Our varsities are in need of urgent radical surgery to survive

PHOTO:COURTESY

In early 2015, drama unfolded in a university in the North Rift. A new Vice Chancellor had just been installed. Among her first tasks was to organise interviews for promotion of senior academic staff to professorships.

To be considered for appointment, the candidates needed to show evidence of having written a proposal that attracted funding. This is a widely accepted requirement used to evaluate other academic positions much lower than those of a professor.