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25th Graduation Ceremony Speech by the Chancellor

SPEECH

 

BY

PROF. JOHN STRUTHERS

CHANCELLOR

 

DURING THE

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY 25TH GRADUATION CEREMONY

 

GRADUATION THEME: UNIVERSITY SUSTAINBILITY THROUGH RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

 

ON

 

FRIDAY, 2ND AUGUST, 2024

 

AT

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY HAPPY VALLEY GROUNDS, THIKA

 

  • Salutation
  • The Chief Guest, Beatrice M. Inyangala, Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research, Ministry of Education,
  • The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof. Simon Gicharu,
  • Members of the University Board of Directors,
  • Chairman, University Council, Dr. Vincent Gaitho,
  • Members of the University Council,
  • The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi,
  • Vice-Chancellor, Mount Kigali University, Rwanda, Dr. Martin Kimemia,
  • Vice-Chancellors and Representatives present,
  • Members of the University Management Board and Senate,
  • Distinguished Guests,
  • Mount Kenya University Staff,
  • Parents and Guardians,
  • Graduands and Students,
  • Ladies and Gentlemen.

Hamjambo!

  • Preliminaries

I am happy to once more join the Mount Kenya University (MKU) fraternity at this auspicious 25th Graduation Ceremony.

As usual, I extend my warm greetings from my home university, the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and also from my family and friends in Glasgow. They all send their sincere congratulations to the graduands and their families.

I reflect with a lot of appreciation that I was here only in June/July for a very successfully organized Centre for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development (CAREED) 8th International Conference. This was the first CAREED Conference to be held in Africa and was co-hosted in June 2024 by UWS and MKU in a partnership that has been actively running for the last 7 years. The 8th CAREED 2024 conference attracted about 46 academic papers presented across several themes.

Additionally, the 8th CAREED Conference had two internationally recognized Keynote Speakers. These included the Head of the Division of Health and Migration at the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Santino Severoni, as well as the Kenya’s own social entrepreneur, Professor Charles Mully of the Mully Children Family (MCF). Among other international participants at the conference were delegates from the International Organization for Migration, the Centre for Health and Migration in Vienna, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) based in Djibouti. The hosting of this year’s conference by MKU was a testimony on MKU’s expanding commitment to internalization which comes hand-in-hand with the continuing roll-out of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda at the University.

As the Chancellor of Mount Kenya University, I take great pride in the conspicuous growth of partnerships-driven teaching, research and community outreach activities at MKU which involves many partnerships with universities across the world.  For instance, the new engagements between MKU and a number of new partners from Japan, Europe and Australia cannot go unmentioned.

At a local level, the partnerships signed with the Cape Media’s Talent Academy, with the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital (KUTRRH) among many others are indeed significant achievements.

Last and not least, to you our graduands, I would like to wish each one of you Gods blessings in abundance as you move on to serve your local and international communities in many diverse capacities. MKU has adequately trained you to effectively and efficiently serve in those capacities. Therefore, serve with diligence, and always remain in touch with your Alma Mater, Mount Kenya University.

ASANTENI SANA NA MUNGU AWABARIKI

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