KCA University concluded its 2022 public lecture series in Kisumu on 16th November, 2022 attended by stakeholders from the western region.
While giving his keynote address, Kisumu County Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili who represented the governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o challenged the institutions of higher learning to embrace and champion innovation, noting that it is a critical enabler of sustainable development both at the county and national level. “With shifting global ways of doing things and cut-throat competition in companies, innovation has become inevitable. Even in governments both the county and national levels, nothing succeeds without innovation,” he said.
Dr. Owili said universities should strive to offer solutions to the development of the country by churning out full baked graduates, who are innovation oriented. “With shifting global ways of doing things and cut-throat competition in companies, innovation has become inevitable. Even in governments both the county and national levels, nothing succeeds without innovation,” he stated.
The deputy governor said universities should strive to offer solutions to the development of the country by churning out full-baked graduates, who are innovation-oriented. Going forward, Owili reiterates that it is necessary for the universities to explore and run learning programmes that are entirely valuable for today’s market.
He recommends that the universities establish innovation hubs to promote uptake of technological skills among the young generation. He discloses that the county government of Kisumu intends to set up innovation centres across the seven sub-counties to promote skills development, especially among the youth. “These innovation centres can be used by students as spaces to further the innovative ideas that they may have,” he states
KCA university Vice-Chancellor Prof Isaiah I.C. Wakindiki, while acknowledging existing gaps in research area in the institutions, said the university was on the pathway to transformation to realign itself with the current trends. And to ensure it is on edge with the changing era, KCA university launched a division of research and innovation one year ago
Prof. Wakindiki pointed out that KCA University has prioritised research and innovation as a significant pillar, giving it utmost attention in terms of human capital and financial support with a view of filling the existing gaps.
He said the university has embraced a massive digital transformation in the way it delivers academic programmes. He added that the institution has empowered teaching staff on the modern teaching methods of the future to be able to keep in pace with what is happening around the world.
The Vice Chancellor observed that innovation and sustainable development forms part of the university’s strategic pillars. Further, the institution has realigned its curriculum with the realities of climate change to see that the new scholars being churned out are conscious and aware of climate change issues. He also said the university was going paperless through its digital transformation agenda to cut down on carbon emission to the environment.
