All TU-K News

A delegation from the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany, today made a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor. The visitors were received by Prof. Paul Wambua the DVC Institutional Advancement and Enterprise on behalf of the VC. The team including Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Heisig, Prof. Constanze Langer, Prof. Dr. Veit Köppen and Prof. Dr. Julia M. Struß are in the University to explore areas of possible collaboration. Prof. Wambua welcomed the team, emphasising that the university is keen on developing mutually benefiting partnerships with other institutions.

The Technical University of Kenya scooped the prestigious ‘Best Play’ emerging top in the just concluded 6^th Regional Kenya Universities Performing Arts Association (KUPAA) Drama Festivals that was held at Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU). TU-K drama team will now proceed to the national competition that will be held at Egerton University between 8^th and 16^th November.  “The talented performers bagged the prestigious title of the overall ‘Best Play’ in the festivals with a score of 93% for their original play; ‘Echoes in the Dark’,” said Mr. Patrick Ogutu who is the TU-K Drama Club Patron.

The Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) hosted a delegation from Tangaza University’s Disability Inclusion Office and a representative from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD). The visit was used for a joint assessment of TU-K’s infrastructure, services, and equipment to establish if they accessible and inclusive for learners with disabilities.

Two engineering students from CESI Graduate School of Engineering in France have been at the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) for five weeks for their abroad-industrial and research training and experience which is part of the areas of collaboration between the two institutions. In reciprocity, two students from TU-K are set to travel to France for similar experience. They include; Festus Cheruiyot, pursuing a Master of Technology in Mechanical Engineering who will be hosted for four months for internship at CESI’s Saint Nazaire Campus while Monicah Wanjiru will be undertaking her Master’s Project for six months at CESI School of Engineering.

Through its locally-registered company, Africa Smart Mobility Kenya Limited (ASMSKL), Spiro is set to establish a specialised training centre at TU-K aimed at developing top-talent in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. This initiative follows a recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ASMSKL and TU-K.

Spiro is an international company specialising in electric vehicles. It has branches in Benin,Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Fullcare Medical Ltd, a medical company based at Tatu City, will soon sign an MoU with the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) that will see students in various fields benefit from attachment and internship opportunities as well as job placements. The cooperation also extends to joint research engagements between the two institutions.

Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Research and Technology Development (RTD), Prof. Isaac Orina, recently led a team from TU-K, on a visit to Fullcare Medical SEZ Ltd, a medical company based at Tatu City. The TU-K delegation was comprised of Prof. Jackson Odote, Dr. Naomi Waiganjo and Dr. Robert Onyancha from the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology (FAST) and Dr. Fredrick Mutua, Ag. Director, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME). 

A radio telescope dubbed Transient Array Radio Telescope (TART) has been launched at the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K), the first ever astronomy installation of its kind in Kenya. Such other installations in the continent are only found in South Africa and Mauritius.The telescope, incorporating recent technologies of radio telescopes, was installed atop TU-K’s S-Block building. This is a milestone in space research in Kenya bringing together industry players, government agencies, universities and research institutions.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benedict Mutua, has urged all first years to remain focused on their studies and avoid being used by politicians for self-gain. Prof. Mutua was speaking to first year students at the Main Hall while wrapping up the five-day orientation exercise.  He stressed that the University is situated at the Central Business District (CBD), which is volatile hence the need for students to be conscious of their environment. 

Prof. Francis Gatheri, Ag. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs has adviced freshmen and women who joined the University recently to properly manage their time, leverage on University’s resources and maintain academic excellence. The DVC, who was speaking to the first years on the second day of the week-long orientation programme, explained that many students who join the University scored As in their high school examinations but usually fail to maintain a similar performance while at the University.

Dear freshmen, I welcome you to The Technical University of Kenya and congratulate you for gaining admission to pursue your studies in our esteemed University. Some people may take it for granted, but let me tell you that earning a place in our prestigious University is no mean achievement. Your admission here marks a beginning of a dynamic journey that will see you grow physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually. You have joined a vibrant academic community known for its rigorous training and robust education tradition and you will competently be prepared for the real world. Whereas this has always been our commitment, I wish to draw your attention to following three points.

Dr. Jacqueline Okeyo, a lecturer from the Department of Design and Creative Media, is among 15 grant winners of the African Women in Tech and AI.  The top 15 were among 80 female researchers and entrepreneurs selected in a competition that was held in Morocco. The teams from 28 countries in Africa also underwent a three-month training. Eight Kenyans qualified for the 2024 cohort; two of them won grants.

Dr. George Obiero from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology has won a research training grant from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) - Supporting Research Community. The grant yields academic and research training opportunities, including training on essential skills in research presentation and grant writing for early and mid-career researchers.

Head of Public Service (HOPS), Felix Koskei, has challenged academic institutions to embed research into their educational curricula and provide hands-on opportunities for students, saying it cultivates a new generation of innovators and scholars. Mr. Koskei spoke during the 2024 Kenya National Research Festival which was held in Nairobi recently. He said, “The vibrant research culture, supported by strong collaborations between academia, industry, and Government will enhance our educational outcomes to position Kenya as a leader in addressing both local and global challenges.”

The Technical University of Kenya wishes to take this early opportunity to congratulate and welcome all the students who have been selected for the various programmes at the premier university, the Technical University of Kenya.  In order to give each one of you time to settle down and adjust to the (new) life with ease, the University has dedicated one week of orientation into the various aspects that would form part of your lifestyle for the period of stay at the university. Orientation will run from 26^th August 2024 to 30^th August 2024.

The orientation of new students joining the University is done face-to-face in order to among others: -

Four students from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies have landed job offers at a renowned agricultural magazine, The Smart Farmer Africa, after demonstrating high levels of proficiency during their Industry Based Learning (IBL). Smart Farmer Africa CEO Benardette Murgor applauded the students’ efforts and nose for learning in the wake of a huge demand for multimedia content and online-based content production and dissemination.

The 2nd African STACK Conference for Undergraduate Mathematics was hosted by System for Teaching Assessment using a Computer Algebra Kernel (STACK), an online-based open-source mathematics solution assessment system, at TU-K. The five-day conference was set up to train Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) members of teaching staff from various universities across Africa.

The Technical University of Kenya is set to cooperate with Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) in areas journalism and media training.

KBC has expressed interest in supporting journalism training at TU-K indicating that some of the equipment the University would benefit from would include; retired technology that can be used in demonstrating the evolution of age-old radio and TV broadcasting.

Research and innovation remain central in solving current challenges and a critical proposition for youth empowerment in Kenya. The Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala said this in a speech read by TU-K VC, Prof. Benedict Mutua during the Kenya National Research Festival 2024 stakeholders’ briefing.  “It is recognised globally that research, science, technology, and innovation are essential for social and economic development. Most European and North America countries owe their development to intensive application of research findings.