Universities urged to prioritize innovation, job creation

University students during a recent graduation. [File]

Universities have been challenged to rethink higher education by placing innovation, entrepreneurship and practical problem-solving at the centre of learning to better prepare graduates for a rapidly changing job market.

Mount Kenya University Pro-Chancellor Dr Vincent Gaitho called for stronger collaboration between universities, government and industry to transform research into practical solutions, create employment and drive sustainable development.

Dr Gaitho observed that rapid technological developments, particularly artificial intelligence, digitalisation, climate change and emerging technologies, have fundamentally changed the demands of the labour market, requiring universities to rethink traditional approaches to teaching, research and innovation.

He challenged institutions to produce graduates equipped with critical thinking, creativity, digital competencies and entrepreneurial skills rather than qualifications alone.

"Education must equip graduates not only with qualifications but also with critical thinking, creativity, digital competencies, problem-solving abilities and an entrepreneurial mindset," he said.

The call was made during the 2026 Annual University Conference and Intelligence for Innovation  Conference (iN4iN), bringing together academics, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders from Africa and Europe.

The two-day conference, running from November 12 to 13, is being held under the theme, "The Triple Synergy: Building Sustainable Innovative Ecosystems Through Education and Partnerships," with a focus on advancing Sustainable Development Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure.

He further challenged graduates to go beyond seeking employment by understanding the challenges facing prospective employers and developing innovative solutions that address specific industry needs.

He said universities investment in emerging technologies, including the acquisition of a humanoid robot to provide students with practical exposure to robotics, artificial intelligence and programming.

Through hands-on interaction with the technology, students develop and test codes that enable the robot to interpret commands and execute instructions, offering experiential learning beyond conventional classroom teaching.

He also emphasised that partnerships between universities and industry must move beyond signing memoranda of understanding to delivering measurable outcomes through joint research, technology transfer, industrial attachments, entrepreneurship and commercialisation of innovations.

The need to measure the actual impact of university innovation programmes was also emphasised by Vice-Chancellor Prof Jaganyi, challenged universities to shift their focus from counting conferences, boot camps and participants to evaluating businesses established, jobs created and communities transformed through their initiatives.

"The real measure of our success is not the number of conferences we hold, the number of boot camps we organise or the number of participants who attend our programmes.

The real measure of success is the difference we make in people's lives," he observed in remarks were delivered by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs, Prof Peter G. Kirira.

Prof Jaganyi said MKU's Graduate Enterprise Academy, established in 2013 to identify, nurture and support young entrepreneurs across East Africa through mentorship, business development services and access to networks.

The initiative reflects the university's ambition to encourage graduates to become job creators rather than solely job seekers.

He also underscored the importance of international and institutional collaboration, noting that universities cannot independently address the complex challenges facing society.

Through partnerships such as the ACCESS programme, institutions can pool expertise, resources and networks to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship across borders.