• Kenya and Italy signed an MoU on higher education, training and research on Feb. 9, 2026.

• The agreement targets academic mobility, joint research and strategic technologies including artificial intelligence.

• Kenya expanded student loan access in 2023, nearly doubling private university enrolment by 2024.

Italy’s Minister for Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, conducted an official visit to Kenya from Feb. 7 to Feb. 9, 2026. The visit aimed to strengthen scientific, educational and technological cooperation between the two countries.

Kenya and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding on higher education, training and research on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. Kenyan President William Ruto and Italian Universities and Research Minister Anna Maria Bernini concluded the agreement after a bilateral meeting at State House in Nairobi.

The agreement seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation through joint programs and initiatives. The MoU provides for exchanges of researchers, lecturers and students. The agreement also promotes joint research projects and shared use of scientific and technological infrastructure.

President Ruto confirmed the agreement in a public statement on social media.

Met Italy’s Minister for Universities and Research Anna Maria Bernini at State House, Nairobi. We discussed the strengthening of our bilateral relations and witnessed the signing of an MoU on Higher Education, Training and Research between Kenya and Italy.

The MoU seeks to… pic.twitter.com/O1pdzGMZXK

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) February 9, 2026

The two countries also plan to expand cooperation between their universities. The partnership aims to promote academic mobility and strengthen the capacity of technical and vocational education and training institutions. The agreement places particular emphasis on knowledge transfer in strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, which policymakers view as a key driver of innovation and development.

Kenya’s higher education sector has faced structural challenges for several years. Public universities have struggled with chronic underfunding. Institutions have faced shortages of student places amid rising demand. Several universities have also reported liquidity pressures.

The Kenyan government introduced a new student financing model in 2023 to address these constraints. The reform allowed students, including those enrolled in private universities, to access government-backed loans to finance their studies. The policy nearly doubled enrolment applications at private institutions, which increased to 18,557 in 2024 from 9,622 a year earlier.

This article was initially published in French by Ingrid Haffiny (intern)

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM