Context
The economy of the East African Community (EAC) is characterized by low productivity and low competitiveness, leading to high unemployment, especially among youth. Innovation and the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) by businesses are drivers of socio-economic development and international competitiveness. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have been forced to adopt digital innovations, which played a significant role in their ability to survive throughout the disruption. To unlock the potential of ICT for the economy, the availability of digital skills and skilled workers with appropriate qualifications and innovation capacity is crucial.
Objective
To respond to this critical challenge, the dSkills@EA was launched in 2021 as a regional project that offers digital skills and capacity building relevant for the digital transformation of industries and society through academia and industry collaboration. The project aims to strengthen youth employment and innovation-related digital skills in the EAC and support the industry and society’s digital transformation.
