The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), through its College of Engineering and the KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP), has played a transformative role in shaping The Gambia’s engineering future, culminating in the graduation of the country’s first locally trained engineers.
A total of 28 pioneering students—comprising civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers, including seven women—have made history as the first cohort of engineers trained entirely within The Gambia. This landmark achievement reflects a bold vision initiated in 2019 to build sustainable, homegrown engineering capacity.
The initiative was driven by a strategic partnership between KNUST and the Gambian government under the World Bank-funded African Centres of Excellence for Development Impact programme. The collaboration sought to transform the Gambia Technical Training Institute into a degree-awarding institution, now known as the University of Science, Engineering and Technology.
Through KEEP, KNUST provided extensive support in curriculum development, faculty training, and institutional strengthening. Its faculty delivered teaching across key engineering disciplines while adapting globally recognized curricula to suit local needs. Additionally, several Gambian staff members were enrolled in PhD programmes at KNUST, strengthening USET’s long-term academic capacity.
The partnership was formalized in 2019 following a high-level engagement between KNUST leadership and Adama Barrow, which led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish USET. Since then, the collaboration has evolved into a comprehensive model of South–South academic cooperation.
A defining moment of the project was the inaugural graduation ceremony held in June 2025 in Brikama, presided over by President Barrow. He praised the graduates as “flagbearers of a new era in Gambian engineering,” highlighting the significance of developing national expertise to drive economic growth.
Graduates of the programme have expressed strong confidence in their training, citing its practical, industry-focused approach. Many have already begun contributing to engineering projects, while others plan to pursue advanced studies.
Beyond student training, the initiative has also produced academic leaders. Notably, beneficiaries of the programme have returned to USET as lecturers and researchers, reinforcing the institution’s academic foundation and ensuring sustainability.
Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the project achieved near-complete implementation and has become a model for regional collaboration in higher education. Today, the success of this partnership stands as a testament to KNUST’s commitment to advancing engineering education across Africa.
As USET continues to grow, its first cohort of locally trained engineers symbolizes a new era—one where The Gambia can design, build, and sustain its own infrastructure through homegrown expertise.
