A three-day forum opens today in Nairobi, Kenya, to deliberate on the role of universities in fostering regional integration.

It will bring together education managers, researchers, the business community, and policymakers to also discuss the development of knowledge-based economies in the East African Community, through forging linkages with the business community.

The forum will be held under the theme, "Bridging the Academia and the Private Sector through Engagement with the Public Sector.”

The main objective of the forum is to provide a platform for participants to strategise on how to develop effective higher education systems that would be linked to industry, for the promotion of sustainable socio-economic development.

A survey conducted by independent experts within the Community this year indicated a disconnect between private sector and universities, seen as the main reason investors resort to hiring expatriates.

There is a need for a dynamic education system that is in tandem with economic trends, analysts say.

"What we need is more relevant training to respond to the market demand,” said Dr Innocent Mugisha, the director-general of National Council for Higher Education.

Dr Mugisha said at the national level, government has embarked on prioritising professional courses and encouraging public private partnerships to help address the skills gap.

Developing a skilled labour economy is a process that requires some good period, he said.