University students got a rare opportunity to engage directly with aviation industry experts during the Aviation Challenge 2025 held on Monday, October 6, 2025, at the Chandaria Auditorium, University of Nairobi Towers. The interactive session gave students a platform to share ideas on sustainable aviation and learn from professionals at Kenya Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The event brought together students from four universities to showcase their ideas on sustainable aviation: the University of Nairobi, Technical University of Kenya, Kenyatta University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

The event, jointly organized by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways in collaboration with the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Engineering, gave students an opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders and learn about real-world sustainability practices. It was also the first time the Aviation Challenge was held in Kenya and across African universities.

Four student teams presented their projects before a panel of experts from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways. The teams were SAF for Kenya by Kevin Maina (Technical University of Kenya), Waste to Rest by Amani Emmanuel (Technical University of Kenya), SAF AI by Ivy Cheruiyot and Stacey Ogombe (Kenyatta University), and Green Miles by Joy Wangechi (University of Nairobi). All four projects will continue to be developed with support from KLM and Kenya Airways.

Eng. Prof. Duncan Mbunge, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, applauded the students for organizing and leading the initiative. “I’m really happy that this has been organized by our students. It shows that our young people are ready to lead from the front,” he said.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Human Resource and Administration, Prof. John Mande, emphasized the University’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. “We are focused on ensuring that the environment is conserved and that our students continue to engage in research and innovation,” he noted.

The session also featured industry presentations that gave students practical insight into global and regional sustainability efforts in aviation. Zita Schellekens, Senior Vice President for Sustainability at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, shared KLM’s vision on Sustainability and Innovation Pathways, focusing on the airline’s long-term plans to achieve net-zero emissions and its investments in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and circular operations. She highlighted how innovation and collaboration with young engineers are key to transforming the aviation sector.

The relaxed and engaging session ended with an open Q&A where students discussed ideas on clean energy and the future of sustainable aviation. The event reaffirmed the University of Nairobi’s place as a hub for innovation and collaboration between academia and industry.