Chinese Luban Workshop Facility Launched In Kenya

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On Saturday 14 December, China launched its second African Luban workshop facility in eastern Kenya.

The workshop facility hosted by Machakos University, Kenya will focus on the training of Kenyan youths in cloud computing and information security and providing high-end professional and technical skills training to help college students meet requirements of the emerging global market.

Speaking at the event of the launch, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Lucy Irungu, said the Luban workshop, established with the support of the Tianjin City Vocational College, serves as an opportunity for Kenyan students to partake in world-class and innovative cloud computing courses.

“The two institutions, Machakos University and Tianjin City Vocational College, have come together for a common goal: to offer quality education and learning experiences necessary for the 21st century and beyond. Given that ICT is now the backbone of any development agenda, the construction of Luban Workshop here at Machakos University is quite timely, and there would have been no better time than now,” Irungu said.

“The workshop will further promote interaction through world-class video conferencing facilities as well as stimulate original research in the field of ICT and related human engagement. We have with us today, a chance to make solid contributions to the wellbeing of humankind,” she observed.

Commenting on the importance of the workshop facility, Joseph Mucheru, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) said that the facility will enhance cooperation between both countries in the digital space.

“Cloud computing and information security, which is at the core of the Luban workshop, is critical and important for us as a country,” Mucheru highlighted.

In September 2018, China announced that 10 Luban workshops would be established in Africa to provide vocational skills training for African youths. So far, the workshop has been launched in Dijouti in March and Kenya with subsequent ones to be launched eight other African countries.

Zhao Xiyuan, minister-counsellor of the Chinese embassy in Kenya, said the initiative aims at providing high-end professional and technical skills training to help college students meet requirements of the emerging global market, as demonstrated by the success stories in Asia, Europe and Africa.

“It is the fruit of the partnership between Tianjin City Vocational College and Machakos University, and with close collaboration with Huawei,” Zhao said.

“I sincerely hope the Luban Workshop at Machakos University can become a successful model of cooperation between these two countries’ schools and enterprises,” he concluded.