The DSAIL-GeJuSTA Data Science Education Workshop: Designing a Data Science Curriculum for the African Continent

Abstract

The DSAIL-GeJuSTA Data Science Education Workshop was a joint initiative by the Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAIL) and Gender Justice in STEM Research in Africa (GeJUSTA). GeJUSTA is a programme funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) that is working towards increasing the representation of women in STEM. The workshop was held on 9 November 2023, during the 7th DeKUT International Conference on Science, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (STI&E) at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT). The conference ran from 8-10 November 2023. The event successfully convened 31 participants. The composition of the attendees was diverse, ranging from data-science educators, industry participants using data science, researchers who use data science and students in a myriad of courses, including engineering and pharmacy. The primary focus of the workshop was to have a discussion with the attendees and share practices around designing data-science curriculum, strategies for achieving gender equity in data-science education, addressing new technological challenges in education and fostering multidisciplinary approaches to data-science education. This report encapsulates the collective vision of the workshop participants, whose contributions have set the stage for progressive strides in data-science education.