Education

Education holds a pivotal position within the framework of the Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi. Serving as the cornerstone, it facilitates the convergence of academics not only from local institutions but also from Columbia University. Through our education programming, we foster the exchange of ideas within our thematic areas and the transfer of knowledge, thereby nurturing a dynamic intellectual ecosystem. Our education collaboration initiatives encompass a broad spectrum of disciplines, spanning from science, arts, technology, business, to engineering. These diverse fields serve as fertile ground for interdisciplinary dialogue and innovative problem-solving, driving forward progress and innovation within our communities and beyond.

The Kraft Global Fellows Program is a joint initiative of the Kraft Family Fund for Intercultural and Interfaith Awareness and the Office of the University Chaplain. Fellows are selected to travel to one of the 11 Global Centers to work on a group research project focusing on the destination country's religions, cultures, and communities. The program's goal is to encourage students of different backgrounds and faith to learn from and with each other about their identities even as they learn about religions and cultures outside their familiarity. To enhance this experience, Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi, in collaboration with the Office of the University Chaplain, designs a one-week program for seven Kraft Fellows students in Nairobi. 

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 Kraft Fellows Visit to Nairobi, Kenya - 2023

Columbia Nursing School's Global Practicum program is hosted at the Nairobi Global Center and is conducted in partnership with the University of Nairobi's Department of Nursing Sciences (DNS). The practicum program enables Columbia nursing students undertaking the  Masters Direct Entry (MDE) program to learn more about real-world experiences and scenarios that prepare them to provide an accurate and independent diagnosis. The nursing students have the opportunity to select Kenya for their practicum and specifically work at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), East Africa's oldest and second-largest hospital. To provide healthcare, the students rotationally shadowed nurses and doctors for six weeks in various units, including the accidents, emergency unit, and pediatric department.

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Columbia Business School, in partnership with the Nairobi Center and Columbia Global Centers | Tunis, launched the Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness in Africa Program (EC-Africa program) in 2021 to equip entrepreneurs from mid-sized African companies with the skills, tools, and network to professionalize and grow their businesses in today’s global environment. The eleven-month program features:

  • Rigorous online classes with Columbia professors
  • A self-selected company project guided by faculty and assisted by MBA student consultants
  • A Columbia Certificate of Business Excellence
  • One week at the Africa Business School campus in Rabat, Morocco
  • A final week in New York at the Columbia campus with professors and advisors
  • Enrollment in the Columbia Business School worldwide alumni network.

 EC-Africa is led by Kamel Jedidi (Jerome A. Chazen Professor of Global Business), William Duggan (EC-Africa Faculty Director), Angela Quintero (Program Director), and Zina Sockwell (Associate Director).

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Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi has partnered with LeadWomen Sdn Bhd - Malaysia and Women on Boards - Kenya to conduct the Global Women on Board (GWOB) Leadership program. The GWOB is an initiative initiated by Leadwomen and Women on Boards, and its main objective is to prepare women for international board directorships. The six-month modular program is hosted across East Africa and Malaysia. It allows participants to appreciate the best practices of corporate governance, leadership, and dynamics in boardrooms in a cross-cultural setting. The GWOB Leadership program is also ideal for those seeking an understanding of directors' duties, roles, and responsibilities, as it covers the critical elements of corporate governance, essential financial knowledge, and the board's role in strategy and risk.

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 CGC | Nairobi Celebrates the Global Women on Boards Graduation at CGC | Paris

This month-long virtual course, launched in March 2023, is offered by the Columbia International Collaboration and Exchange Program (ICEP). The elective aims to provide an understanding of the intersection(s) between food, nutrition, planetary health, and cultural competency. The course combines essential areas of medical education in one class. Working in groups with senior medical students worldwide, students learn how to view food and nutrition from a globally diverse and sustainable perspective. International class discussions and expert faculty lectures provide insight into different aspects of food and nutrition. 

The Nairobi Center periodically collaborates with Columbia SIPA students undertaking their capstone projects in our region. We facilitate connections between SIPA students and key stakeholders, ensuring the collation of vital information for their project consultations.

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 Columbia SIPA Students Explore Climate-Adaptive Measures in Africa

Mental health is increasingly becoming a global predicament. In developing countries, such as Kenya, the available time, energy, and resources have been used to improve the economy for many years. However, mechanisms have yet to be instituted to adapt to the stressors of a rapidly changing world. This picture moved the Nairobi Center to create a 4-part mental health program to re-generate healthy minds for the youth in informal settlements - a locality often ignored. During the four sessions, the program aimed to educate the youth on resilience, stress management, coping mechanisms, and learning agility. The program was facilitated at Tunapanda Institute in Kibera, Kenya.

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 Empowering Kenyan Youth: A Journey towards Mental Wellbeing

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