Communique during the 2024 Leadership Training Workshop for Vice-Chancellors and Principals of Public Universities
Communique during the 2024 Leadership Training Workshop for
Vice-Chancellors and Principals of Public Universities held on 12th – 16th February, 2024 in Mombasa
Vice-Chancellors (VC’s) and Principals of the forty-two (42) Public Universities and Constituent Colleges in Kenya concluded a five days’ leadership training workshop in Mombasa on Friday 16th February, 2023. The theme of the five days’ workshop was developing strategic, focused and result oriented University Leaders.
CS Dr. Ezekiel Machogu addressing VC’s and Principals during the opening of the training in Mombasa.
In a communique signed by all the participants drawn from 42 public universities, the VC’s and Principals resolved to;
- Work towards internationalization of Higher Education in our institutions incorporating collaborative research, student and faculty exchange, curricula internationalization, innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Strengthen the social and human dimensions in higher education curriculum to foster access, equity, inclusion, diversity, relevance, values and emotion aspects to mold the character of outputs to effectively fit into society and markets.
- Enhance the university autonomy to enable the Higher Education institutions fulfil their public responsibilities and to take their rightful positions in the society.
- Prioritize, scale up, and commercialize sustainable relevant technologies and outputs.
- Identify areas of comparative advantage and prioritize investment in them to develop the niche for which they will be known as centers of excellence.
- Collaborate with various stakeholders and partners to utilize available opportunities to ensure transformative quality higher education provision through initiatives such as securing internship and employment opportunities for students, construction of affordable hostels for students, climate change mitigation.
- Champion resource mobilization efforts through co-ordination of critical stakeholders in and outside the Universities to supplement the exchequer provision.
- Develop and ethically utilize technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) to ensure Universities do not lag behind and continue preparing students by equipping them with 21st Century Skills whilst ensuring that they are well poised to take jobs that exist currently and in the future.
The Vice Chancellors acknowledged the Government’s continued financial support to the Universities and Constituent University Colleges that has ensured provision of Higher Education services without interruption despite the hard economic situation in the country and the world at large.
Led by the Chair Vice Chancellors Committee Prof. Daniel Mugendi who is also the VC University of Embu, the VC’s said they are aware of the challenges confronting Higher Education sub-sector such as inadequate funding, inadequate human capital, low research outputs, inadequate infrastructure and equipment.