East African Community (EAC) ministers have taken a significant step towards enhancing digital skills among university students in the region. They have approved an Artificial Intelligence (AI) foundational module that will be integrated into university degree programmes across the region. This move aims to equip undergraduates with essential digital skills, regardless of their fields of study. The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) has been tasked with developing a regional implementation framework to guide the rollout of the module.
The approval of the AI module was among the key resolutions of the 21st Sectoral Council on Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports. The council, which was held from October 27 to 31, 2026, at the newly completed IUCEA headquarters in Kampala, aimed to strengthen regional cooperation in emerging technologies. The council also directed the development of AI certification benchmarks for Kiswahili, in recognition of the language's growing importance in regional digital innovation and technological development.
In a broader push to strengthen regional cooperation in emerging technologies, the ministers adopted the EAC Artificial Intelligence Strategy, the EAC Digital Transformation Strategy, and the EAC Biotechnology Strategy. These strategies, developed by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), are expected to guide the development and application of emerging technologies in education, agriculture, healthcare, industry, and public administration.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors Andrea Ariik Malueth emphasised the need for education systems to prepare young people for a rapidly changing labour market. Malueth stressed the importance of stronger foundational learning and improved teacher development. The ministers also approved the establishment and operationalisation of the Regional Artificial Intelligence Network of Universities to strengthen collaboration in AI education, research, and innovation across the region.
The Council further endorsed three regional AI instruments for teacher education, covering curriculum and competency development, institutional policy, and codes of conduct. These instruments aim to enhance the quality of teacher education and ensure that teachers are equipped to integrate AI into their teaching practices. The ministers also reviewed the implementation of an EAC Council directive requiring students from partner states to pay tuition fees under the same regime as national students in their host countries.
However, the Council noted that some universities had not fully implemented the directive and recommended a comprehensive regional assessment covering both public and private institutions. IUCEA, working with national higher education regulatory agencies under the coordination of ministries responsible for EAC Affairs, will conduct the assessment and present its findings to the 23rd Sectoral Council. The ministers also approved the EAC Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Qualifications Framework, which is expected to promote the comparability and recognition of qualifications and facilitate the movement of skilled workers across partner states.
On professional mobility, the Council called for the accelerated alignment of Mutual Recognition Agreements for engineers, architects, accountants, and veterinarians with Annex VII of the EAC Common Market Protocol. This move aims to facilitate cross-border professional practice and enhance the free movement of skilled workers across the region. Uganda's minister of state for Education and Sports (Primary Education), Phyllis Chemutai, emphasised the need to eliminate barriers to the recognition of qualifications and professional practice across the region.
Key points
- EAC ministers approve AI module for university students to equip them with digital skills
- Ministers adopt EAC Artificial Intelligence Strategy, EAC Digital Transformation Strategy, and EAC Biotechnology Strategy
- Council recommends comprehensive regional assessment of university tuition fees for students from partner states
