School of Co-operative and Community Development - The Co-operative University of Kenya

Marketing Activation: PEFA Murang’a Regional Youth Conference 2025

By Meshack M. Ngangi, MPRSK, MMCK | 19th December 2025 The Co-operative University of Kenya actively engaged with young people for a marketing activation at the PEFA Murang’a Regional Youth Conference between 15th and 19th December 2025. This major regional forum that brings together learners preparing for the transition from secondary school to university/higher education. Held at Gituru Boys High School in Kangari Zone, the conference attracted approximately 1,400 youths drawn from seven districts across Murang’a County, the majority of whom were high school students and recent Form Four leavers from the Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa (PEFA) seeking spiritual nourishment and mentorship, guidance on their academic and career pathways. The conference provided an ideal, community-based platform for the University to support young people at a critical decision-making stage in their educational journey. During the conference, Ms. Lilian Nkatha, a Marketing Officer in the University’s Corporate Communication and Marketing Department, delivered structured and student-centred career guidance sessions aligned with its mission of providing quality education, training, research, and consultancy that produce leaders for national and global development. Through interactive discussions and direct engagement with learners, participants were guided on career choice, emerging professional opportunities, post-secondary education pathways, and application processes. Emphasis was placed on helping students align their talents, interests, and subject strengths with future aspirations, reinforcing the importance of early career guidance in preparing young people for meaningful participation in the economy and society. The officers from the University, Meshack M. Ngangi and Marcella Kinya also used the forum to introduce learners to a wide range of Diploma and Degree programmes offered through its Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (I-TVET) and its three academic schools: the School of Co-operative and Community Development, the School of Business and Economics, and the School of Computing and Mathematics. The form four leavers were guided on how these academic pathways are designed to respond to current labour market demands while promoting skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community impact. This engagement reinforced the University’s positioning as a leading institution in co-operative education and community-focused development, underpinned by its commitment to quality co-operative training as a foundation for sustainable development and transformative leadership. Recognizing that access to higher education is often constrained by financial limitations, the University staff offered practical guidance on available government funding opportunities through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), including scholarships, loans, and bursaries. Learners were taken through application requirements and pathways, enabling them to understand how to access financial support and plan responsibly for their higher education journey. This intervention was particularly significant for the many Form Four leavers in attendance and reflected the University’s commitment to inclusive access to education. Participation in the PEFA Murang’a Regional Youth Conference forms part of The Co-operative University of Kenya’s broader outreach and student support initiatives aimed at empowering communities and supporting young people as they transition confidently into university life. By engaging learners within a trusted church and community setting, the University continues to provide timely, accurate, and relevant guidance that nurtures ethical, innovative, and socially responsible leaders capable of contributing positively to national and community development.

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CUK Empowers Students for Life After High School at the 2025 KSCF Camp

University News

By Meshack M. Ngangi, MPRSK | 28th November 2025 The Kenya Students Christian Fellowship (KSCF) is a national, inter-denominational, and non-political organization that incorporates Christian Unions (CUs) in secondary schools and colleges across Kenya. Established in 1959, KSCF works collaboratively with the Ministry of Education to nurture students’ spiritual and moral development. Through school-based ministries, national and county camps, and conventions held during school holidays, KSCF promotes spiritual formation, leadership development, and character building. The organization also addresses contemporary issues affecting students, offering counseling, mentoring, and a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) ministry curriculum that empowers learners to influence their peers positively. A key focus of the 2025 KSCF camp was equipping learners with essential post-secondary school and University knowledge, and the participation of The Co-operative University of Kenya aligned with the varsity’s mission of producing competent human capital through quality education, training, research & innovation, and empowering communities through outreach for socio-economic transformation. Through interactive and student-centred sessions, the University staff, comprising Lilian Nkatha, Lilian Wekesa, and Meshack Ngangi, guided participants on critical areas including career choice, higher education pathways, available funding opportunities, and application processes. The discussions by the Corporate Communication and Marketing Departmental staff were designed to empower students to make informed decisions aligned with their talents, interests, and future aspirations, reinforcing the University’s commitment to nurturing competent and ethical human capital. As one session emphasized, “Early career guidance enables students to align passion with purpose and prepare for meaningful participation in the economy and society.” As part of this engagement, learners were introduced to a wide range of Diploma and Degree programmes offered through The Co-operative University of Kenya’s Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (I-TVET) and its three academic faculties: the School of Co-operative and Community Development, the School of Computing and Mathematics, and the School of Business and Economics. These cutting-edge programmes reflect the University’s positioning as a leading institution in co-operative education, innovation, and community-focused development. Over 500 form four leavers were guided on how these academic pathways respond to current labour market demands while promoting skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community impact. In line with the University’s motto, the sessions underscored the importance of “empowering communities” as a foundation for sustainable development and transformative leadership. The Co-operative University of Kenya actively participates in forums such as the Kenya Students Christian Fellowship camp as part of its broader mandate to increase its brand visibility, positioning, and support young people transitioning from secondary school to higher education. Guided by its vision of being a leading university in co-operative training, education, research, and innovation, the University recognizes the unique challenges faced by form four leavers and deliberately provides targeted support to help them transition confidently into university life. These engagements form part of the University’s outreach and student support initiatives aimed at empowering communities and fostering inclusive access to higher education. This approach reflects the University’s core values of professionalism, integrity, creativity, and innovation. As highlighted by Ms. Lilian Nkatha, “career guidance is not just about choosing a course; it is about preparing young people to become ethical, innovative, and socially responsible leaders.” In addition, students received practical guidance on government funding opportunities, including scholarships, loans, and bursaries offered through national agencies. The University also provided clarity on application requirements and pathways, ensuring that learners understood how to access financial support for higher education. This intervention is especially critical in promoting equity and accountability by ensuring that financial limitations do not stand in the way of deserving students pursuing their academic and professional goals. Through such initiatives, The Co-operative University of Kenya continues to demonstrate its commitment to empowering young people through quality education, informed choice, and community-oriented development.

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SEREK–CUK International Conference: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

University News

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.

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CUK Hosts the Ushirika Blood Donation Drive 2024

Corporate Social Responsibility, University News

By Meshack Ngangi June 11, 2024 The Co-operative University of Kenya hosted the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Co-operatives, Mr. Patrick Kilemi, who officiated the 2024 Pre-Ushirika Day Celebrations Ushirika Blood Donation Drive. The PS lauded the University’s role in realizing the 7th Cooperative Principle, Concern for the Community. Mr. Kilemi challenged the co-operative movement in the country to rally efforts in support of the health sector to supplement the dire need for blood in the national blood banks managed by the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service, an organ under the National Tissue and Transplant Authority. The PS reiterated that blood donation is not only an ultimate sacrifice and an act of charity that transcends any donation one can give but also a lifeline that sustains communities. This statement reinstated the co-operative’s role of transforming communities and ensuring sustainable economic empowerment, starting with movement membership. In his remarks, PS Kilemi expressed great satisfaction with the initiative to host the Ushirika Blood Donation in June, the same month the World Health Organization commemorates World Blood Donor Day on 14 June. PS Kilemi outrightly congratulated multi-partner efforts The National Council for Ushirika Day Celebrations adopted through the Chairmanship of Mr. Macloud Malonza for organizing the blood donation that answers the pertinent healthcare challenge. He noted that the forged relations among the partner organizations, the Co-operative Alliance of Kenya, Red Cross Society of Kenya, Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority, and The Co-operative University of Kenya should be sustained to bring more success to the co-operative sector and significantly impact the society. The State Department of Co-operatives head outlined that since they took office with the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. Simon Chelugui, they have made The Co-operative University of Kenya their center of operations due to the institution’s robust foundation on the principles of co-operatives. He challenged CAK’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Daniel Marube, to take the initiative to sponsor needy students at the university whenever they have the necessary resources. Further, PS Kilemi revealed that the Government, through the National Treasury, had approved the State Department’s request to recruit officers through the Public Service Commission (PSC), adding that they would prioritize competently trained degree holders from The Co-operative University of Kenya. During the day’s event, the Co-operative Alliance of Kenya’s CEO, Mr. Daniel Marube, expressed that Ushirika Blood Donation is an annual event that seeks to ensure the co-operative’s goal and principle of concern for others (community) adheres to the latter. In his briefing, he underscored the 500-pint blood target of the University-hosted blood drive, a precursor to the International Day for Co-operatives that will be celebrated on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre under the theme, “Co-operatives Build a Better Future for All.” In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of The Co-operative University of Kenya, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, expressed the great honour the University has of hosting the 2024 Ushirika Blood Donation Drive and challenged the 10,000-plus student population to reciprocate by turning up in large numbers for this life-saving initiative. “It has been reported that we have a very serious shortage of blood in our blood banks where it is said that with our population, we should have at least one million pints of blood donated annually, but we are very far from that,” exclaimed Prof. Ngamau. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance Planning and Administration, Prof. Esther Gicheru, Nairobi and Eastern Regional Manager for Kenya National Blood Transfusion Services Festus Koech, Officers from the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development, and our University staff and students were present at the blood donation drive. The Ushirika Blood Donation Drive 2024 was covered by several media outlets including; Kenya News Agency, Hope TV, WesTV, Capital FM, and KASS FM. Hope TV, https://www.youtube.com/live/2HkEVkzusOA?si=j86lB_QNLHwerdVY WesTv; https://www.youtube.com/live/m47RAjr7Blg?si=RqaBExYfHNhuJPcD KASS FM; https://www.facebook.com/share/v/A92UzyLFchVLdqHz/?mibextid=qi2Omg

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Courtesy Call: WETCU Delegation from Tanzania

University News

By Meshack Ngangi Tanzania’s Western Zone Tobacco Growers Co-operative Union (WETCU) delegation of Board Members led by Hamza Rajabu Kitunga today paid a courtesy visit to The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) on their benchmarking trip within the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development. The WETCU team was accompanied by Mr. Henry Mwangi and Ibrahim Gichuki, officials from the Ministry’s State Department of Co-operatives. The Institute of Co-operative Development Director, Prof. Wycliffe Oboka, and the Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy Services Ltd. (ATC) representative, Dr. Moses Gweyi, attended the welcoming event. The University management, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic, Co-operative Development, Research, and Innovation, Prof. Isaac Nyamongo, hosted the WETCU delegation of co-operators and discussed the areas of collaboration between the two organizations. The discourse for the day was grounded on the necessity of realizing Principle 6 of the Co-operatives, which is cooperation among co-operatives. The Co-operative University of Kenya has underscored its role in revolutionalising and sustaining Kenya’s co-operative movement through quality education, training, research, and innovation and empowering communities through outreach for socio-economic transformation. “The University through the Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP), a project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), has made efforts to bolster farmer co-operatives in Nakuru, Narok, and Baringo counties, which represents the first phase of the project’s implementation,” Prof. Isaac Nyamongo. The attainment of the KRTCDP project deliverables targets strategic value chains of maize, Irish potatoes, and dairy, which are critical to the economic empowerment of the people at the bottom of the economic pyramid. These efforts represent the crucial concern for the University’s collaboration with partners in the co-operative movement, especially the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development, financial institutions, and international bodies, including the United States Overseas Co-operative Development Council (OCDC), in realizing our mission. Prof. Oboka, the Director of the Institute of Co-operative Development (ICD), remarked on the crucial role the University continues to play through his institute’s programs. The ICD’s short courses are intended to retool, update, and upgrade the knowledge and skill endowment of the officers and board members, and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) serving the co-operative sectors in the national government, devolved/county governments and Savings and Credit Co-operative entities. Dr. Moses Gweyi, the ATC’s representative and a lecturer in the School of Co-operative and Community Development (SCCD), expressed the pivotal role research has played in aiding the growth and development of Kenya’s co-operative sector. This research function of ATC can be owed to the seamless functioning of the University’s consultancy arm, the Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy Services Ltd. (ATC). Since its establishment in July 2004, the ATC has been an active player in Kenya’s and regional private sector development in agriculture by providing quality training and consultancy services in agribusiness, co-operative rural development, and associated sectors of the economy.

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About CUK

administrative UNIT

SCHOOLS

DIRECTORATE/INSTITUTES

PROGRAMMES

STUDENT SERVICES & INFORMATION

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Current Students