Mount Kenya University (MKU) has stepped up efforts to prepare its students for the international job market by partnering with global organizations and foreign universities as unemployment continues to frustrate new graduates in the country.

The university’s founder and chairman of the board, Prof Simon Gicharu, says whereas jobs are few in Kenya, there are many opportunities abroad. “We are training Kenyans not only for the local job market but also for the international one,” he said.

The chairman congratulated the university management for establishing partnerships with organizations in Germany and Austria. “Such partnerships are providing our graduates with opportunities to work abroad. MKU will also do everything possible to attract international students to come and study here. Currently, we have 8,000 foreign students from over 40 countries. Today, we have over 400 graduates from 11 different countries,” he said.

The MKU chairman advised the youth not to aim to study at universities located in their home county and still look for a job within their counties. “They should aim for international jobs,” he said.

Previously, MKU used to compete with other institutions to set up campuses in Kenya. “In our endeavour to expand access to higher education, we decided to go international. We started with a campus in Rwanda, which is now a fully-fledged autonomous university called Mount Kigali University. It has employed over 100 Kenyans- highly-trained professionals who dared to look for opportunities beyond Kenya’s borders,” he said.

The chairman said his Board has been very committed to the improvement of academic facilities and learning infrastructure in form of additional learning space for students and laboratories for research. Such efforts have been reinforced by development institutions such as Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and collaborating institutions such as Osaka City University.  Recently, MKU launched a Sh300 million Centre for Malaria Elimination at Thika Main Campus with support of JICA. 

Prof Gicharu spoke as another 6,108 (3,138 are male and 2,970 female) graduated at MKU’s Happy Valley grounds in Thika town on Friday. They included one honorary doctorate, 15 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degrees; 349 Masters Degrees 162 postgraduate Diplomas and 3,618 Bachelor’s Degree recipients.

“Part of our drive towards internationalization is further evidenced by the fact that we have identified our honorary graduates from international community. Dr. Karim Khan is the Prosecutor at International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. He is receiving an Honorary Doctor of Laws today,” said Prof Gicharu. 

MKU has also waived Sh80 million on outstanding student levies that include library and storage of certificate charges.  “The issue of uncollected certificates was worsened by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Prof. Gicharu. “Over 4,000 past students have accumulated storage fees, library arrears, and late return of graduation gowns.”

The university’s chancellor, Prof Struthers, praised the many cutting-edge multidisciplinary partnerships that MKU has engaged in during the last eight months, a major thrust in the internationalization of the university.  MKU now trains students on German language which will give them an edge to offer their services in Germany and Austria.

Others include the state-of-the-art malaria research laboratory referred to as the Malaria Elimination Centre and the Institute of Tropical Medicine launched at the Thika Campus with the support of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The facility focuses on biomedical research in genomics and cell-biology techniques and its facilities and resources are open to other researchers from Kenya, Africa, and beyond.

Similarly, the university’s African Center for Career Enhancement & Skills Support (ACCESS) project which runs from 2020 to 2024 has continued to bring together seven partner universities including as Leipzig (Germany), IGRIB (Benin), Knust (Ghana), Ibadan (Nigeria), Tunis (Tunisia), INES (Rwanda) and MKU. This centre facilitates employment creation for African universities’ graduates and has so far sent two members of staff to Leipsiz University in Germany for the PhDs.

Another example of interdisciplinary collaboration is the collaboration with the Vincent Pol University in Poland and the support they provided to MKU especially during the 8th International Inter-Universities & Inter-disciplinary Consortium (African) Conference in 2023. “Such partnerships also extend to student and staff exchange opportunities,” the chancellor said.

Prof Struthers noted that a partnership between MKU and the Hochschule  Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences in Germany  saw eight MKU students and two staff members visit Germany in May 2023 under the Erasmus Plus programme. Earlier in February 2023, four members of Staff and two postgraduate students joined the University of Tartu network in Estonia in Northern Europe under another Erasmus Plus programme sponsored project.

“These partnerships are only a sample of similar programmes that have contributed towards enhancing the profile of our university, which since its inception has always been partnership-driven. Moreover, MKU and my home university, the University of The West of Scotland (UWS) saw no fewer than eight MKU staff members (including some of them in-person) participate in the 7th Annual Conference organized by the Centre for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development where I serve as the Director,” said the Chancellor. 

Vice Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said in order to boost possible job opportunities globally, MKU students participated in Start-up Talent Session between the Africa Berlin Network and MKU early this year.  “In liaison with Becoming Inter-cultural Diversity Ambassador (BIDA) Program, eight students participated in student exchange with Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) University,” he said. 

To align emerging trends and address the market demand, MKU has approved two new programmes; namely; Doctor of Philosophy in Biotechnology and Bachelor of Pharmacy (upgrading). “The University Senate also approved revised curriculum for: Bachelor of Laws curriculum, Diploma of Laws Curriculum, Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science, Bachelor of Science in Science Laboratory Science, and Bachelor of Science in Animal Health & Production,” said the VC.

He said to make MKU programmes cost-effective in the era of technology integration, the university has progressively upgraded its e-content modules into SCORM files digital content, which is self-paced with voice over. The digitization of content helps to have online content that is comprehensive and easy to navigate for the learner.  Additionally, the university’s new common units are now offered online and are accessible to all our learners in various modes of study.

Climate change 

Recently, the university was awarded a Sh4 million grant by the UK’s Knowledge Transfer Network (UK KTN) to pilot an Internet of Things-enabled machine that allows shopkeepers to accurately dispense as little as a few cents’ worth of washing powder into reusable containers thereby increasing profit margins for store owners and reducing single-use plastic, which is a major contributor to environmental pollution and climate change.

According Prof Gicharu said the climate change challenge comes with numerous opportunities for innovative and creative entrepreneurs.  “These include coming up with innovative solutions for clean and green energy, tree planting, restoration of water towers, conservation, and Cloud Seeding Technology,” he said.   

He asked the graduates to apply this innovative spirit in their areas of training and expertise. “If your field is I.C.T, you should not just be an I.C.T specialist. Be innovative and identify other opportunities in areas such as Artificial Intelligence. Use the existing e-resources to discover the emerging opportunities arising from disruptions,” he said.

National Assembly Speaker Dr. Moses Wetangula, who was the chief guest called for adoption of multi-faceted strategies by governments throughout the world to address the issue of climate change.  He also encouraged Kenyans to support the Government of Kenya’s initiative to plant 15 billion trees by year 2032.

“The rise in research on ‘greenhouse’ effects/ climate change mitigation is a vital input by universities and research organisations for bridging the glaring policy gaps in environmental education, consumer behaviour, rewarding and sanctions systems, legislation and government/ organizational support in climate change mitigation,” added the Speaker. 

During the fete, Prof Gicharu congratulated the outgoing chairman of the MKU Council, Prof David Serem, who has served diligently for the past six years who has left after the government appointed him as chairman of the Chuka University Council.  Prof. Agong’ Stephen Gaya, who has more than 30 years’ experience in education, training, research and science, management and leadership is the new chairman of the MKU Council.

Thanking the MKU board for appointing him, Prof Gaya appreciated the support by the Board of Directors in making MKU the hub for quality university education and training. “I commit to steer the team to ensure we offer support to the university management as the university grows to the next level.

Prof Gaya said the university council has approved a Health Services Policy to ensure that students have access to the essential healthcare services, promoting their physical and mental well-being. The policy helps in addressing the common health issues and provide preventive care, early intervention and treatment options. Further, Management of Chaplaincy policy will foster an all-inclusive and supportive university environment as well as honouring the diverse religious and spiritual needs of all members of the University Community. “We now also have a policy that provides the procedure and guideline by which an academic award may be conferred posthumously to a deceased candidate who before the unfortunate death had fulfilled the requirement of the award of the degree,” he said.

The 23rd graduation ceremony marked the last in which students from what was formerly MKU Kigali Campus will be travelling to Kenya. The Campus gained full autonomy in April this year and now operates under the name Mount Kigali University. In future, Mount Kigali University will be holding its own graduation ceremonies in Kigali, Rwanda.

Others who attended the colourful event were Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a, and her counterparts Paul Melly (Tinderet), Musa Sirma (Eldama Ravine), Ferdinand Wanyonyi (Kwanza), Getrude Mbetu (Kilifi), and Innocent Mugabe (Likuyani) among others.

 Others were Paul Mungai from the State Department for Higher Education and Research at the Ministry of Education, Ambassador Francis Muthaura, Chuka University Council Chair Prof. David Serem, Dr Richard Thacker of University of West Scotland and Prof. John McNulty of Loyola University, U.S.A. 

Ends

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