FICS Leads Transformative East Africa Tour Under Gator Africa Initiative
A delegation from the University of Florida’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, representing FICS, recently conducted a tour across Kenya and Rwanda. The team included Dr. Farimah Farahmandi (Associate Director of FICS and Wally Rhines Endowed Professor), Dr. Mark M. Tehranipoor (ECE Chair), and Dr. Christophe Bobda (Associate Chair for Academics). During the visit, the delegation engaged with leading academic institutions and high-level government officials to foster collaborative research, support curriculum modernization, and strengthen strategic partnerships. This initiative is part of the broader Gator Africa program aimed at expanding UF’s global impact through innovation and academic exchange.
GatorAfrica officially kicked off in February with a virtual orientation for an array of professors, researchers, and dignitaries from several Sub-Saharan universities. Through this online orientation, thought leaders and academics heard details about the vision and scope of the initiative directly from Dr. Bobda. The contacts made during the orientation laid the groundwork for a planned visit to Rwanda and Kenya, the first countries identified as having high potential for successful collaboration with UF in the areas of cybersecurity, AI, embedded systems, and sustainable engineering.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by the School of Computing and Engineering Sciences (SCES) at Strathmore University (pictured above) for a focused meeting on fostering collaboration in key areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, embedded systems, and sustainable engineering. This dynamic exchange of ideas yielded several promising outcomes: plans for guest lectures, the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and a bold shared vision—the establishment of a pioneering tech hub in Nairobi.
(Pictured above) A key event of the tour was the delegation’s meeting with Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, Kenya’s Principal Secretary at the State Department for Higher Education and Research.
The FICS delegation concluded their engagements in Nairobi with a productive visit to the University of Nairobi, hosted by Prof. Siphila Wanjiku Mumenya, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Associate Professor Heywood Ouma Absaloms. Discussions centered on research collaborations and faculty exchange opportunities, laying the groundwork for a long-term academic partnership. The team toured the African Center of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) Lab and met with leaders of the university’s Master’s program.
Dr. Farimah Farahmandi presented an overview of current FICS research, highlighting opportunities for joint innovation. With a strong appreciation for local expertise and a shared commitment to advancing cybersecurity, the delegation departed Kenya and Rwanda having forged lasting connections and a renewed dedication to global collaboration in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, embedded systems, and sustainable engineering