The ocuntry’s premier agricultural institution, Egerton University, has been a pole of stability, a bastion of higher education and a symbol of resilience in the region for over eight decades.
Founded in 1939 by Lord Maurice Egerton of Tatton, a Briton who settled in Kenya in 1919, the Njoro based university has celebrated its 86 years of existence with pomp and colour that was marked with the unveiling of a 600-page chronicle authored by Professors Emilia Ilieva and Reuben Matheka titled ‘Thus Until: A History of Egerton University (1939–2019)’
Vice Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage indicated that Egerton University holds the title of Kenya’s oldest institution of higher learning having been founded as a farm college before attaining full university status in 1987.
Prof. Kibwage noted that over the years, the institution has rolled out various outreach initiatives aimed at nurturing talent, promoting access to higher education and contributing to national development through education and mentorship.
The Vice Chancellor observed that educational and research institutions carried a weighty responsibility as catalysts for socio-economic development through the creation of new knowledge, research and innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship and the eventual commercialization of outputs emanating from these initiatives.
“Our educational and research institutions have the potential to play a more proactive role in supporting an innovation ecosystem, especially through recognition of innovation that can be patented,” he added.
He stated that research holds the key to unlocking the country’s potential while urging training institutions to embrace innovation as this would boost skills development.
He said institutions of higher learning carried a grave responsibility as a catalyst for socio-economic development through the creation of new knowledge, research and innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship and the eventual commercialization of outputs emanating from these initiatives.
Prof. Kibwage said it was vital and urgent that Kenyan institutions endeavour to inculcate an entrepreneurial mindset among students to, not only make them ready for the job market but more importantly to catalyze a paradigm shift from seeking formal employment to being job-creators and employers by utilizing their creative and innovative abilities.
While acknowledging that Science, Technology and Innovations were major drivers and enablers of social and economic transformation, the Vice Chancellor pointed out that applying knowledge and innovation is necessary to attaining sustainable economic growth and competitiveness under the emerging challenges such as climate change.
He noted the importance of research collaborations across the globe as it offered great cross-learning opportunities for researchers to learn and engage.
“It is time research takes the centre-stage in every university,” said Prof. Kibwage, urging scholars and researchers to forge a powerful collaboration with the business sector to translate research findings into industries to create wealth and jobs. To achieve this, he said, African universities should become the springboards of economic development in the continent.
Kenyan universities still need to play a more active role in supporting an innovation ecosystem, especially through recognition of innovation that could be patented, he added.
By Jane Ngugi
