By Victor J. Njogu, MPRSK | 17th December 2025
The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) held a three-day Joint Management, Deans, Directors, Chairpersons of Departments (CoDs), and Heads of Departments (HoDs) Retreat from 15th to 17th December 2025 at the Morendat Training and Conference Centre in Naivasha. The retreat brought together senior academic and administrative members of staff, intending to strengthen strategic alignment, enhance performance management, and deepen a shared commitment to institutional excellence. Convened under the theme “One Strategy, One Team, One CUK: Empowering Leaders for a High-Performing University,” the forum provided an important platform for reflection, learning, and collective planning in line with the University Strategic Plan 2022–2027.
The retreat was designed to ensure that departmental heads and key users across the University fully understood and effectively utilized the performance contracting (PC) system used in evaluating institutional and individual performance. Central to the discussions was the need to strengthen alignment across all the University’s units by harmonizing divisional, school, and departmental plans with the strategic direction. Participants also focused on cultivating a cohesive, accountable, and values-driven leadership culture, enhancing competencies in performance contracting and productivity, and exploring innovative approaches to resource mobilization and financial sustainability, including strengthening Income Generating Units (IGUs) and aligning resources to priority areas. Participants included members of the University Management Board, Deans of Schools, Directors of Institutes, Chairpersons of Departments, and Heads of Departments.
During the opening session, Vice Chancellor Prof. Kamau Ngamau invited the participants and took them through a three-day programme, which outlined the objectives and expected outcomes of the retreat. The Vice Chancellor lauded the University’s strong Performance Contract results for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years and urged Heads of Departments to sustain high levels of performance alongside enhanced productivity. In the opening ceremony, Prof. Ngamau emphasized that resource mobilization was central to the achievement of CUK’s vision and mission and encouraged the leadership organs to proactively identify and seize opportunities that would elevate the University’s performance.
The programme enabled members to jointly interrogate challenges within the work environment, review Performance Contract achievements for the 2024/2025 financial year, and examine proposed targets for the 2025/2026 fiscal year. Participants were also trained on the Performance Contracting Module within the Uniplus system, equipping them with practical skills to cascade targets to staff under their supervision. In addition, the Finance Officer, CPA Maxwel Nyaga, presented the University’s financial performance for the year, while the Principal Human Resource Manager (PHRM), CHRP (K) Anne J. Mmmata, led sessions on the employee satisfaction index and institutional culture.
In the remarks of Prof. Esther N. Gicheru, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Finance, Planning, and Administration, emphasized that the retreat was intended to build synergies, strengthen team spirit, and address emerging challenges within the CUK work environment. She noted that the forum provided an opportunity for HoDs to share experiences and appreciate how their respective roles complement one another in advancing the University’s vision and mission. Prof. Gicheru underscored the importance of consultations, knowledge sharing, and continuous communication in enhancing institutional efficiency, while also acknowledging the Vice-Chancellor’s “Utumishi Bora” Award in recognition of his leadership in steering the University towards improved service delivery.
Prof. Isaac K. Nyamongo, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic, Co-operative Development, Research and Innovation, commended Heads of Departments for their critical role in the successful organization of the University’s 10th Graduation Ceremony, which marked a significant milestone with the graduation of the institution’s pioneer cohort of four PhD candidates. Prof. Nyamongo further highlighted that CUK gained recognition as a cooperative leader in higher education during the 14th edition of the Institute of Certified Secretaries (ICS) Champions of Governance (COG) Awards 2025, where it received the winning recognition in the Education Sectoral Category. Prof. Nyamongo called upon HoDs to continue working together with unity of purpose, to accelerate service delivery by addressing slow processes, and to strengthen resource mobilization efforts in support of the University’s overall growth and sustainability.
The retreat also featured a presentation by the Division of Finance, Planning, and Administration on the outcomes of the employee and customer satisfaction surveys. The findings revealed a customer satisfaction index of 51.2% against a target of 92%, and an Employee Satisfaction Index of 66.8% against the same target. Key areas of concern included grievance handling, particularly missing marks and delayed follow-up on complaints, basic student services such as finance, registration, and meals, and challenges related to infrastructure and the e-learning platform. Heads of Departments were therefore urged to champion a collaborative and positive organizational culture within their units, model strong work ethics, and act as key custodians of institutional values.
Participants were further briefed on productivity mainstreaming targets as guided by the National Productivity and Competitiveness Centre (NPCC). In the 2024/2025 financial year, the University attained a high productivity score of 2.741, representing a significant improvement from the previous year’s score of 2.329. Departments were reminded of their responsibility to sustain and enhance productivity across the 15 national productivity metrics aligned to the University’s strategic objectives, particularly those cascaded to their respective units.
In addition, the retreat highlighted the University’s customized automation system, which integrates strategic planning and performance contracting processes. The system enables alignment of departmental goals with the University Strategic Plan 2022–2022, supports the cascading of targets from the national Performance Contract signed between the University and the Ministry of Education, and facilitates effective monitoring, reporting, and accountability at all levels of implementation.
Overall, the Naivasha retreat marked a significant milestone in reinforcing shared leadership, strategic coherence, and a performance-oriented culture at The Co-operative University of Kenya. By deepening understanding of performance contracting systems, productivity frameworks, and institutional culture, the retreat reaffirmed the collective commitment of University leadership to excellence, innovation, and improved service delivery. The deliberations echoed a shared resolve that achieving the University’s aspirations requires one clear strategy, one united team, and a sustained focus on building a high-performing institution.
