Mount Kenya University (MKU) through partnership with Sweden Universities is working on research in mental health and education, following a surge in depression cases among students.
The research is a joint venture with Umea and Lulea Universities from the Norrbotten Region in Sweden and seeks to establish causes, risks factors, stimulators and interventions among several other areas, so as to effectively address mental health cases in the institutions.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said the research is among several others that the institution is working on, noting that this year, between August and October, the university won over Sh52 million to support research and innovation.
He spoke during the 26th graduation ceremony at the main Thika Campus in Kiambu County where 7,448 graduands were conferred with degrees and awarded diplomas and other certificates in the occasion presided over by the Chancellor Prof John Struthers.
“MKU continues to build strategic partnerships to strengthen research and innovation ecosystems. Several members of our staff continue to travel to Europe under the Erasmus Mobility Grants and Access project schemes to engage with colleagues in different universities to discuss future collaborations,” said the VC.
Another area of research and innovation that the institution is making major strides in, according to Prof Jaganyi is on Malaria Elimination and Control.
He said at the institution’s Malaria Elimination Laboratory established last year through a partnership with the Japan government to boost the elimination of the disease, they have recently acquired and installed Next-Seq 1000 Illumina sequencer.
The sequencer, he said, is the latest model in the market and has a capacity of generating 160GB of data per sequencing cycle.
This, he added will enhance the capacity of research outputs from the university and effectively help in coming up with interventions towards the elimination of the disease in the country.
“Increased research and innovation output requires heavy investment of financial resources. Through the Vice Chancellors Research and Innovation grant, we have this year eight research teams each awarded Sh1.8million for research,” said Prof Jaganyi.
He added that the university continue to place itself strategically through partnerships to become the region’s research and innovation hub, noting that over the years, their students have won several accolades locally and globally.
The Deputy High Commissioner for Uganda Eunice Kigenyi who was the Chief Guest commended MKU for making an impact on education in Eastern African region by establishing campuses in most of the countries.
Dr Jane Nyutu, the MKU Co-Founder said the institution was building an office block at Kibuli in Kampala in a bid to expand its services and bring them closer to the people.
The building will serve as a strategic point of expanding access to quality education to a wider region covering South Sudan, and parts of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said Dr Nyutu, who represented MKU Chairman, Board of Directors and Founder, Prof. Simon Gicharu.
By Muoki Charles
