Mt Kenya University to receive charter

By FREDRICK OBURA

Thika-based Mt Kenya University (MKU) will be the 12th private university to be awarded a Charter by the Kenya Government at a ceremony to be presided over by President Mwai Kibaki on Wednesday, January 26, 2011.

This means the institution will now become a fully-fledged university after operating on an interim Letter of Authority for the last two and half years. The Charter was issued at the recommendation of the Commission of Higher Education.

"The Charter will make our degrees more international and marketable in the job industry," said the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Stanley Waudo. Prof Waudo said the Charter will give MKU the power to effectively implement the university’s mission and vision of providing quality training and development that will position the university as a world-class recognised institution of higher learning.

He said the Charter will assist the university to institutionalise effective governance structures as well as vest the authority of the management in the Council, Senate, University Management Board and their committees.

The Charter will also enhance the credibility of the university’s corporate image as it also seeks to synergise its academic linkages and provide quality education.

Prof Waudo said in future, the university will expand its facilities and create capacity to absorb more students as most students miss admission places due to their large numbers even though they had attained cut-off points.

He said the university will collaborate with other universities to promote sharing of academic resources, research and to gain from best practices in order to be competitive and relevant in the academic arena.

"MKU envisions to be a global centre of excellence and a top ranking institution of higher learning offering quality training that meets higher expectations from the public."