By Victor J. Njogu, MPRSK | October 23, 2025
The Society of Educational Research and Evaluation in Kenya (SEREK) partnered with The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) to host an international conference under the theme “Turning Challenges to Opportunities: Implications in the 21st Century,” bringing together scholars, postgraduate students and practitioners in a blended format that combined predominantly in-person participation with virtual contributions where travel was not feasible.
Under the guidance of Dr. Lucy Ngare, the Dean of the School of Co-operative and Community Development, the preparations and hosting with active involvement from the School of Business and Economics and the School of Computing and Mathematics, while Prof. Paul Maithya of SEREK chaired the overall organising committee. There were several subcommittees established to handle abstracts and programme development, hospitality and logistics, security and health, publicity and promotion, and budget, finance and registration, and the university’s Co-operative Retreat and Conference Centre, ICT and Corporate Communication and Marketing Departments provided additional administrative and technical support and media coverage.
Participants from Kenya and abroad presented peer-reviewed papers across plenary addresses, parallel paper sessions and panel discussions, and the proceedings were compiled with encouragement for authors to convert their presentations into full manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals, including outlets associated with The Co-operative University of Kenya.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony, the CUK’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, expressed that the conference augmented the University’s research output, offered capacity-building opportunities for postgraduate students and academic staff in presenting and publishing at an international forum, and enhanced institutional visibility by strengthening partnerships with educational researchers.
The two-day International Conference co-organized by the Society of Educational Research and Evaluation in Kenya (SEREK) and The Co-operative University of Kenya brought together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to share insights, innovations, and strategies that transform today’s challenges into pathways for progress. Among other participants present at the opening ceremony were the Deputy Vice Chancellor (ACDRI), Prof. Isaac K Nyamongo, MBS, Prof. Paul Ogula, SEREK Patron, and Prof. Paul Maithya, the SEREK Chairperson.
The collaboration between SEREK and CUK produced compiled proceedings and a clear emphasis on turning the conference presentations into publishable research, and it strengthened institutional ties while laying a foundation for future joint activities that would continue to advance educational research and the University’s scholarly profile.
