| Kenyatta University | ||||||||||
| Motto: | Swahili: Elimu ni Nguvu | |||||||||
| Mottoeng: | "Education is strength" | |||||||||
| Established: | , as Kenyatta University | |||||||||
| Chairman: | Shem Migot-Adholla[1] | |||||||||
| Chancellor: | Amb.Francis K. Muthaura, Ebs[2] | vice_chancellor = Paul Wainaina[3] | head_label = | head = | students = 67,905 (2023) | undergrad = | postgrad = | doctoral = | city = Kahawa, Nairobi | country = Kenya | coor = | campus = 13 campuses | campus_size = + | language = English | free_label = | free = | colors = Sky blue | other_name = KU | mascot = Lion & elephant | website = | logo = | footnotes = | faculty = 1,500+ (2016)[4] | administrative_staff = 3,500+ (2015)[5] | academic_affiliations = ACU}}Kenyatta University (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Nairobi, Kenya.[6] It acquired the status of university in 1985, being the third university after University of Nairobi (1970) and Moi University (1984). As of October 2014, it was one of 23 public universities in the country.[7] LocationThe main campus of Kenyatta University sits on over 1000acres, at Kahawa, in the Kasarani Sub-county, north of Nairobi City County, approximately, by road, northeast of the central business district of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, off of the Nairobi-Thika Road. The list of KU campuses includes the following locations:[8]
Ruiru campus was renamed as Kenyatta Model School for play groups,pre- primary and primary learners in 2024. The Arusha and Kigali campuses in Tanzania and Rwanda respectively were closed in 2018.[9] HistoryIn 1965, the British government handed over the Templar Barracks in Kahawa, to the newly formed government of Kenya. The southern part of the facility remains in military use, as the Kahawa Barracks. The other part of the barracks were converted into a college called Kenyatta College, which offered Advanced Level (A-Level) secondary education at Form 5 and 6 level, as well as some undergraduate diploma courses. In 1978 the entire Faculty of Education of the University of Nairobi was transferred to Kenyatta College, and its name was changed to Kenyatta University College, following an Act of Parliament. The school became the only institution in Kenya training teachers at degree level, and discontinued all other courses. Degrees offered at Kenyatta were in the name of the University of Nairobi. In 1985, it was granted full university status and was renamed Kenyatta University.[10] [11] U.S. President Barack Obama, whose late father, Barack Obama, Sr. (an economist) and paternal relatives are from Kenya, visited Kenya in 2015; while there, he visited the university's main campus.[12] AcademicsAs of March 2016, the university had 12 campuses offering bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. The degrees awarded include those in medicine and law. The university has open-learning, e-learning which is known as the digital school,[13] school-based, part-time and full-time teaching. Kenyatta University is accredited by the Kenya Commission of University Education, the Inter-University Council for East Africa, the Africa Association of Universities, the International Association of Universities and the Commonwealth Universities.[14] LibraryKenyatta University's library is one of the largest in Africa and offers scholarly information resources and services to its students and researchers.[15] In addition to lending services, the library offers E-services and has branches in the respective satellite campuses.[16] Schools and institutes, the university maintains the following schools:
Institutes and centersThe university hosts institutes and centers such as;
Degrees and coursesThe university offers 14 doctorate and PhD courses, 94 master's degree courses, 117 bachelor's degree courses and 12 postgraduate diploma courses as accredited by the Commission for University Education in Kenya (CUE)[17] Student lifeInternational studentsThe Centre for International Programmes and Collaboration is a unit under the office of the Vice Chancellor, responsible for coordinating international activities, collaborations and linkages. AthleticsKenyatta University partnered with IAAF as an athletics-village in the 2017 world under 18 championship Nairobi.[18] The athletes were hosted in the Nyayo hostels and used the campus facilities for training. Kenyatta University offers the following disciplines: Men's sportsFootball, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, chess, scrabble, darts, boxing, bodybuilding, taekwondo, swimming, athletics (track and field), scrabble, karate, Roll Ball, woodball, judo, wrestling, Goalball, baseball, softball. Women's sportsFootball, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, chess, scrabble, darts, boxing, fitness modelling, Taekwondo, swimming, athletics (track and field), Karate, Roll Ball, woodball, Judo, goalball, baseball, softball Seminars Short – term Courses in coaching, Sports management, training and Sports leadership are offered. Sports achievements
AlumniThe following individuals are some of the "prominent alumni" at the Kenyatta University website:[19]
Notable staff and professors
ManagementThe chancellor is Benson Wairegi. The Vice Chancellor is Professor Paul Wainaina who was reinstated on November 3, 2022, after being suspended on July 12, 2022, due to a tussle with the government over university's land.[20] During his suspension, Professor Waceke Wanjohi was appointed to act as the Vice Chancellor.[21] Professor Wainaina had succeeded Professor Olive Mugenda, the first female Vice Chancellor of a public university in Kenya, who retired after the end of her tenure in January 2016.[22] There are four Deputy Vice Chancellors and four Registrars, to assist the Vice Chancellor carry out his mandate. The Deputy Vice Chancellors are:
Businesses and investmentsThe university owns and operates the following income-generating businesses and investments:[23]
See also
External links | |||||||||