1,500 to attend second Nairobi Innovation Week

NAIROBI: More than 1,500 delegates will converge on the University of Nairobi in August for the second Nairobi Innovation Week.

Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi said the event, which will held from August 1 to 5, will this time round have a regional outlook.

The conference will entail pre-events, workshops, boot camps, keynote presentations, panel discussions, exhibitions, graduation of startups and dissemination of research publications.

Last August, the institution hosted the inaugural Nairobi Innovation Week which received attention and recognition globally. The event attracted more than 700 delegates, 13 sponsors, 50 exhibitors and 50 research papers.

Meanwhile, suspended students have been asked to appear before various disciplinary committees at the university on Tuesday.

Prof Mbithi said the students, who were suspended over a strike that led to the closure of the university two weeks ago, should appear before the committees to respond to charges levelled against them.

“The students should be accorded a fair hearing and they are encouraged to come along with their parents and guardians,” said Prof Mbithi.

He said the university management was working to ensure that certain conditions are put in place for the re-opening of the university.

The vice chancellor said a senate committee appointed to audit the affairs of Students Organisation of Nairobi University (Sonu) and review its electoral process has completed its work and will table it before the Senate for consideration next week.

Prof Mbithi said the independent elections petitions panel is also expected to hand over its reports from Monday.