On behalf of the entire University fraternity, and on my own behalf, let me first take this opportunity to heartily congratulate all graduands assembled here today. Your graduation today is the culmination of hard work, great determination and perseverance.
Today represents an important hallmark in our academic calendar. It marks the achievement of our key goal as a university to provide quality education, training, research and innovationfor service to humanity. On this occasion of 41st graduation ceremony, I wish to acknowledge the efforts of the Chancellor, the University Council, under the able leadership of the Chairman, Prof. RatemoMichieka, the Senate, the management, faculty and non-faculty members, our unions, and the entire student fraternity under KUSA for their solid contributions geared towards propelling the university in realizing her mission.I also wish to recognize the vital role and important support University has received from our sponsors and the numerous institutions and corporate
It is not in doubt that the stature of Kenyatta University locally and internationally has continued to grow, as evidenced by various recent achievements and recognitions. In mid-2016 for example, we were ranked number one among all public and private universities in teaching, performance and provision of facilities for sports and games. In September, our Post Modern Library emerged first in the Academic Libraries Category during the 2016 Maktaba Awards, which recognize excellence in the provision of library and information services in the country. And during the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya Champions of Governance Awards Gala Night held at the Hotel Inter-Continental, Nairobi on 4th November, the University scooped the first prize in the education sector, which was a recognition of sound governance at the university, in accordance with tenets of The Code of Governance for State Corporations (Mwongozo).
To cap it all, Kenyatta University has been selected to be the games village during the July 2017 under 18 IAAF Athletics championships which will be held at the Kasarani International Stadium. During the ten-day sports extravaganza, the university will play host to over two thousand athletes from more than one hundred and sixty countries.
We shall be awarding a total of Five Thousand Six Hundred and Eleven (5611)graduands who have satisfied both internal and external examiners and the University Senate with
Among those graduating today are:-
• The 4th intake of Kenya Military Cadets (who are now officers),One Hundred and Forty Two (142) are being conferred with the Bachelor of Science in Military and Security Studies.
• The pioneer cohort of over One Thousand Three Hundred Kenya Prisons Service officers, who are being awarded as follows:-
• Fifty Five (55) – Postgraduate Diploma in Security and Correctional Science.
• Seven Hundred and Seven (707) – Diploma in Security and Correctional Science.
• Five Hundred and Sixty Five – Certificate in Security and Correctional Science.
These are among the 14 programmes that the University is offering in partnership with our national security agencies. We shall continue to strengthen and diversify our collaboration in order to empower the servicemen and women with the requisite knowledge and skills.
We at Kenyatta University have done and will continue to do our very best to ensure that we graduate students holding high quality qualifications that are easily absorbed by the ever changing global market. We will settle for nothing but the best.
As we continue to maintain and improve our standards and footing as a university, let me stress once more that the core business of any respectable university is education, training, research and innovation. To uphold this, the university has put a number of strategies in place;
One, we have introduced a financial token for research papers authored by our members of faculty and published in reputable journals.
Two, we have, as a matter of policy, decided to finance, not one, but any two of the three costs of attending a conference which are – registration, air ticket or per-diem.
Three, we have increased the amount of research grants awarded to junior faculty on staff development programmes by 42%.
Four, we have restructured the Research, Innovation and Outreach Division by creating two Directorates, one for Research Support, and the other for Research Dissemination and Uptake.
The University Management has also been very keen to take into positive consideration issues of staff welfare. This is because research has shown that a happy and satisfied workforce quite often meets their deadlines and increases their output.
In this regard, the university has successfully concluded the 2013/2017 local Collective Bargain Agreements with three Unions in line with Salaries and Remuneration Commission guidelines.
This and other initiatives to improve staff welfare will not only enhance labour and industrial relations at the University, but it will also free members of staff from ancillary income generating activities that usually distract them from dedicating their time and energy to the core business for which they were employed.
Allow me to express my gratitude to our students under the leadership of the 13th KUSA Congress. They conducted very democratic and peaceful elections that other institutions can learnfrom. Unlike what we have repeatedly witnessed in other universities, our student elections did not precipitate violence.This ensured that teaching and learning continued uninterrupted and the students got value for their time and money.
Allow me now to offer some words of advice to the graduands; education is life, a life-long enterprise. This graduation is but just one milestone, albeit an important one, in that journey. Continue renewing yourselves so that your place in this world is at the main arena and not the periphery.
Thank you and May God bless you all, our University, and our great motherland, Kenya
BY PROF. PAUL K. WAINAINA
AG. VICE-CHANCELLOR, KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
On the Occasion of THE 41ST GRADUATION CEREMONY
