Status of Highr Education in Kenya and the 4Th Society for The
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1ST BIENNIAL CONFERENCE ON THE STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN KENYA PROGRAMME & BOOK OF ABSTRACTS THEME: QUALITY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH & INNOVATION Quality: The Agenda COMMISSION FOR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION 2016 Welcome to the 1st Biennial Conference on the State of Higher Education in Kenya Kenya has attached great interest in education as a stimulant for economic and social development since 1963. Higher Education in Kenya has gone through a trajectory dating back in 1922 when the then Makerere College in Uganda was established as a small technical college which was then expanded to meet the needs of the three East African countries; of, Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika/ Zanzibar, as well as Zambia and Malawi. Since that time, the sector has expanded phenomenally, and today the country has over 500,000 students studying within the sector. This has posed both challenges and opportunities. And as the country readies itself to climb to the next level of being knowledge based middle income level, there is need to examine how to grow the university sector that will live to the country’s expectations. It is in the light of these and other challenges that the Commission for University education has partnered with other players and stakeholders in the sector to co-host the first ever status conference on University Education in Kenya. The conference which will be held at Kenyatta University from 22nd to 25th August, 2016, will have local, regional and international speakers. It will seek to discuss the challenges and opportunities within the Kenyan University sector, with a view of building a truly world class and globally competitive university education system in Kenya. Issues that will be discussed include sustainable financing of University education in the country, strategies to boost research productivity of university academic staff, how to improve the management and quality of a rapidly expanding university education system, how we can boost training in the science, technology, engineering and medical fields, how to improve the quality of graduates produced, how to improve completion rates especially for postgraduate students, and how to align university education with market needs among others. The Conference is being organized and is sponsored by the Commission for University education in collaboration with the Ministry of education, The National Commission for Science, i technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement service (KUCCPS), Technical, Vocational Educational Training Authority (TVETA), Kenyatta University, the University of Nairobi, Egerton University, The Chandaria Foundation, Karatina University, Mount Kenya University, Thomson Reuters, United States International University, technical University of Kenya, The City County of Nairobi and University of Kabianga and University of Groningen (NICHE project) among others. This is a truly local initiative that will go a long way in coming up with strategies and policies for improving the University sector in Kenya. As the conference kicks in, I would like to acknowledge the many committees and individuals who have worked tirelessly with the LOC in planning, organizing and implementing the technical and social programs. With deep humility, I want to acknowledge the members of the scientific committee (headed by Prof. Jackson Too and Prof Ratemo Michieka), Fundraising committee (headed by Dr. Kevit Desai and Alice Kande), Logistics Committee (headed by Eliza Mbatia and Phyllis Karimi) for their efficient and professional reviews of all submitted abstracts, and making sure that all logistics for this conference are in place. In the same breadth, allow me to salute CUE staff members (Reynold Njue, Stella Kiptoo, Silas Oure, Hyrine Matheka, Pius Walela, Linah Lilan, Zackary Waweru, Judith Oketch, and Francis Kibaru among others) who provided a round the clock support to all committees. I convey special appreciations for the amazing financial, materials and other support that we got the University and other sectors; and especially from the Commission secretary Prof David K. Some and all Commissioners. In the coming days, I hope you will enjoy many cutting-edge scientific, educational, technological and medical presentations designed in the spirit of pushing the frontiers of science, technology and education in Africa. Your active participation in all the conference programs will leave permanent mark on the conference. Dr. Eusebius J. Mukhwana is the Deputy Commission Secretary, Planning Research and Development, Commission for University Education in Kenya and Chairman, Local Organizing Committee. Email: [email protected] ii Table of Contents General information ..................................................................................................................................... ix Local Organizing Committee Members ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2016 Conference Sponsors ........................................................................................................................... 1 Keynote speakers Biographies ...................................................................................................................... 4 Conference Programme .............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. ABSTRACTS ............................................................................................................................................. 15 Linking Vocational Education with University Education in Kenya .......................................................... 40 Quality Assurance in University Education in Kenya and Benchmarking with International Practices: The Role of Universities and Commission for University Education ................................................................ 41 The Place and Quality of Parallel Programs in Institutions of Higher Learning: A Case for Kenyatta University and St. Paul’s University ........................................................................................................... 42 Knowledge and Attitude of Secondary School Students about TVET ....................................................... 43 Demand Factors Influencing Alternative Mode of Study: A Case of University Of Nairobi External Degree Programme ..................................................................................................................................... 43 University Funding in Kenya: Status, Challenges and Prospects ............................................................... 45 Accessibility to Higher Education by Students with Disabilities: The case of Kenyatta University .......... 46 Health and Safety in the Kenya Higher Education Institutions .................................................................. 47 Employability Skills and Job Opportunities for The Graduate: The Role Of Higher Education Institutions .................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Studying Approaches among Technical Education Students, Nairobi, Kenya ........................................... 49 Points of Concern in the Quality Standards of Academic Research in Kenya: Implication to University Research Pedagogy ..................................................................................................................................... 50 Research Training in Africa: Re-Defining Post Graduate Mentoring for Quality Outcome in Higher Education .................................................................................................................................................... 51 Promoting Academic Integrity: a Survey of Selected Postgraduate Programs at Kenyatta University ...... 51 Strategic partnership for enhanced research, innovation and uptake in Africa: The KIDSCAN Research Alliance ....................................................................................................................................................... 53 Sustainable Funding Of Science Based Courses: A Prerequisite to Attainment of Technical Knowledge and Skills for Industrialized Africa ............................................................................................................. 54 Sharia Compliant Student Loan-Backed Securitization for Higher Education Loans in Kenya ................. 55 Effectiveness of Performance Contracting Processes in Promoting Higher Education in Universities in Kenya .......................................................................................................................................................... 56 Governance in Higher Education: Leadership Prospects and Challenges of Public Universities in Kenya 57 Kenyatta University’s Journey towards Empowering the University Community with Spatial Thinking and Practical Skills for Problem Solving .................................................................................................... 58 iii The Genesis of School Of Continuing Education at Kenyatta University through Self-Sponsored Programme And Its Effects On Education In Kenya .................................................................................. 59 Research Utilization among University Academic Staff in Kenya: A Case of Education, Arts and Social Sciences .....................................................................................................................................................