Abstract

INtel is a longstanding collaborative partner of the University of Sunderland delivering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in computing and business to students in Nairobi, Kenya. As part of the college’s strategic developments in line with the Kenyan 2030 Vision for a knowledge-based economy (KBE), INtel launched the opening of its new postgraduate facilities with an inaugural research conference. The conference chaired by Emeritus Prof Helen Edwards and part-funded by the University’s Digital Innovation Beacon took place 5th and 6th Nov 2015. Participants were drawn from a wide range of HE institutions across Kenya, plus INtel and University of Sunderland alumni.

The conference title, “Creating Futures Through Research – Meeting Challenges, Embracing Opportunities & Delivering Impact” was chosen for its inclusivity in contemporary research themes in business and computing and the submissions reflected and benefitted from this breadth, both in terms of interest and appeal. The research itself reflected ongoing challenges in the business domain of the effectiveness of leadership styles, co-worker support and employee engagement and challenges facing SMEs and social enterprises in the Kenyan context. An interesting range of presentations also fell under the IS Modeling and ICT Use strand, including the application and exploitation of ICT systems in a range of educational administrative and learning contexts, and in the use of ICT with children with dyslexia. The final strand on ‘Technical Solutions’ provided a fascinating mix of delivery mechanisms including multi-agent systems, reflecting international trends in the research into AI and its application in real world contexts.

The conference attended by over 70 participants and delegates was a tremendous success and launched INtel’s new programme of research and CPD activities for students and alumni in collaboration with UoS colleagues from computing and business.