Unleashing AI Power in Kenyan Research – Driving Research, Innovation and National Progress with NRF.AI
2024-11-28 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Moscow)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world at an unprecedented pace, offering new ways to solve complex problems, drive innovation, and enhance decision-making. In this webinar, we will begin by exploring the fundamentals of AI, including the rapid advancements in its capabilities and capacities.
NRF.AI, a cutting-edge powerful generative AI platform built specifically to support Kenya’s research community in addressing national priorities. Through demos and practical showcases, we will demonstrate how generative AI in general and NRF.AI specifically can be applied across a range of sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, education, and policymaking. Participants will learn how the platform enhances research processes, accelerates innovation, and facilitates collaboration by leveraging AI’s predictive power, data analysis capabilities, and decision-support functions.
Whether you are new to AI or an experienced user, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to understand the transformative potential of AI in research and how NRF.AI can empower you to conduct smarter, more efficient research.

View Recording
Thank you for attending the webinar!

Physics Without Frontiers, Kenya: Workshop On Basic Electronic Structure Methods
2025-05-05 - 2025-05-10 | Chuka University, Kenya
Physics Without Frontiers (PWF) partnering with Chuka University, in collaboration with the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC), Cape town, South Africa, National Research Fund (NRF), Kenya, is organising a specialised school titled “Workshop on Electronic Structure Methods”, taking place at Chuka University from 5-10 May 2025. This workshop aims to introduce participants to hands on basic skills on electronic structure methods, providing a link between theory and practice. Lectures will be complemented with hands-on training sessions using the powerful open source code Quantum ESPRESSO as well as the Gaussian code. This will contribute to demystifying the electronic structure methods and encourage more students to enter and benefit in this field of study.

IST-Africa 2025
2025-05-28 - 2025-05-30 | Edge Convention Centre, Nairobi
Hosted by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education (State Department for Higher Education and Research) and National Research Fund and Supported by the European Commission (EC) and African Union Commission (AUC), IST-Africa 2025 is the twentieth in an annual series of Ministerial Level Technology Research Conferences.
IST-Africa 2025 will take place as an in person event in Nairobi, Kenya in May 2025.
IST-Africa 2025 will provide a world-class international forum to showcase existing technology-enabled Research, Innovation and ICT4D activities and capacity in Africa, Europe and other parts of the world. The Conference Programme combines strategic keynote presentations, a High-Level Roundtable, technical and policy papers, case studies and workshops. It also provides an opportunity to identify potential partners for future research cooperation under Horizon Europe.

The Inaugural National Bi-Annual Postgraduate Students' Conference
2025-05-28 - 2025-05-30 | Maasai Mara University, Narok County, Kenya
The National Research Fund (NRF), in collaboration with Maasai Mara University, is proud to organize the Inaugural National Postgraduate Students Conference, a landmark event dedicated to fostering academic excellence, innovation, and collaboration among postgraduate scholars across Kenya. This conference aims to bring together postgraduate students funded by NRF, other development partners, and self-financed scholars, providing a dynamic platform to present their research findings for peer review and quality assurance. By enabling NRF to assess the quality and progress of research funded under various calls, the conference will play a critical role in generating monitoring, evaluation, and impact reports on postgraduate funding in Kenya. Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, participants will explore emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in academia and research, bridging theory and practice to inspire cutting-edge solutions for societal transformation and drive national and global development. Join us as we celebrate the transformative power of research in shaping the future.

SRI2025 Africa Satelite Event
2025-06-04 - 2025-06-06 | Hybrid

GRANTS CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE
2025-06-09 - 2025-06-13 | Naivasha
To further strengthen the country’s research landscape and resource mobilization through bankable projects, NRF is launching the Grants Capacity Building Initiative (GCBI)—a structured, three-tiered program aimed at enhancing the ability of private and public institutions to secure more funding through collaborative and high-impact proposals.
NRF will host a five-day, immersive training workshop under GCBI from Monday 9th June 2025 to Friday 13th June 2025 in Naivasha.
The workshop will involve:
a) Expert-led grant writing and resource mobilization sessions
b) Collaborative proposal development in thematic consortia
c) Mentorship by seasoned consultants and funders
d) Post-workshop virtual engagements
The GCBI program aims at:
a) Equipping participants with advanced skills in grant writing and fundraising.
b) Cultivating multidisciplinary research or project consortia.
c) Producing high-quality, fundable proposals aligned with national and institutional priorities.
The workshop will be delivered physically, using a blend of expert-led sessions, hands-on group work, and peer learning. Each consortium (maximum of 10 persons) will co-develop a proposal under close mentorship. Pre- and post-training virtual engagements will support continuous learning and proposal refinement.
At the end of the training, each consortium will be supported by the consultants to develop and finetune their proposal to respond to an open call for proposals. The teams will continue to collaborate virtually and in occasional meetings organised by the NRF for a period of 6-7 months in the development and submission of the grant proposals to potential funders.
This is a self-sponsored program with a participation cost of Ksh. 65,000 per person (inclusive of VAT). The fee covers training facilitation and conference package (training materials and meals) for the entire duration of the workshop.
We kindly request heads of institutions to nominate personnel to participate in this initiative.
Deadline for registration: Friday, 6th June 2025
Please share with us the names, designations, email addresses and mobile phone numbers of your nominees via info@nrf.go.ke with copy to: robgicheru@nrf.go.ke and echitechi@nrf.go.ke

Kenya National Research Festival 2025
2025-08-18 - 2025-08-22 | Egerton University, Nakuru County, Kenya

Research Partnerships Webinar
2025-11-11 15:00 | Virtual
AHRC (UKRI) & NRF Kenya would like invite you to:
🌍 A one-hour webinar to explore UK-Kenya international research collaborations, co-hosted by AHRC & NRF Kenya!
This webinar will be on 11th November 2025 at 12:00 PM UK time (UTC+0) or 3:00 PM East African Time (EAT) (UTC+3).
Are you interested in exploring the type of funding opportunities available to conduct international collaborative research projects and build bridges between the UK and Kenya? Look no further, this webinar is ideal for researchers and anyone interested in the possibilities of UK-Kenya international research collaborations.
🔎 In this informative session, we will:

Introduce AHRC and NRF Kenya, and the different funding opportunities available at each organisation.
Present key principles for equitable research partnerships.
Explore the exciting roles and responsibilities of international research partners on grants, for instance the UKRI / AHRC Project Co-Lead (International) and a Project Partner and the eligibility criteria for both roles.
Showcase some past funded projects.

Co-hosted by AHRC and NRF Kenya, this webinar will provide practical insights and there will also be time for you to ask questions about our funding opportunities. Don’t miss this opportunity to take the first step towards leading or partnering in impactful research projects.
Register HERE.

Capacity Building on the online Grants Management System
2026-01-30 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual
Join us for an insightful Capacity Building on the Online Grants Management System session designed to equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively navigate and utilize the National Research Fund’s Online Grants Management System. This interactive webinar will guide attendees through key system features, application procedures, and best practices for ensuring successful grant submissions.

This session will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM (EAT) via Microsoft Teams. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with facilitators, ask questions, and deepen their understanding of the platform to enhance efficiency and compliance in the grants application process.
Organized by the National Research Fund, this training aims to support researchers and grant applicants in streamlining their workflows through the digital grants ecosystem. Attendees can join the webinar using the provided Teams meeting link.

Click HERE to listen to the webinar.

Research Data Security Training
2026-02-09 - 2026-02-13 | Naivasha

International Capacity Building Workshop Mineral and Material Sciences For For Space Exploration
2026-09-20 08:00 | University of Nairobi, Kenya
Apply Now Application Closes on 31st March 2026

The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) International Capacity Building Workshop on Mineral and Material Sciences for Space Exploration is a two-week intensive scientific training program organized by the University of Nairobi, in collaboration with international partners.
The workshop brings together leading international scientists and early-career researchers to explore the role of minerals and materials in understanding planetary formation, space missions, and the origins of life.
Participants will engage in

Advanced lectures by leading scientists
Hands-on laboratory training
Fieldwork for sample collection
Data analysis using real mission datasets

The workshop will be hosted in Nairobi and will include field activities at geologically significant sites comparable to those of the East African Rift.
