By James Wakahiu
Mount Kenya University (MKU) has held its largest graduation
ceremony ever in Thika town that saw 7,974 students feted, the highest
number over 14 graduations held in the last seven years.
Vice chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said the achievement was a
result of the culmination of a well-orchestrated journey of planning,
execution, and relentless improvement. He praised the implementation
of an Academic Sustainability Project and a Postgraduate Students’
Academic Progression Tracking Project for being instrumental in
supporting postgraduate students to complete their studies on time.
Congratulating the graduands during the 25 th graduation fete held at
the Pavilion grounds in Thika town, the vice chancellor said significant
strides have been made in sensitizing researchers to the need for
publishing in internationally recognized, indexed, and peer- reviewed
journals to get global visibility.
Among the graduands were 14 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degrees;
530 Master’s Degrees, 155 Postgraduate Diplomas, 5,090 Bachelor’s
Degrees; 1,801 Diplomas, and 384 certificates holders. “Our strategic
approach to student recruitment, has been vital in ensuring that our
enrolment targets are not only met but surpassed,” he said.
In the current semester/trimester of May-August 2024, the institution
has registered 56,225 students. “This high student enrolment has been
possible mainly because of our approach to recruitment,” Prof Jaganyi
said.
Dr Beatrice Inyangala, Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher
Education and Research, Ministry of Education, was the chief guest
during the fete whose theme was “university sustainability through
research and innovation”.
She congratulated MKU for “an incredible journey over the last 25
years. In total determination to supplement the government’s efforts
to increase access to affordable, relevant and quality university
education, MKU chose the path less travelled,” she said.
Dr Inyangala said the university has partnered with several institutions
in Africa and globally not only to provide quality education but also to
facilitate a seamless transition of graduates into the labour market,
both at home and internationally. “I congratulate MKU for hosting the
United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) SDG 10 Hub on Reduced
Inequalities for the past three years,” she said.
MKU has also registered with the Times Higher Education (THE) SDGs
ranking platform, which has led to an integration and mainstreaming of
SDGs support structures across the university. “The milestones
achieved are attributed to MKU’s innovative programmes in teaching,
research and community engagement. The ministry will continue to
support similar initiatives in our universities,” she said
The PS urged all Kenyan Universities to join the free-of-charge United
Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) platform and also apply to be UN
Academic Impact SDGs Hubs in line with the available guidelines that
give a deadline of 30th September, 2025. “I reaffirm the Ministry’s
commitment to provide a conducive policy environment for support of
research, patents promotion, as well as scaling of innovations and their
commercialization,” she said.
Dr Inyangala asked the graduates and all the youth to seize every
opportunity to promote peace, self-reliance, and, to engage in activities
that foster economic prosperity for yourselves, your families, and the
global village in general.
Partnerships
Prof Simon gicharu, Chairman, MKU Board of Directors said a
partnership deal between MKU and the Koblenz University of Applied
Sciences, Germany is providing apprenticeship opportunities for nursing
professionals from Eastern Africa to work in German hospitals. “The
first cohort travelled to Germany in April 2024 and the second cohort
are part of this graduation and will be traveling to Germany in
September,” he said.
In support of this initiative, the German Government, through their
development agency DAAD, has appointed Ms Charlotte Katharin Filbry
to assist MKU in training students in the German language. “This
training is a mandatory part of the pre-departure preparation. Her first
language is German, and she is also proficient in English and
Norwegian,” he noted.
A similar collaboration with the Austrian health authorities and
Lebenshilfe Tirol will integrate 40 trained MKU nurses annually into
Austrian hospitals and elderly care homes. “The first two candidates,
are set to depart in October. Another 15 candidates are completing
their German language training and will join them shortly,” he added.
Other notable employment-generating initiatives include the
establishment of the Malindi Maritime Academy at MKU’s Malindi
campus, which will offer standards of training, certification, and watch
keeping (STCW) basic and advanced training for the first time in this region.
“Previously, individuals had to travel to Korea and other Asian
countries for these mandatory courses to join the merchant navy,
cruise ships, and other vessels,” Prof Gicharu said.
Additionally, MKU will be launching a Bachelor of Nautical Sciences
programme, making it the first university in the region to train ship
captains and officers. And for Gen Z who are active users and
consumers of esports, the institution, in collaboration with The Esports
Kenya Federation, will establish an esports training center at the newly
refurbished Student Centre at the Thika campus.
Prof Gicharu said the World Bank funded Innovation grant through the
Ministry of Investment Trade and Industry to establish an innovation
and incubation centre at the university to support early-stage
businesses in the fields of manufacturing, agriculture, the creative
economy, Health and ICT.
Meanwhile, MKU will be releasing all the pending certificates
unconditionally to all those unable to clear their fees balance. “Any
collections from those accounts in case the beneficiaries after securing
jobs feel indebted to clear the fees should go in support of Chancellor’s
Scholarship. This gesture should also incorporate the previous
graduates of our university in Rwanda,” the chairman said.
MKU chancellor Prof John Struthers extended warm greetings from his
home university, the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), family
and friends in Glasgow, UK.
He commended the MKU fraternity for successively hosting the Centre
for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development
(CAREED) 8th International Conference in July – the first CAREED
Conference to be held in Africa – and co-hosted in June 2024 by UWS
The 8th CAREED 2024 conference attracted about 46 academic papers
presented across several themes in a partnership that has been actively
running for the last seven years.
“I take pride in the conspicuous growth of partnerships-driven
teaching, research and community outreach activities at MKU which
involves many deals with global universities. For instance, new
engagements between MKU and partners from Japan, Europe and
Australia cannot go unmentioned,” Prof Struthers added.
The chancellor appreciated new the partnerships signed with the Cape
Media’s Talent Academy and with Kenyatta University Teaching,
Research and Referral Hospital (KUTRRH) among many others are
indeed significant achievements.
Innovations support
Congratulating the graduands, Dr. Vincent Gaitho, chairman of the
University Council said the council has continued to support the
institution by approving policies aimed at boosting service delivery. For
example, MKU alumni base, with over 140,000 members, is now bring
boosted by a Directorate of Alumni Relations. The new Directorate is
expected to pursue the tenets of the association in line with outlined
functions while pursuing innovative ways to making MKU Alumni a
vibrate pool of national builders and ambassadors of their Alma Mater.
Recent developments include construction and equipping of four
Pharmacy Laboratories at Nakuru Campus and two fully equipped
Nursing Skills Laboratories at Thika campus, adoption of smart
classrooms and digital technologies and acquisition of interactive
displays. “The university council pursuant of its mandate will remain
forthright in providing proposals and recommendations to the Board
for capital development and expansion of the institution,” he said.
Dr Gaitho said in line with the 25th Graduation Ceremony theme,
“University sustainability through research and innovation”, the Council
encourages the Research Directorate to set up regional hubs of
excellence through multi-disciplinary, impactful and transformative
research. “We call upon the faculty, students, alumni and members of
the public to make optimal utilization of the state-of-the-art facilities
of; Research, Enterprise and Innovation Centre and Innovation and
Incubation Centre,” he added.
The council chairman appealed to the government and other
development partners to increase allocation of research funding to
universities and research institutions if data-based development is to
be realized. “It is evident that source of economic growth for nations
depend on investment in the education, research and skilling the youth
to meaningfully engage in jobs and wealth creation,” he noted.
Dr Gaitho said MKU has been powered by synergetic partnerships and
collaborative engagements with local, regional and international
institutions and industries. “Public- Private Partnerships have been
instrumental to the improvement of creativity, innovativeness and
entrepreneurships geared towards use of available resources,” he said.
To confront climate change challenges, MKU has partnered with the
government agencies, communities and stakeholders to plant and grow
indigenous and medicinal plants and trees in a 50-acre Botanical
Garden here at the graduation pavilion grounds. From the Botanical
Garden and in collaboration of stakeholders in the indigenous
knowledge space, MKU has innovated a herbal soap (WEMA) which is
accredited by KEBS and in the process of commercialization.
Dorcas Owinoh, an alumni representative of the MKU Alumni
Association (MKUAA) welcomed the graduands to join the association
established in 2016. “We are now a formidable body of men and
women has engaged in this fast-growing network of MKU’s Alumni who
come from every academic discipline of this University,” she said. “As
you proceed to your new positions within our larger global community,
be informed that, there are opportunities waiting for you, but also,
there is a conducive environment for you to create your own
opportunities of service,” she added.
According to Vice Chancellor Prof Jaganyi, during the year, MKU
participated in the 9th Edition of the Kenya Universities Sports
Association (KUSA) biannual national games in December 2023 in which
16 Universities were represented. MKU emerged the best – overall and
won 62 medals. MKU was also the best in male teams, female teams,
and private university category.
In this year’s Kenya National Drama Festivals, MKU emerged the best
overall in the university category and was honored to make its
presentation for the winning genre “spoken word’ titled “abandoned”
at the presidential state concert at the Sagana State Lodge in April. The
college has also continued nurturing MKUSA (student associations)
student leaders by supporting and exposing them in different forums.
To align the MKU Teacher Education Programmes curricula as guided by
the requirements by Commission of University Education (CUE) on
aligning the universities curricular to the fundamentals of Competency
Based Curriculum (CBC), MKU has supported and finalised the
alignment of the seven School of Education programmes to CBC and is
awaiting the approval by CUE for the respective programmes to be
implemented.
He said the university supported the organization of various forums
such as the 8th CAREED Conference, the Cancer Implementation
Science Symposium and the Western Regional Workshop at Thika and
Nakuru Campuses respectively, to provide a platform for academics and
sector players to exchange innovative ideas and ways of improving
social development.
The University has continued to build strategic partnerships to
strengthen research and innovation ecosystem. Several members of
faculty from different schools and departments have travelled to
Europe under the Erasmus mobility grants to engage with colleagues in
different universities to discuss future collaborations.
The University has also established a strategic partnership with Mayo
Clinic of Arizona, USA, in cancer research. Discussions are underway
with other local and international partners, including The University of
Florida, for joint research projects.
MKU has set aside financial resources to support research activities,
including providing seed grants through the Vice-Chancellor’s Research
and Innovation Grant. This year, the University will award faculty
members from various schools research grants up to Sh1.8 million.
“Faculty members are expected to work with post-graduate students to
improve the graduate completion rate. The MKU faculty members
continue to source for external research funding by applying for
competitive research grants. This year, between January and June, the
University faculty won over Sh75 million to support research and
innovation.
On the innovation front, four student innovators from the Innovation
Incubation hub pitched their innovations alongside contestants from 30
countries at Strathmore University. MKU, together with Kenyatta
University and Start-Up Energy jointly plan to release a call for digital
solutions on clean energy. “More good news to innovators is that the
University, with funding from the World Bank, has planned to launch a
call for innovations,” he added.