Research News

By Meshack Ngangi The Co-operative University of Kenya’s Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) has taken quite a drastic cause after the project acquired a modern technological server that is purposely intended to digitalise the farmers’ productivity and strengthen the cooperatives in the pilot areas of Nakuru, Narok, and Baringo counties. The server acquisition is an attestation to the progressive strides the University and the project implementation partners have taken in realising the funding goals of the project’s financier, the African Development Bank (AfDB). This novel technological gadget has the capacity for sustainable and enhanced farmer connectivity, boosting farmer cooperatives, eliminating the perpetual risks of agricultural market cartels, and supporting the economic empowerment of the farmers. The Co-operative University of Kenya’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau (Centre), receives the procured “DELL Technologies” server flanked by Members of the University Management on 14th March, 2024 at the Main Campus , Karen, Nairobi.The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, speaking at the server handing over function, reiterated that the institution intends to leverage the robust potential of this technological infrastructure for streamlined and smooth farmer connectivity and seamless interactions between various stakeholders within the target value chains.  Through this noble programme and the possibilities presented by the digital server, smallholder farmers can now access crucial agricultural services and inputs through an integrated system that incorporates agro-suppliers, produce markets, and integral public services from the government. Prof. Ngamau reaffirmed the KRTCDP’s projected potential in realising the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The result of this initiative coincides with the BETA tenets of an economically empowered and food-secure nation through collaborations between cooperative movements in key value chains such as Irish potatoes, dairy farming, and maize. The server goes a long way in helping farmers to utilise mobile technology information superhighway through smartphone-enabled systems and programmes. They will have real-time access to weather updates from the meteorological department and critical market information, which is paramount for agricultural decision-making and taking advantage of seasonal changes for optimised production. The server goes a long way in helping farmers to utilise mobile technology information superhighway through smartphone-enabled systems and programmes. They will have real-time access to weather updates from the meteorological department and critical market information, which is paramount for agricultural decision-making and taking advantage of seasonal changes for optimised production. At the core of this AfDB’s Fund for Africa Private Sector Assistance (FAPA) funded KRTCDP project lies the objectives of enhanced productivity, profitability, and sustainability within farmer cooperatives, hence fortifying and bringing a ripple effect in the entire agricultural sector. The beneficiaries of this initiative comprise a multi-stakeholder base, including agricultural farmer cooperatives, banking sector players such as the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, development partners, government agencies, and researchers. The Vice Chancellor (Centre) and Deputy Vice Chancellor ACDRI Prof. Isaac Nyamongo (2nd Left) inspect the newly installed server accompanied by the University’s Principal ICT officer.Elaborating on the server’s suited technical capabilities, Prof. Isaac Nyamongo, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Co-operative Development Research and Innovation (ACDRI), expressed that it has embedded dual Intel Xenon Platinum modern-tech processors. Additionally, Prof. Nyamongo explained that the server is fitted with 24 hard drives with enhanced data storage capabilities tailored to the dynamic KRTCDP project’s particular needs and the University’s digital network.

  By Meshack Ngangi.This year presented an extraordinary turn of events during the inauguration of our three-day Annual Career and Innovation Week 2024, which was celebrated under the theme “Leveraging on Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Careers of the Future.”   As an institution of higher learning, The Co-operative University of Kenya has been deliberate and particular with innovations by providing mentorship to our student innovators who have in the past competed and excelled on global forums, including the Huawei ICT Competition, which is held annually, funded, and hosted by Huawei ICT Academy. In commemorating this annual event, the University had the pleasure to host H.E. Pastor Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, E.G.H., as the Chief Guest during the official opening of the 2024 Career and Innovation Week on 19th March 2024. The Chief Guest, H.E. Pastor Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, E.G.H., tours an innovation exhibition booth on Thermoplastic Road Signs during the official opening ceremony of the 3rd Career and Innovation Week 2024 on 19th March 2024 at our Main Campus, Karen-Nairobi. The Chief Guest toured different innovations exhibited by our students and high school students from Oloolaiser High School. This informed the University’s intent behind engaging high school participation during our annual career and innovation fair. In her remarks, H.E. Pastor Dorcas reiterated the transformative power that innovation and entrepreneurship hold in shaping our society and propelling our nation forward. The Chief Guest challenged The Co-operative University of Kenya to harness the potential of the rapidly evolving technological advancements and generate innovative processes that will reshape and re-imagine Kenya’s Co-operative Movement, which is a stronghold pillar supporting the economy. H.E. Pastor Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, E.G.H., delivers her official opening address during the 3rd Career and Innovation Week 2024 on 19th March 2024 at our Main Campus, Karen-Nairobi. Further, H.E. Pastor Dorcas recognized the University’s great initiatives it continues to make. She outlined that the showcased innovations are the seeds sown and foreseen to sprout into creative entrepreneurial enterprises. The Chief Guest’s remarks were a testament to the institution’s broad objective and commitment to excellence in education and research that is geared towards nurturing the future generation of leaders, strategic thinkers, and creative innovators who will utilize technological mechanisms to spur Kenya’s economic growth and prosperity. The dynamic career and entrepreneurship landscape of the 21st century faces an unprecedented future with the invention of disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). However, students in higher education institutions must learn how to convert these threatening technologies, which bring job insecurity, into opportunities through innovations that create more career avenues. Dr. Jeremy Bundi, the University Council Chairperson, expressed the pride the institution has in the achievements of being an industry leader that has trailblazed the way for the country’s co-operative movement since independence in 1952 and development milestones attained associated with knowledge and skill nurturing learners receive for career advancement. The Chairperson of the University Council Dr. Jeremy Bundi gives his remarks during the 3rd Career and Innovation Week 2024 official opening ceremony on 19th March 2024 at our Main Campus, Karen-Nairobi. “The skills we impart in our various programmes are of utmost importance in spurring the much-desired economic growth across every sector of the economy in Kenya, Africa, and beyond since we have integrated the fundamental tenets of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC), which are key to delivering the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” Dr. Jeremy. Our Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, PhD, E.B.S., insisted that the need to infuse innovation and technology for entrepreneurship as foundational elements the University has particularly endeavoured to ensure it has met its mandate as a public institution that provides education and training with an emphasis on co-operative development. Our Vice Chancellor Prof. Kamau Ngamau, PhD., E.B.S., addresses the attendees of the 3rd Career and Innovation Week 2024 official opening ceremony on 19th March 2024 at our Main Campus, Karen-Nairobi. In his speech, Prof. Ngamau underscored that the University’s five-year Strategic Plan 2022-2027 has placed a lot of emphasis on our specialized mandate, which has clearly visible fruits both for our institution and for the co-operative sector. This year’s annual Career and Innovation Week was a turn-about calendar activity that brought together more than 1,000 high school students and featured over ten (10) innovators with different incubation projects aimed at bringing sustainable solutions to problems facing Kenyan  society and transforming entrepreneurship to a more advanced tech-aligned orientation. The three-day event saw alums of The Co-operative University of Kenya led by the alum association chairperson Pauline Ngari, Robinson Maina, and Margaret Kamau turn up to mentor students on various angles of career growth. The Chief Guest of the 3rd Career and Innovation Week 2024, H.E. Pastor Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, EGH, interacts with our students during the official opening ceremony on 19th March 2024 at our Main Campus, Karen-Nairobi.

Cuk Celebrates Cultural Day With a Call to a Peaceful Kenya The Co-operative University of Kenya celebrated its annual cultural day on 16th June, 2017 at the university’s main campus in Karen. The CUK’s Ag. Vice Chancellor Prof. Kamau Ngamau, in his speech read by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs Prof. Emily Akuno called upon everyone to live harmoniously in our diverse culture. Officials from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Directorate of National Cohesion and Values addressed the students and staff on an array of issues touching on national cohesion and integration. Cultural dancers from the Bomas of Kenya, International Youth Fellowship (IYF) and various groups from CUK entertained the students and members of staff as students showcased their cultural heritage. Here’s the Vice Chancellor’s remarks http://cuk.ac.ke/vc-speech/

Varsity on a Reading Campaign in Kibera, Nairobi The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) and The Kenya National Library Services, Kibera organized a reading promotion; campaign for children living in the slum areas at the Kibera Community Library, Nairobi’. Several primary schools from the Kibera slums benefited from the event having had been taught how to use the library services and the motivational talks delivered by keynote speakers among them the CUK’s director of Nairobi campus Ms. Monica Nderitu, CUK Librarian Ms. Jane Gikandi among others. These schools included Hope primary, Langata West Primary, Church on the Rock Primary and others. Further the schools participated in various competitions like; composition writing, drama, poetry and mashairi, dancing and comedy which saw them receive prizes for those who won. Kibera’s KNLS librarian Ms. Mary Kinyanjui encouraged the pupils to take advantage of the library and make use of it by coming to read and do their homework there as there are many books and the environment is conducive and quite for them to concentrate. She added that the library caters for both school going children and the community since it also has adult content. Kibera slum is one of the largest slums in the World.

Cuk Joins the Word to Mark the 2017 International Day of Co-operatives The Co-operative University of Kenya joined the Kenyan Co-operative Movement in marking this year’s International Day of Co-operatives at the Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The event which brought together the vast movement was preceded by a series of events included the Co-operatives Environmental day, sporting activities, Ushirika blood donation among others. This years’ theme was ‘Inclusion; Co-operatives Ensure No One Is Left Behind’. The event was graced by the Governor Nairobi City County H. E. Dr. Evans Kidero and the Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Trade Industry and Co-operatives Mr. Adan Mohamed among other key leaders in the Kenya’s Co-operative Movement. The team from CUK was led by the University’s Council Chairperson Dr. Gladys Mwiti, The Ag. Vice Chancellor Prof. Kamau Ngamau, the Registrar Finance, Planning and Administration Chris Kathoka among others. Tens of Co-operatives from within the Nairobi County exhibited their products showcasing their products with the University exhibiting its key academic programmes, and models of key projects expected to kick off this year notably the Learning Resource Center (LRC) to house a Modern Library Facility, State of The Art Recreation Centre, The Co-operatives Incubation and Innovation Center and The Co-operatives Cultural Centre. The project is to be completed at an approximate cost of Kshs. 3 Billion.

Varsity Participates in the 2017 Mater Heart Run Staff and students of The Co-operative University of Kenya participated in this year’s Mater Heart Run on Saturday 20th May, 2017.  The Mater Heart Run is an annual event organized by the Mater Hospital to raise funds for the treatment of children with heart complications. Every year, CUK participates in this event as one of its CSR activities.