Build the architects behind Africa's intelligent systems

A graduate who can architect a system and a practitioner who can deploy one are different people doing different work. The curriculum keeps them distinct on purpose.

Each year is anchored to a dominant cognitive verb that defines what students actually do at that stage.

1. Year 1

   Understand

   Foundations of AIDC systems

   Students understand what AIDC is, why it matters, and where it sits in modern enterprise architecture. Conceptual labs only - no physical device configuration.

2. Year 2

   Structure

   Systems, standards and architecture

   Students can structure a system: identify the layers, apply the standards that let two organisations agree, and read an enterprise architecture rather than only a device.

   Exit option: Diploma in AIDC Systems and Operations Architecture.

3. Year 3

   Design

   Industry systems and integration

   Students design for a sector - logistics, health, retail, public identity - and justify the design commercially, presenting ROI models to mock executive panels.

   Exit option: Higher Diploma in AIDC Integration and Industry Systems, including Industrial Attachment I.

4. Year 4

   Architect

   Architecture, strategy and defence

   Graduates operate at solutions architect and consultant level. The capstone is a real-world architecture project defended before a mixed academic and industry panel.

On successful completion, graduates shall be able to:

1. Architect enterprise-grade AIDC ecosystems across the intelligence stack.
2. Design AI-enabled operational workflows that move beyond dashboards to decisions.
3. Model and defend ROI-driven automation programmes to executive audiences.
4. Design traceability, identity and digital product passport systems.
5. Evaluate enterprise integration architectures across ERP, WMS, MES, TMS and EHR ecosystems.
6. Lead intelligent automation transformation in real African operating conditions.
7. Apply governance, ethics and compliance frameworks to AI and identification systems.

Competency-based and aligned to the cognitive ladder. Quizzes alone are insufficient: students produce defensible artefacts.

• Year 1Concept exams; conceptual labs producing diagrams, simulations and written analyses.
• Year 2Architecture diagram submissions; standards literacy assessment across GS1, EPC, ISO and DPP.
• Year 3Industry case design submissions; ROI models built and presented to mock executive panels.
• Year 4Strategic written examination; capstone defence before a mixed academic and industry panel.

The attachment observes and documents systems. It does not configure them — that work belongs to the certification pathway and earns no academic credit.

Industry adjuncts are essential for capstone defence panels.

• AIDC subject-matter specialists, academic or industry-credentialed.
• Supply chain and operations technologists.
• Enterprise systems architects with ERP, WMS, MES or EHR exposure.
• AI and intelligent automation lecturers.
• Industry adjunct faculty for case studies, capstone supervision and panel defence.
• Standards specialists with GS1, ISO or DPP fluency, in an advisory role.

The curriculum is structured for adoption by accreditation bodies. It is designed to align with the frameworks below; it is not itself accredited by them, and the mapping is the institution's to make.

• African NQF structuresLevel 7 alignment, adaptable by country.
• TVET articulationDiploma and higher-diploma exit pathways.
• Outcome-based educationOBE principles throughout the learning outcomes and the assessment model.
• Credit mappingOne credit is approximately 10 notional learning hours per semester week. Institutions map this to ECTS, SAQA or their local framework.

• Minimum entryKCSE mean grade C+ or a recognised equivalent.
• Preferred subjectsMathematics and Physics, or Computer Studies.
• Diploma articulationPermitted; credit transfer assessed by the academic board.
• Recognition of prior learningSupported, with portfolio and competency assessment.
• Mature entryConsidered with at least three years of relevant industry experience.

• Full programme adoptionThe four-year BTech as published, with the curriculum document, unit specifications, assessment model and capstone framework.
• Diploma or higher-diploma routeYears 1-2 or 1-3 as a standalone award, with the exit points the curriculum already defines.
• Faculty enablement firstCertify the teaching staff at the tier they will deliver before the first intake, which is what makes the institutional route credible.