Kenyatta University (KU) has started a comprehensive performance evaluation process for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to enhance service delivery and establish itself as the leading institution of higher learning in East and Central Africa.
This evaluation is a pivotal moment in the university’s ongoing commitment to excellence in education, research, and community service.
The performance evaluation will assess key areas of the university’s operations, including student completion rates, the review of academic programs, student mentorship, Ph.D. enrollment among staff, intellectual property registration, commercialization of innovations, dissemination of research outputs, community outreach, and the development of an institutional repository.
The overarching goal is to identify gaps and propose strategies to address any challenges, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with both local and international educational standards.
The evaluation team is led by Dr. Ben Chumo, Chairperson of the University Council, and Prof. Waceke Wanjohi, the acting Vice Chancellor. Both leaders underscored the importance of this evaluation in guiding KU’s future trajectory.
Dr. Chumo emphasized the necessity of regularly assessing the university’s performance to ensure that it stays responsive to evolving educational needs. “This process is essential for assessing our progress and identifying areas where we can amplify our impact,” Dr. Chumo said.
Prof. Wanjohi highlighted that the university’s sustained growth and success are intricately linked to national priorities and the continually evolving education standards. She further stressed that the outcome of this evaluation will be crucial in shaping KU’s academic and operational strategies moving forward.
The Deputy Chief of Staff for Performance and Delivery Management, Mr. Eliud Owalo, who led the exercise, emphasized the importance of performance evaluations in public institutions.
Mr. Owalo pointed out that public institutions such as KU must align their performance with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“This process is key to holding institutions accountable and ensuring they fulfill their responsibilities,” Mr. Owalo said.
He emphasized that the findings from this evaluation will be vital in informing KU’s plans and ensuring its active participation in national development and global competitiveness.
Student graduation rates remain a key priority for KU. The evaluation will assess the institution’s success in fostering an environment that supports student retention and academic success. The university administration has been working on initiatives such as financial aid improvements, academic mentorship, and enhanced student support services to increase the completion rate.
KU’s ongoing review of its academic programs aims to ensure they remain relevant, rigorous, and aligned with both local and international market demands. This includes revising outdated curricula and introducing new interdisciplinary courses that cater to the evolving job market.
There is also an emphasis on increasing Ph.D. enrollment, both for academic staff development and to contribute to the university’s research capacity. KU has been at the forefront of fostering innovation and encouraging the commercialization of research outcomes.
The evaluation will examine the effectiveness of the university’s intellectual property management systems and its capacity to turn innovations into marketable products and services that contribute to both economic growth and societal development.
The evaluation will also focus on the dissemination of research outputs and KU’s community outreach programs. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of these initiatives and their alignment with national development goals.
Lastly, the evaluation will assess the status and development of KU’s institutional repository, which serves as a digital archive for academic research. Ensuring that research findings are easily accessible to a wider audience is essential for enhancing KU’s global academic standing.
The evaluation process is poised to deliver valuable insights into the strengths and areas for improvement at Kenyatta University. The findings will guide the institution’s future development strategies, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of academic excellence and contributes to Kenya’s aspirations for regional and global leadership in higher education.
