Kenya has achieved a significant milestone in advancing public sector innovation with the launch of the UNESCO–Oxford Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Government. Developed by UNESCO and the University of Oxford, and delivered through the Kenya School of Government under the DigiKen – Digital Platforms Kenya programme funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund, the course marks a major step toward enhancing the digital capacity of Kenya’s civil service.
During the launch, Dr. Stephen Jackson, UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, emphasized that this initiative positions Kenya as a leader in responsible digital governance across Africa. He noted that by strengthening the digital and ethical competencies of civil servants, Kenya is improving institutional effectiveness, enhancing public service delivery, and advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which focuses on accountable, transparent, and inclusive governance.
Louise Haxthausen, UNESCO’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa, highlighted that the course aims to empower civil servants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to apply technology responsibly, enhance public services, and foster trust between government and citizens. She stressed the importance of ensuring that innovation in governance remains human-centered, inclusive, and rooted in human rights and accountability.
According to Prof. Nura Mohamed, Director General of the Kenya School of Government, the initiative demonstrates Kenya’s commitment to empowering public officials to deliver secure, inclusive, and citizen-focused digital services. The MOOC, targeting officers at Job Grade CG8 (JG N) and above, provides practical training to help civil servants leverage artificial intelligence and digital technologies responsibly to build transparency, efficiency, and trust in governance.
The DigiKen programme, jointly implemented by UNESCO (lead agency), UNCDF, UNEP, and UN Women in collaboration with the Government of Kenya, aims to train 20,000 civil servants by 2027. This milestone reflects how collective UN efforts are accelerating Kenya’s journey toward inclusive and human-centered digital transformation, contributing significantly to the achievement of SDG 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure, and SDG 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions.
The initiative also acknowledges the support of the European Union and the governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, whose contributions to the Joint SDG Fund continue to drive transformative progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
