University News
Cultural Week and Crowning of Mr & Miss CUK 2024/2025
By Meshack Ngangi Showcasing cultural genres of dance, art, music, sporting activities, fashion, and modeling in the 2024 cultural week festivals formed the backbone of the integration mechanisms that The Co-operative University of Kenya deploys in fostering unity in diversity. Students and staff from diverse cultural backgrounds accessed a platform to depict their unique performances in the spirit of this year’s Cultural Week theme, celebrating cohesion in our cultural diversity. The intra-institution interactions during this cultural fest boosted staff-student cooperation, as evident in the performances’ synergy, vibe, and fun unfolding. The joy, unity, beauty, and creativity of diversity were witnessed through expressive language, including the beauty pageantry contest that went down on March 1, 2024, at Carnivore Grounds, Nairobi. The Co-operative University of Kenya’s multicultural setting enriches cultural diversity and integration manifested in synchronized, unique institutional and corporate identity. The Cultural Week 2024 inter-cultural interactions boosted the University’s appreciation of Kenya’s cultures and strengthened statesmanship, spirit, and national cohesion. This annual event occurs with the principal goal of bolstering constructive inter-cultural intermingling. The coronation of Mr. and Miss Co-operative University 2024/2025, Victor Saenyi and Vanessa Handas, respectively, is a perfect recap for March student activities that are vivid and bring to life the memories of the cultural week 2024.
Future Investment: Marketing Activation
By Meshack Ngangi The Co-operative University of Kenya has invested targeted efforts in marketing campaigns geared towards popularizing and marketing the University’s programs among various prospective students from different markets countrywide. Also, the marketing expedition sought to further the institution’s efforts to establish a unique brand that is outstanding and uniquely known to different stakeholders. In this regard, the University, through the Corporate Communication and Marketing Department, participated in the Mwea Sub-County Educational and Career Day on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Gategi Girls Secondary School in Mwea. The marketing exercise aimed to showcase and exhibit the University’s cutting-edge academic programs and professional courses during the educational and career fair. Ultimately, the marketing activation aimed to offer prospective students career guidance and further the university’s undisputed reputation in higher education.
Conquerors of the 2024 Music Festivals: The Chosen Choir
By Mary Mbugua and Meshack Ngangi The Co-operative University of Kenya’s “The Chosen” Choir soared to the heights of victory, leaving an indelible mark at the 3rd Kenya Universities Performing Arts Association (KUPAA) national music, dance, and elocution festivals held between Sunday, March 17, and Friday, March 22, 2024, at Technical University of Mombasa. The highly contested battle of vocals and melodies featured 32 competing institutions of higher learning that presented performances that were nothing short of breathtaking, captivating audiences with their harmonies, passion, and talent. The music, dance, and elocution performances reiterated the festival’s theme, advocating for social responsibility through performing music, dance, and elocution. Among the items performed was the winning patriotic composition “Mkenya Daima,” a class the The Chosen Choir has scooped the winner’s award for two consecutive years. Also, the duet ‘Flowers’ emerged as the first runners-up and the Kenya National Anthem won the second runners-up trophy. Other performances included an arrangement of an African song titled ‘Wanalande,’ a zilizopendwa gospel arrangement ‘Umenibeba.’ An American negro spiritual ‘The Battle of Jericho,’ ‘Then Sings My Soul,’ the East African Community (EAC) anthem, disk jockey (DJ), karaoke, and a solo verse. Harnessing talent is among the University’s top priorities in preparing holistic and competent graduates for the booming creative digital economy.
GDSC Students Undertake Robotic Process Automation (RPA) & AI Workshop
By Meshack Ngangi On Friday, March 22, 2024, our Google Development Student Club (GDSC) members in the School of Computing and Mathematics (SCM) undertook a mentorship workshop on Robotics Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in reshaping the future of work from industry experts. The CUK’s Google Development Students Club lead, Ruth B. Kwara, a second-year BSc, co-organized this impactful and insightful one-day training workshop. Computer Science student, the Dean of Students, the School of Computing and Mathematics, and the office of the Public Relations Officer. The collaborative efforts and industry exposure the University offers to the students prove an effective way of inducing learners to the real-life situations that are reshaping the job industry in the contemporary digital era. Doris Ratego, Safaricom PLC automation engineer; Jonathan M. Gichohi, an intelligence automation and RPA professional at Jubilee Insurance; and Jeff Ng’ang’a, the Lead PRA Developer at Pwani Oil Group, upskilled our students on industry practices that harness the potential of robotics process automation integrating the core elements of Artificial Intelligence. The University’s resolve to support experiential learning is a significant concern in keeping the competitive edge and achieving the mission of producing competent human capital through quality education, training, research, and innovation, as well as empowering communities through outreach for socio-economic transformation.
Participating in Sustainable Tourism Seminar
By Festus Maina and Meshack Ngangi Our students and faculty members participated in the Sustainable Tourism Seminar on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the United States International University – Africa. The one-day deliberative forum focused on the impact of tourism multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborations in accelerating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. Our engagement during the seminar speaks to the core intent and particular emphasis on offering cutting-edge tourism programs that support the integral elements of the sector. As a participant during the event, the University expressed a deep vested interest in furthering partnerships with tourism stakeholders to attain Kenya’s Vision 2030, the SDGs, and the African Union Agenda 2063 through sustainable tourism. Stacy Ngina, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management, led the student’s presentation on strategic measures to overcome barriers impeding the achievement of SDGs. This learners’ exposure to industry dynamics supports our strategic approach to producing competent graduates for the tourism sector, which is a fundamental driver in fast-tracking the achievement of Vision 2030. We take pride in our tourism students who have continually proven to the world outside the classroom, setting the skills and competence our programs offer to the job market. The University congratulates the representatives during this tourism transformative seminar.
Novelty: The Innovations of 2024
By Meshack Ngangi Career and Innovation Week 2024 was edified with creative novel inventions from our students and Oloolaiser Boys High School, one of the invited secondary schools, during the annual event. The innovation projects that made it to the final competitions targeted to provide solutions to problems in accommodation, transportation, healthcare, hotel and hospitality management, job placement, event management, and healthcare. The best overall winning innovation, Vena Vicio, was a project by Ruth Betty Kwara, a second-year Bachelor of Science in Computer Science student. The innovation utilizes advanced near-infrared (NIR) technology, which provides healthcare professionals with a clear and accurate view of veins beneath the skin’s surface in real-time. iKwetu, a student accommodation solution project, won the Best Male category award. This innovative website programme was developed and presented as a collaborative programming project by Reinhard Graham, Ivan Barasa, and Dawn Wandera. Tiketi Tamasha by Rachael Wambui, a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Information Technology, presented this event management platform, which garnered the best overall female category. Other innovations presented during the Career and Innovation Week 2024 included QMELTER, Thermoplastic Road Signs, ProVision job placement solutions, the Public Bus Management System, and the Urchin OBC. The official judges during this competition of novel creations were Ms. Damaris Mulinge and Diana Maina from the ICT Authority. The innovations of 2024 marked the conclusion of the Career and Innovation Week and serve as a testament to the competence of our academic programmes that endow learners with the proper skill set for industry readiness.
Forging New Partnerships: Nyeri County & CUK Sign a MoU
By Meshack Ngangi The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing between the Nyeri County Government and The Co-operative University of Kenya on March 18, 2024, at Nyeri County headquarters was a resounding success as the two public entities agreed to formalize their engagements within the co-operative scope. The MoU seeks to intensify collaborative partnerships on Co-operative Development, Capacity Building, Research and Consultancy, and training of County Co-operative officers. H.E. Governor Mutahi Kahiga, EGH, led the county’s top leadership. Governor Kahiga expressed great regard and support for the University’s bold steps toward bolstering the cooperative movement’s productivity. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Kamau Ngamau, E.B.S., Deputy Vice Chancellors, Prof Isaac Nyamongo, M.B.S., and Prof. Esther Gicheru, O.G.W., led the University’s management in the signing event. CUK perpetually underscores the desire to sustainably outlive the institution’s vision of being a University of excellence in education, research, innovation, and cooperative training. The University has taken initiatives to revive, revolutionalize, and strengthen co-operatives, and this MoU serves as an instance of many other approaches. County governments are upheld as instrumental partners and cooperative sector players with unlimited potential worth harnessing.
Building a Resilient and Sustainable University
The University Council chaired by Dr. Jeremy Bundi and the University Management board retreated for a workshop themed Building a Resilient and Sustainable University on 25-27 March 2024. The event held in Nakuru county sought to tackle the following areas of interest to the university: Understanding the Current University Education Landscape; Promoting Financial Resilience; Engaging Stakeholders and Partnerships; and CUK Productivity measurement and improvement. Prof. A. Njuguna one of the facilitators sensitized the team on issues of resource mobilization frameworks for public universities/ Corporate and Industry Engagement as a catalyst for financial growth and sustainability and Fostering partnerships with external stakeholders(Industry, philanthropic organizations, alumni networks/international agencies). He went on to further emphasize the roles and responsibilities of the Council in Financial Management. John Mose also gave an overview of the resource mobilization within government systems tackling the critical topic of lobbying within the government budget cycles. Ms. Jane Maina from the National Productivity and Competitiveness Centre (NPCC) also sensitized the members on the CUK Productivity Mainstreaming Framework which seeks to shift the focus from just achieving the set Performance Contracting targets towards measuring the output/outcomes against the resources allocated to activity and tasks. Speaking at the closing ceremony the Chairperson of the University Council indicated that the university was on the right track in ensuring that it remains resilient and sustainable appreciating the achievements that the University Management Board led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kamau Ngamau has been able to achieve. He noted that more needs to be done and that the Council was very ready to provide the necessary support to assist the university attain all the commitments made not just in the 2023/2024 Performance Contracting Cycle but also as aspired in the Strategic Plan 2022-2027. He also welcomed two council members Ms. Peris Onsarigo and Mr. John Kihara. The Vice-Chancellor on his part appreciated the guidance and wise counsel the University Council continues to provide, noting that a lot of changes are happening in the higher education sector and it is of paramount importance that as an organization we keep track of this changes.
Reminiscing Career and Innovation Week 2024
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 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. 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 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. 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.