NAIROBI, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Tsinghua University on Friday hosted a public lecture in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, on the transformative potential and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in tertiary education.
More than 200 participants, including vice chancellors and scholars from Kenyan universities, attended the lecture held under the theme "Universities in the Era of AI: Reflections, Responsibilities and Actions." The event took place at the University of Nairobi, Kenya's oldest university.
In the keynote speech, Qiu Yong, council member and former president of Tsinghua University, urged Kenya's tertiary institutions to embrace the opportunities AI offers while mitigating its negative impacts.
"Universities need to leverage AI technologies in a manner that enhances students' capability in knowledge acquisition," Qiu said.
Tsinghua University and the University of Nairobi also signed a collaborative agreement to promote student and faculty exchanges, scientific research collaborations, and AI-enabled education programs between the two institutions.
Qiu called on universities to strengthen AI governance and regulatory frameworks to address ethical dilemmas and safeguard academic integrity.
Patrick Verkooijen, chancellor of the University of Nairobi, said the public lecture comes at a critical time when Kenya's learning institutions are seeking to integrate AI into their teaching curriculum.
Verkooijen noted that the University of Nairobi is keen to partner with and learn from Chinese universities to ensure that all its graduates have advanced knowledge of AI.
Margaret Jesang Hutchinson, acting vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi, said the institution is accelerating efforts to establish a school of AI to leverage the technology to boost research and commercialization.
