By James Wakahiu
Mount Kenya University (MKU), in collaboration with Yunus Centre has jointly hosted the 10th Social Business Academic Conference (SBAC).
The in-person and virtual interdisciplinary meeting attracted researchers, academics, and students from around the globe to discuss academic papers, practitioner cases, and concept notes on innovative ideas on any issues related to social business. The seminar was held from 4th to 6th November, 2021 and was hostedby MKU’s School of Business and Economics and Graduate Enterprise Academy.
The conference was officially opened by a Nobel Laureate,a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance.
Welcoming Prof Yunus, MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said MKU is the global United Nations Academic Impact SDG 10 Hub on Reduced Inequalities. “We are happy to be enjoined with Prof Yunus and his global campaign for a world of three zeros –zero poverty, zero hunger and zero environmental degradation,”Prof Jaganyi added.
MKU has started a campaign to have the 3 Zero clubs at all its campuses as well as at the local communities. The institution has already established a Yunus Social Business Centre in collaboration with Prof Muhammad Yunus and his global Yunus Social Business Centre Network in achieving a world of three zeroes. “Together we shall indeed create a world of 3 Zeros,” said the Vice Chancellor.
Yunus Centre organises the annual conferences. This year’s meeting was focused on the academic curriculum on social business and research opportunities with a special focus on the East African region. The forum entailed paper presentations from academicians from all over the world.
The main presentations focused on introduction to Yunus, activities and values as it relates to the Africa region as well as Yunus academic and social entrepreneurship programmes.
The conference that attracted delegates from around the globe was held at the recently formerly commissioned Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre which is located at MKU main campus in Thika Town of Kiambu County. The Centre has become a hub of conferences and seminars barely a month since its inception. It was recently commissioned by Internal and Coordination of National Government CS, Dr. Fred Matiang’i.
During the grand opening of the 600 million shillings ultra modern facility, MKU Vice Chancellor Prof. Deoratius Jaganyi said the core purpose of the 2,000-seater Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre is to support educational activities.
Photo/Mr Mohammed Yunus
“In this regard, this facility is expected to host local, regional and international conferences, conventions and summits,” he says. “The facility will also be open for corporate events and meetings,” he adds. The VC further says the university also looks forward to hosting drama and music festivals and even presidential debates in the near future. “As MKU, we are seeking to differentiate our offering to the market to ensure our students and other primary stakeholders get value,” says Prof JAGANYI.
The university is seeking ways to diversify revenue streams to support its core business of teaching and research, guided by initiatives that are also complementing its core mandate. The convention centre will house, among others, conferencing facilities with the largest and most modern equipment.
Lately, the university has been hosting large international research conferences and conventions. The facility will also be used for training purposes, especially for the School of Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, among others. It will also host a media centre with TV and radio station, says the VC.
Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre, billed as the largest conference facility north of Nairobi, is fully air-conditioned and sound-proofed for echo free communication. It is equipped with the latest technologies in audio-visual live streaming. The centre’s epoxy floor is aimed at minimising noise and accidents. Further, it has a highly raised stage with a 360-degree view from all sitting angles.
The centre is fitted with lifts to ease movement, and has dedicated sound control rooms and multiple washrooms. It has natural roof lighting, a VIP lounge, and green fields for team building moments. The centre features a unique architecture that includes three-tier decks for holding 2,000 participants.
It has seminar break-away rooms with a capacity of 40 participants each and multiple board rooms. It is crowned with plenty of parking slots and dedicated gates.
