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25th Graduation Ceremony Speech by the Chief Guest

REMARKS BY  THE CHIEF GUEST

 

DR BEATRICE M. INYANGALA,

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, STATE DEPARTMENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH,

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

 

DURING THE

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY 25TH GRADUATION CEREMONY

 

ON

FRIDAY, 2nd AUGUST, 2024

 

AT

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY HAPPY VALLEY GROUNDS, THIKA

 

GRADUATION THEME:

 UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

 

  • Salutations

 

  • The Chancellor, Prof. John Struthers,
  • Chairman Board of Directors and Founder, Mount Kenya University, 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,
  • Members of the University Management Board and Senate,
  • Your Excellencies,
  • Distinguished Guests,
  • Mount Kenya University Staff,
  • Parents and Guardians,
  • Graduands and Students,
  • Ladies and Gentlemen.

 

Good morning!

  • Preliminaries

I am happy and indeed honored to be here this morning joining the Mount Kenya University fraternity on this very significant occasion of the 25th Graduation Ceremony.

I bring warm greetings from the Ministry of Education, State Department for Higher Education and Research, to you all.

To the Parents, Guardians and Graduands, kindly accept my word of congratulations for your diverse efforts that have led to the achievements that we are cerebrating today.

 

  • The Need for Access to Quality University Education as a Global Target

 

Mr. Chancellor Sir, I commend the University for the theme of the 25th Graduation Ceremony namely, “University Sustainability through Research and Innovation”.

The gist of this theme is two-fold as it points out towards;

  • The need for accessible quality university education, and,
  • The topical issue of research and innovation driven targets for universities as a double-pronged hallmark for sustainability.

 Ladies and Gentlemen, regarding the need for accessible quality university education, I quote the Government of Kenya’s Vision 2030 which outlines clearly on the need for access to quality university education under the Social Pillar where it is spelt out that, strategic expansion of the capacities of the existing universities and establishing of campus colleges in strategic areas is a vital consideration for increasing access to university education. The same National Vision statement goes on further to guide on the need for “Streamlining and fast-tracking of postgraduate programs in order to increase the number of PhD holders required for the (expanded) university education and other national needs”.

I recognize in a very special way the incredible journey taken by Mount Kenya University over the last 25 years. In total determination to supplement the Government’s efforts to increase access to affordable, relevant and quality university education, Mount Kenya University chose the path less travelled.

I congratulate the University for making great strides that have led to a successful building of an international brand. From available records, the University has partnered with several universities across the continent and globally not only to provide quality education but also to facilitate a seamless transition of graduates into the labour market, both at home and internationally.

  • Kenya’s support to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the East African Community Vision 2050

As you are aware, in addition to the rolling out of the Kenya Vision 2030 as mentioned above, the Kenyan Government has also embraced the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the East African Community Vision 2050. All of these vision statements place a strong emphasis on access to quality education for social economic development. The SDG 4 on Access to Quality Education also points out to quality university education as an enabler to achieving all the other 16 SDGs. It is, therefore, gratifying to note that, Mount Kenya University is physically playing a critical role in support of the national and global commitments in different and effective ways. One of these efforts, among others, and for which I congratulate the University, is the fact that the University has hosted the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) SDG 10 Hub on Reduced Inequalities for the past three years. The milestones achieved are attributed to the University’s innovative programmes in teaching, research and community engagement.

I have also been informed that Mount Kenya University has registered with the Times Higher Education (THE) SDGs ranking platform. This has led to a total integration and mainstreaming of SDGs support structures across the university processes and activities.

The State Department for Higher Education and Research will continue to support similar initiatives in our universities. To actualize on this need, I urge all our Kenyan Universities to strive towards registering on the free of charge United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) platform and also apply to be United Nations Academic Impact SDGs Hubs in line with the available guidelines that give a deadline of 30th September, 2025.

 

  • Kenya’s Support for Research, Innovation and ICT

As government, we are working closely with a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the Research, Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem to catalyze progress towards attainment of the targets set out in our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda around: Healthcare; Agriculture; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); Housing and Settlement; and, the Digital Superhighway and Creative Economy.

Indeed, Mount Kenya University is a key pillar and a model in the Kenyan Research, Sciences, Technology and Innovation ecosystem.

As a Department responsible for the coordination and policy matters on University education and research, which also includes support of innovation, I wish to reaffirm the Ministry’s unreserved commitment to provide a conducive policy environment for support of research, patents promotion, as well as scaling of innovations and their commercialization. This will have an overall multiplier effect on enhanced livelihood in tandem with the aforementioned national, regional and global vision statements.

 

As we continue to witness more and more graduates from our universities in Kenya graduate and joining the labour market, their undisputable knowledge and skills render them to be strong beacons of hope for the country, for the continent and beyond. They are the positive change agents required in Kenya, in the entire African continent and beyond. I challenge you the 2024 MKU graduands and all graduates in Kenya to use the knowledge and skills to make a difference within the communities. Together, we have the capacity to steer the world into achieving the aspired socio-economic goals in a secure environment. Emerging innovations by staff and students drawing on ICT are poised to revolutionize production and service delivery across the world and we all look forward to that.

 

  • Conclusion

In conclusion, I wish to state to everyone but more specifically to the youth in Kenya; That positive change begins with you and me; it begins with our youth, as they aspire to become global leaders in future. To you the youth, kindly seize every opportunity to promote peace, self-reliance, and, to engage in activities that foster economic prosperity for yourselves, your families, and the global village in general.

 

Once again, I thank Mount Kenya University for this invitation.

 

Dr. Beatrice M. Inyangala

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, STATE DEPARTMENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

 

References

  1. Kenya Vision 2030 statement on Access to University (2008): https://vision2030.go.ke/project/other-education-programmes /
  2. Applying to be SDG Hub Universities (All universities urged to apply) -https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/applications-open-for-UNAI-SDG-Hubs
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