This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
Published on June 20, 2020, by Sunday Nation Team
Adapting to Change in Higher Learning ¶
Prof Stephen Kiama Gitahi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, emphasizes the need for universities to adapt to changing environments, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for swift adoption of online teaching and assessment.
He warns that universities that fail to adapt may be decimated through loss of students to those that quickly adapt to change, and urges comrades to appreciate, accept, and adapt to the new reality.
Addressing the Financial Crisis at UoN ¶
The University of Nairobi is facing a significant financial crisis, with a huge payroll gap resulting from the implementation of the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model, which reduced government capitation in large universities.
Prof Kiama attributes the crisis to the assumption that increasing the number of Module II students would bridge the gap, which did not hold, and the fall in numbers of students qualifying to join university due to the 'Matiang'i grades.'
To address the crisis, Prof Kiama's team is reengineering financial and support systems through reforms to minimize financial utility and increase the value proposition, and investing in intangible assets with potential for revenue growth.
Maintaining UoN's Ranking among Top African Universities ¶
Prof Kiama expresses pride in the University of Nairobi's ranking among the top 10 universities in Africa, but emphasizes the need to maintain and improve performance.
He attributes the university's success to its human resource, which remains its greatest asset, and prioritizes resource alignment to the university's mandate to ensure sustained and improved performance in all ranking indicators.
University Councils and Staff Unions ¶
Prof Kiama defends university councils as statutory creations with a clear mandate, but acknowledges that they have endured political interference.
He suggests that the line ministry should restrict itself to policy matters, competitively appoint council members, and entrust them with the space and latitude to oversee university affairs, including the appointment of staff.
Supporting PhD Students ¶
Prof Kiama emphasizes the importance of providing an enabling environment for mentorship and nurturing of PhD students, and advises those pursuing a doctorate degree to make appropriate time and financial commitments to ensure timely completion.
