technology competition.
Here is a highlight of the African teams and their projects.
2023 Microsoft Imagine Cup Africa finalists
Team CAi from Kenya. Project category: Health
CAi is an AI-powered wearable device that detects seizures both prior to occurrence and in real-time and alerts caretakers. It uses the patient’s vital signs and body movements to detect seizure-like symptoms.
Team Paramount from South Africa. Project category: Earth
This system addresses the lack of participation in recycling through a gamification approach. Users earn points and badges for recycling and can also use the app to identify the correct bin to use.
Team iBoost from Kenya. Project category: Lifestyle
iBoost is a smart signal amplifier that leverages Azure Machine Learning, Bing Maps platform, and a host of other Microsoft technologies to bring an end to the internet connectivity and cellular network challenges brought about by poor network coverage.
Team IBTRS from Nigeria. Project category: Lifestyle
Institution based transport system (IBTRS) is based on a shuttle management system, IBTRS uses a telegram bot and RFID system to book shuttles at an affordable price for institutions, students, and workers and maximize efficiency.
Team RIM from Kenya. Project category: Earth
RIM Energy is a Smart LPG regulator that improves safety, monitors consumption, detects gas leaks, alerts on refill, and measures carbon footprint to reduce GHG emissions in African households.
Team Score More from Kenya. Project category: Education
Udhamini web app is a platform that gives students access to a centralized repository of scholarships to make opportunities easier to find and ensure that students don’t miss deadlines.
Team Smart Farmer from Kenya. Project category: Earth
Smart Farmer aims to increase agricultural production in order to help reduce food waste using technology.
Team TAWI from Kenya. Project category: Education
Tawi is a home-based software app that helps children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) improve their auditory skills. It includes noise cancellation, sound amplification, speech-to-text conversion, and auditory training exercises.
Team Wastestars from Kenya. Project category: Earth
Wastestars aims to design a smart waste collection system that allows citizens to choose and post the various types of solid waste they want to dispose of on the website and for garbage collectors.
Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Resource Group announces BAM Innovation Conference 2022. The second annual event seeks to bring together tech professionals, students, future Microsoft employees, etc. to learn, share, mentor, and collaborate. Registration for the event is free and it welcomes everyone irrespective of their background to join the virtual event on December 7th.
BAM Innovation Conference 2022
BAM Innovation Conference 2022 is a platform for black professionals, students, and job seekers in the community to learn, innovate, mentor, and gain exposure to the tech industry. It aims to empower the community with the tools, resources, and network needed to establish and advance a career in tech.
In the end, we seek to build better candidates, enhance diversity and continue to build workplaces that reflect the world we live in.
The event will host a variety of activities including sessions that dive into a wide range of tech topics. A panel session and an opportunity to interact with speakers and attendees. There will be details on how to get training and certification programs across a range of Microsoft apps and services.
As every Black experience in tech is different, we’re bringing a full showcase of different speakers and topics to expand your perspective. The BAM Innovation Conference agenda is stacked with technical and non-technical topics that include cloud, startups, gaming, AI and careers in tech.
The event will have a session focusing on Microsoft’s footprint on the African Continent titled “Africa 2040: Empowerment, Innovation, Transformation“. Which will look at the story of the Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Kenya and Nigeria. This session will feature Microsoft ADC MDs Catherine Muraga, and Gafar Lawal. Other panelists are Azure Global Emerging Markets Engineering General Manager Bambo Sofola, and Abolade Gbadegesin Developer and Technical Fellow at Microsoft.
BAM effects on Africa
The BAM community has inspired and pushed for a number of initiatives on the African continent. These include organizing the NexTech Africa conference and the Insiders For Good fellowship program. The Africa to Redmond Hack for Africa program and Microsoft African University Recruitment Program for recent graduate engineers. That provides successful candidates with relocation to the USA and Canada. As well as the building of a Microsoft software engineering team in Africa. Birthing the Microsoft Africa Development Centers software engineering offices in Kenya and Nigeria.
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Microsoft, through its Africa Transformation Office (ATO), has announced a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support digital transformation in Africa’s agricultural sector.
In a session during the Adaptation and Agriculture Day at COP27 in Egypt, the IFC and Microsoft highlighted the partnership that aims to deliver digital agriculture products that support African agribusinesses to strengthen food security and develop greater resilience against climate change.
Through the partnership, digital tools such as Microsoft’s AgBot and Community Training applications are integrated with IFC’s Agribusiness Leadership Program to provide better information, newer technologies, and management capacity training to agribusinesses, farmers, and cooperatives.
“Digital technology can improve the operation of key supply chains in the food system by boosting production, improving business practices, promoting traceability, and increasing access to finance. However, the use of digital tools in Africa’s agriculture sector remains limited, often because of infrastructure, affordability, awareness, and regulatory issues,” said Henrik Elschner Pedersen, IFC’s Director for Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Services in Africa.
“IFC and Microsoft are working together to change this so more agricultural players in Africa can leverage the power of the digital economy.”
Henrik Elschner Pedersen, IFC’s Director for Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Services in Africa.
In Africa, agriculture is estimated to contribute about 25 percent of Africa’s GDP and 70 percent of its employment. However, the supply chains of many agribusinesses in the continent are fragmented and suffer from poor information flows. Additionally, many farmers rely on traditional agronomic practices and technologies that are under increasing pressure from climate-related shocks.
Current research estimates that smallholder farmers account for 80 percent of the farming community, with an estimated 33 million smallholder farmers. But they are often hard to reach, residing in remote areas, and lack access to skills, knowledge, and agricultural support services. Digital technology can improve the operation of key supply chains in the food system through greater agricultural efficiencies, improved business practices, traceability, food safety, and access to finance.
On his part, Kunle Awosika, Managing Director for Microsoft ATO said: “The changing climate presents new future opportunities for farmers in relation to emerging markets for carbon credits, regenerative agriculture, and the application of ‘nature-based services’. However, these new opportunities need to be underpinned by robust management and reporting systems. These are precisely the systems that are supported by the new suite of digital tools,”
The package of digital tools provides users with the opportunity to upskill in areas such as more productive climate-smart farming practices and the application of ‘farming as a business. The digital tools delivered through the partnership are leveraging Microsoft’s agritech chatbot known as the AgBot, which provides extension and advisory services to smallholder farmers using either feature phones or smartphones, via SMS, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
The AgBot provides a key platform that farmers can use to access information such as weather alerts, crop advisories, pest diagnosis, and market prices. Stakeholders in the agriculture ecosystem including governments, IFC, development partners, and private companies can also access the platform to deliver information to users. To date, over 500,000 farmers are actively using the AgBot to access information and improve productivity.
“By using digital channels, agronomic and business sensitive information is delivered directly to smallholder farmers to help improve productivity as well as mitigate the risks associated with climate change and unexpected weather events. Combined, the digital tools encourage improved farming practices, more sustainable and resilient farming practices, and greater efficiencies in resource use,” says Awosika.
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Microsoft is announcing the establishment of the Africa AI Innovation Council to harness the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to boost climate resilience and adaptation efforts in Africa. With membership drawn from organizations led by the African Development Bank, African Risk Capacity, and African Climate Foundation.
The company is at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Where world and business leaders are gathered to take action on issues critical to tackling the climate emergency. Participating as a strategic technology partner and a principal sponsor, Microsoft is unveiling action-based new climate-focused initiatives.
“The world needs to move faster and COP27 will provide an important forum to move from pledges to progress“, says Microsoft Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith.
In relation to Africa, Microsoft notes there is insufficient reliable climate data. It also lacks data scientists to work with the available data to turn them into insights for decision-making. It is therefore announcing the first global expansion of the AI for Good Lab to Kenya and Egypt. Where data scientists will close the climate data divide and work with local partners to use AI on new climate initiatives.
The Africa AI Innovation Council will convene a high-level, multi-sector group of leaders who understand the issues facing the continent. They will inform the work of the new AI for Good Labs coming to Kenya and Egypt. It will also identify opportunities to improve climate resilience through data and AI. As well as facilitate ways to generate additional climate data and drive continued research.
“Microsoft is making good on its commitment to move beyond pledges to climate action“, says Wael El Kabbany, General Manager, Africa Regional Cluster.
“Given our role as an enabler of a diverse range of digital solutions, Microsoft has a unique responsibility to help governments and organizations to achieve their climate goals through the power of technology. We are committed to accelerating digital transformation in Africa, with a view to helping the continent realize its growing innovation potential in the climate technology space and beyond.”
Wael El Kabbany
Africa-based data scientists will also get access to satellite imagery to address challenges nominated by the Africa AI Innovation Council.
In 2020, Microsoft announced plans to be carbon negative by 2030 and to remove from the environment all the carbon the company emitted since its founding by 2050. The company built on this pledge by adding commitments to be water positive and zero waste by 2030. In opening its ultra-modern Africa offices it factored in solutions that reduce or prevent the emission of carbon. Using self-heating windows, solar plants, and a water treatment facility to recycle and purify water. The eco-friendly office also optimizes space utilization and lighting adjustments.
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