September 2026
PLEASE Project Drives Strategic Alignment Between Moi University and Kenya Ports Authority
Driven by the implementation of the Partnership for Learning and Skills to Advance Safer Engineering in East Africa (PLEASE) Project, Moi University and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) are expanding their strategic collaboration. Supported by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, the PLEASE project serves as the primary engine anchoring a formal …
PLEASE Project recognized at the MOESNA Workshop in Nairobi
The Maritime Organization of Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa (MOESNA) held a consultative workshop in Nairobi with experts drawn from across Africa to discuss the harmonization of Maritime Education and Training (MET) systems. MOESNA is advocating for establishment of a Regional Maritime University (RMU) aimed at strengthening maritime education and improving the region’s …
Successful Stakeholder Review and Validation Workshop in Eldoret
Across East Africa, the pace of technological innovation is outpacing the development of the engineering workforce needed to deploy these technologies safely. Addressing this skills gap is critical to ensuring that digital and green transitions deliver lasting economic, environmental and societal benefits. Read more
PLEASE Project to partner with IEC at University of Pretoria to Train the Trainers who will prepare Engineers in East Africa for a safer digital and green future
The Partnership for Learning and Skills to Advance Safer Engineering in East Africa (PLEASE) Project in partnership with the University of Pretoria, through the Lloyd’s Register Foundation-funded Innovative Engineering Curriculum Initiative (IEC) led by Prof. Lelanie Smith, is preparing the Train-the-Trainer (ToT) Programme to be delivered in the second quarter of 2027.
The planned ToT Programme will strengthen the capacity of engineering lecturers, instructors and industry trainers to effectively deliver training in emerging digital and green technologies. Ultimately, the programme aims to create a pool of highly competent trainers capable of preparing engineering students and practising professionals for the opportunities and challenges associated with digital transformation and the green transition in East Africa’s energy and maritime sectors.
The ToT initiative will also contribute to the sustainability of the PLEASE Project by developing institutional capacity within participating universities and industry training organisations. Trainers who complete the programme will be better positioned to deliver the new short courses being developed under the PLEASE Project and to support continuous improvement of engineering education beyond the lifetime of the project.
According to Eng. Grace Onyango, Acting Registrar/CEO of Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), the planned ToT training represents an important investment in the people who make engineering education possible and a major step towards fostering the mission of skilling the people for safer engineering.
Separately, Prof. Lelanie Smith and her IEC team will partner with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) to conduct a three-day training programme for Engineering Deans and Heads of Departments from Kenyan universities, scheduled for November 2026 in Naivasha, Kenya. The programme will focus on the Washington Accord standards for engineering education and curriculum development.
The ongoing synergy between the Foundation’s funded projects at EBK, Moi University and University of Pretpria is already creating a multiplier effect across the East and Southern Africa regions, nurturing a pathway towards impactful change
Co-designing Bespoke Training Programs: Course Experts On-boarded
The PLEASE Project has on-boarded a multidisciplinary team of experts from academia and industry to co-develop bespoke training courses that respond to the emerging digital and green skills needs of the energy and maritime sectors. The courses will support Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for practicing engineering professionals seeking to upskill and reskill, while also equipping engineering students with future-ready competencies. This initiative will help prepare both current and future engineers to navigate the challenges, and emerging safety risks associated with the ongoing digital transformation and green transition in East Africa’s energy and maritime industries.
Meet the Course Developers
