Regional Integration refers to the process of states coming together to sign agreements where they agree to cooperate in certain areas common to them. The East African Community (EAC) which was founded on November 30, 1999, identified three integration pillars; common Market protocol, customs union and political federation. In attempt to achieve the named pillars, financial markets have been identified as a key driver for common market and customs union. The challenge however is that the East African countries run the most expensive stocks on the African Continent and this has greatly influenced trade volumes and investor appetite. When these markets are integrated it allows collective bargaining thereby increasing their market share across the region other than a given country running its own exchange. This paper presents a software platform that will enable an investor to purchase and sell stocks irrespective of any location in the East African Region thus spur the development of stock market in terms of volume and competitiveness.

The re-establishment of the East African Community (EAC) necessitated the need to establish various institutions required for proper implementation of the harmonization pillars (Customs Union, Common Market Protocol, Monitory Union and Political federation) within various sectors. For example, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), a surviving institution of the EAC was tasked to lead the harmonization of education and training system in East Africa (IUCEA, 2009). The IUCEA has set up various frameworks and programs to achieve this mandate, however IUCEA has not yet established a one stop live data system on Universities and Programs which would provide for evidence-based policy process. This study therefore leads to an establishment of an Academic Programs Information Management System (APIMS) which breaks the ground for an established regional system on Universities and Programs offered with in the East African Community. The application was developed using Django Web Framework and validated with 15 IUCEA staff. The established system will promote Students and Staff Mobility and also protect students against degree mills.