Professor Idris A. Rai is a prominent figure in the field of telecommunications and higher education. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA). Before this role, he was the Vice Chancellor of the State University of Zanzibar from 2011 to 2019, and he has also held academic positions at Makerere University and other institutions.

Professor Rai’s educational background is impressive, with a PhD in Computer Science and Networking from Telecom ParisTech in France. He also holds a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Bilkent University and Bogazici University in Turkey, respectively. His career has included roles as a research associate at Lancaster University in the UK and as a manager at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University​ (IUCEA)​​ (IUCEA)​​ (Islamic Science Database)​.

He has been involved in various significant projects and has received numerous awards and grants, including the IBM Faculty Award and a Google research grant. His work spans both academic and practical applications in telecommunications, significantly contributing to the field through research and leadership​