Preparations are in top gear for the inaugural Kenya National Research Festival 2024 (KNRF 2024) on Wednesday at the Edge Convention Centre, Nairobi County.
Themed, “Research Partnerships and Collaborations for Socio-Economic Development”, the event will showcase the NRF’s research achievements, foster collaborations, and inspire future innovations towards national development.
The event will be graced by Chief of Staff and Head of The Public Service Felix Koskei, with British High Commissioner Neil Wigan expected to deliver a keynote address to the attendees.
Education CS Julius Migos Ogamba, State Department for Higher Education PS Beatrice Muganda, Ambassador of Ireland to Kenya Caitríona Ingoldsby, YSK Board Chairman Ben Roberts, National Research Fund Chairperson Prof. Ratemo WMichieka, National Research Fund CEO Prof. Dickson Andala and YSK National Director Dr. Eng. Victor Mwongera will also be in attendance.
Over 100 exhibitors and poster presenters will showcase research outputs for uptake by the private sector, industry, MSMEs, MCDAs in Agriculture, ICT, Healthcare among other sectors.
The festival will climax with a prestigious National Outstanding Research Awards, underscoring the critical role of research in shaping Kenya’s future and advancing its development goals.
The festival will also play host to the 7th National Science & Technology Exhibition; this year’s exhibition, under the theme, “Developing Sustainable Solutions for Climate Change,” will have 200 students and 100 teachers showcasing their projects, with an additional 1,300 students attending virtually.
The students and teachers will be drawn from 390 schools across all 47 counties, including five special needs schools and three refugee schools.
The exhibition aims to inspire students to pursue STEM pathways, showcase their scientific research, technologies, and innovations, and build skills for further research and commercialization.
