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Speech by the Chancellor (24th graduation)

SPEECH

 BY

CHANCELLOR, PROF. JOHN STRUTHERS 

DURING THE

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY 24^TH GRADUATION CEREMONY

 GRADUATION THEME: THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN DRIVING SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRY FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC EQUITY THROUGH LINKAGES

 ON

 FRIDAY, 8^TH DECEMBER, 2023

 AT

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY HAPPY VALLEY GROUNDS, THIKA

Salutation

• The Chief Guest, Juma Mukhwana, PhD, HSC, Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry,
• Members of the University Board of Directors,
• Chairman, University Council, Dr. Vincent Gaitho,
• Members of the University Council,
• Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi,
• Members of the University Management Board and Senate,
• Distinguished Guests,
• Mount Kenya University Staff,
• Parents and Guardians,
• Graduands and Students,
• Ladies and Gentlemen.

• Preliminary Remarks

I am delighted to preside over this 24^th Graduation of Mount Kenya University as I also bring warm greetings from my University, the University of the West of Scotland and also from my family to the Mount Kenya University fraternity, graduands, parents/guardians as well as to all Kenyans in general.

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to request my wife who is a Ghanaian by birth and is here with me and Prof. Richard Thacker, my colleague at UWS to both rise up and wave to the audience.

• A Word to the Graduands

Graduation Day is celebrated everywhere around the world, and this is a day which you will remember for many years, in fact for the rest of your lives.

I wish to offer a hearty word of congratulations to all the graduands and parents/guardians as well as to the MKU fraternity. Your joint commitment as stakeholders has led to this success whose fruits we are witnessing here today as we celebrate this 24^th Graduation Ceremony.

Dear graduands; you have received a very strong education at MKU which has equipped you well to serve the global community wherever your services are required. Be diligent in your work and also remember to remain in touch with MKU - your Alma Mater. We wish you all success in your future endeavors.

• The Raised Bar of MKU - UWS partnership

Ladies and Gentlemen, my remarks would not be complete without a word regarding the MKU - UWS partnership. For the first time at the University of West of Scotland, we hosted Mount Kenya University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi in October this year who held high profile meetings with leaders of different levels in our university, including the Vice-Chancellor Prof. James Miller. During the visit, a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the respective Vice- Chancellors which will facilitate joint research and other areas of the partnership between us. As the Chancellor of MKU, I will endeavour to assist in that process to the best of my ability.

Additionally, following the successful hosting of the International Conference of the Center for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development (CAREED) for the last 7 years at the UWS, and following discussions held between the two universities, an agreement has been reached in principle to host the 8^th International Conference of CAREED at MKU Thika in July 2024.  This is a significant milestone in the history of CAREED as well as for MKU, because it is the first time ever that CAREED will host its conference outside UWS and more significantly, on the African soil. We are finally bringing the CAREED Conference home to Africa where it rightfully belongs.

• Increased Partnerships at MKU

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to have noted the commitment of Mount Kenya University towards creation of new partnerships both with the industry and academia within the last 6 months which include the Erasmus Plus sponsored partnership with the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Slovakia, in Europe, which was unveiled through the first visit of 3 MKU members of staff and a reciprocal visit to MKU is expected to take place in January 2024.  The MKU partnership with the environmental conservation organization, in the MKU - Kwinta partnership which is being implemented at MKU’s Botanic Garden, through mass propagation of commercially viable medicinal plants, conservation of endangered plants species, and support of the Presidential Initiative of growing of 15 billion trees between 2022 and 2032. The initiative towards scholarship support of the needy and bright students has also been enhanced through the new partnership with the Ugandan Based organization called Mercy Beyond Borders. I have also been informed that several new initiatives with a number of UK universities on SDGs promotion, Medical School support, environmental conservation, research and capacity development are under way.

• A Word of Commendation to MKU

As the Chancellor of this wonderful university, a role that I am honored to hold, I would like to congratulate MKU for its continued progress under the sterling leadership of the Vice-Chancellor and his senior management team. Under their guidance, the University continues to be a leading higher education institution in Kenya and in the East African Region as a whole. This has led to outstanding growth in scholarly endeavors through community engagements as well as through increased cutting-edge partnerships with industry and with institutions of higher learning both locally and abroad.

• Conclusion

In conclusion, as scholars, we strive to serve the community to the best of our capacities through our core mandates of teaching, research and community engagement. We thank all the partners who have joined hands with us to execute these three mandates. We also invite other partners to join us for through these linkages, we continue to contribute towards the achievement of National and Regional Goals as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Thank you and may God bless Kenya, May God bless Africa, and bless all mankind.

I WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2024

ASANTENI SANA.

PROF. JOHN STRUTHERS

CHANCELLOR