Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Modelled after the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and established as a constituent college of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology in 2022, the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST) is a postgraduate-only public university at Konza Technopolis in Machakos County. Chartered on 14th May 2026 by President William Ruto, it was funded by a KSh 10 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea.

The institute serves 500 postgraduate students through three schools: Engineering, Computing and Information Technology, and Applied Sciences, with departments in Mechanical, Electrical/Electronic, ICT, Chemical, Civil Engineering, and Agricultural Biotechnology.

Accredited by CUE, Kenya-AIST ranks 65th nationally. Transferred to the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy in 2023, it is designed to produce the highly skilled engineers needed to drive Kenya into an industrialised nation by 2030, with KAIST South Korea providing curriculum design and research collaboration.

Kenya-AIST focuses on renewable energy, ICT, and biotechnology, publishing over 200 papers annually in peer-reviewed journals and producing research that directly supports Kenya's industrialisation agenda under Vision 2030. The institute's research is designed to address the shortage of highly skilled engineers needed to drive Kenya into an industrialised nation, with the School of Engineering conducting advanced research in mechanical, electrical/electronic, chemical, and civil engineering. The School of Computing and Information Technology investigates advanced computing, AI, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure, leveraging the institute's location at Konza Technopolis — Kenya's Silicon Savannah — to connect research with industry applications. The School of Applied Sciences advances research in agricultural biotechnology, basic sciences, and materials engineering. Partnership with KAIST South Korea provides curriculum design, faculty development, and research collaboration, marking the first time KAIST has exported its entire educational programme to another country. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics partnerships support research in electronics and consumer technology. The Innovation Hub at Konza connects research with industry-academy cooperation programmes. Research output increasingly informs Kenya's engineering capacity, ICT infrastructure, and biotechnology applications, positioning Kenya-AIST as a cornerstone of the Konza Technopolis innovation ecosystem.