All TU-K News

The Technical University of Kenya is playing a key role in a Sh.41 Million Geodesy project, a fundamental field in physical sciences, engineering and mapping technology set to be implemented in Africa.

The project is funded by the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) bringing in collaborating universities and research institutions in South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda with TU-K as the lead institution. The project lead at Manchester University Dr. Jack Radcliffe recently visited TU-K where he met with the implementing partners in preparation for the launch of the project. He also paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Technology Development, Prof. Isaac Orina, to brief him on the project.

Professor Maurice Amutabi is the new Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs (DVC-ASA). He takes over from Prof. Paul Shiundu whose term ended in 2023. Prof. Francis Gatheri, the Executive Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, has been serving as DVC – ASA on acting capacity. In a memo to the University community, the Chairman of the University Council, Dr. Idle Farah said Prof. Amutabi will serve for a term of five years effective May 1, 2025.

On 12^th April 2025, members of staff and students planted over 1,000 trees at Langata Barracks Secondary School compound. This was in conjunction with staff, students from the school and Kenya Defence Force officers.

The tree growing exercise is part of President Dr. William Ruto’s initiative to plant 15 billion trees by 2030, a move aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions, and reversing deforestation and restoring 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes.

The University has in the past participated in tree growing exercises at Konza Technopolis City and Highway Secondary School, Nairobi.

Chancellor Dr. Jared Kangwana has formally been presented with his Honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree certificate of the Technical University of Kenya.  The formal presentation of the degree certificate by the University Council Chairman, Dr Idle Omar Farah, happened during a breakfast meeting held at the University. Dr. Kangwana was appointed Chancellor, in April 2024 by President, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, to serve for a period of five years. He was conferred with the honorary doctorate, during the 13^th graduation ceremony, held on 26^th November 2024.

On Thursday 10^th April 2025, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benedict Mutua, led the members of the Finance and General Purpose of the University Council on a comprehensive familiarisation tour of the institution's main facilities and sites. The purpose of the tour was to evaluate the University’s physical assets to inform strategic decisions on how they may be leveraged to enhance the revenue streams.

The grant that the Department of Chemistry and Material Science secured in 2024 from Civilian Research Development Fund (CRDF) Global, valued at USD 11,500 (approximately KSh.1.49m), has been used in strengthening the safety, security, and environmental sustainability of the Chemistry laboratory.

The grant was used to purchase four color-coded, lockable cabinets specifically designed for the safe handling of dual-use and potentially weaponisable chemicals. These cabinets are built with acid-resistant materials, are coated with weatherproof paint, and feature an advanced dual-lock system to ensure high levels of security.

Acacia Water, a groundwater and water management company based in The Netherlands, has partnered with TU-K to boost knowledge sharing, joint research and project works in the Eastern Africa region. This will see students from the Department of Physics and Earth and Environment Science benefit from hands-on training opportunities, internships at Acacia Water workshops and sites and wide-range of fieldwork engagements.

An Environmental Design student at TU-K has won highly competitive abroad industrial attachment opportunity and will be on work-learning placement in Brazil where he will join a team of experts undertaking research in adoption of building constructive strategies to enhance energy efficiency. Mr. Simeon Nyakundi, a final year Bachelor of Technology in Interior Design showcased his proficiency and rich portfolio that impressed panellists from the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) and selected him to be among the few young scholars exhibiting innovation and passion in their fields of practice.

Institutions of higher learning in Africa as well as Small and Medium Enterprises are progressively embracing the need to digitize services in their day-day operations.  This was showcased in the discussions during the Digital Transformation Summit that was organised by the DigiT Project, and hosted at the Transcentury Auditorium, Strathmore University, in partnership with TU-K on Friday 14^th March 2025. 

The summit themed “Digital Transformation for competitive advantage” attracted students and members of staff from the two universities.

The Technical University of Kenya (TUK) will participate in the Africa Centre for Career Enhancement and Skills Support (ACCESS 2.0) project for the 2025-2029 period. This initiative, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and aims to enhance career readiness, entrepreneurship, and service-learning among students across multiple institutions in Africa.

The project is spearheaded locally by Mount Kenya University (MKU) in collaboration with10 other Kenyan universities, including TU-K. Professor Collins Miruka leads the implementation of the project at TU-K, ensuring that students and faculty benefit from the initiative’s innovative programs.

Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has commended the Technical University of Kenya for offering quality training in pharmaceutical technology as exemplified by the 100 per cent pass rate of its students. TU-K offers a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology examined by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC).

Students pursuing engineering and technology-related are set to benefit from a joint research and student exchange programmes with Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) based in Canada. Representatives from NSCC recently visited TU-K where they discussed various cooperation areas that would benefit students and teaching staff from the two institutions.

Academic activities have resumed after the staff unions signed a return-to-work formula with the University Council and Ministry of Education following an industrial action that lasted 51 days.

The industrial action was called by the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) to agitate for improved terms and conditions of work for their members.In a memo dated 17^th March 2025 addressed to staff and students, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Benedict Mutua, said lectures were to resume immediately along with preparation and revision for Semester I examinations. Students were therefore notified that they had two weeks to revise before commencement of examinations that will be conducted between 31^st March and 12^th April, 2025.

A team of researchers from the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through phage therapy—a revolutionary alternative to antibiotics. This research, focused on phage isolation, genome analysis, and comparative genomics.

While phage therapy has been successfully explored in the Global North, Kenyan researchers are now advancing its potential as a homegrown solution to drug-resistant bacterial infections. Speaking at the conclusion of a 10-day workshop and research sequencing exercise jointly held at TU-K and the Kenya Institute of Primate Research (KIPRE), Dr. James Munyao emphasized the urgency of finding alternative treatments for bacterial infections that no longer respond to antibiotics.

Kenya Innovation Agency (KeNIA) has committed to support the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) in setting up income-generating ventures through commercialisation of research, innovations and start-ups. KeNIA CEO, Dr. Tonny Omwansa who visited TU-K recently said the Innovation Agency is seeking out to partner with universities to enhance their innovation and entrepreneurship capacities, providing them with the necessary tools, frameworks, and support programs to develop and scale impactful solutions. 

The Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) is excited to announce the re-introduction of two admission intakes per calendar year after a 10-year hiatus, following a Senate resolution passed on Tuesday, 21st January 2025.

The Technical University of Kenya has partnered with the University of Arts, Berlin, Club of Engineers and Friends, Berlin, together with Wajukuu Arts Collective Studio, to offer hands-on short courses to youths in Lungalunga, an informal settlement in Nairobi. The initiative is part of the University’s outreach programme that will see underprivileged youths benefit from entrepreneurship skillset training, scholarship opportunities and exchange programmes in Kenya and German.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Benedict Mutua, on Friday 20^th December 2024, held a six-hour consultative meeting with the members of staff in the Main Hall.

This was the first time the VC was meeting the general staff since he assumed office in September 2023. The event brought together all cadres of staff who were given an opportunity to air their grievances and suggested the possible solutions. “It was not my intention not to meet you soon after I assumed office. There was a lot that was going on. I wanted to first understand and attempt to resolve issues and fully understand the institution before holding any meaningful meeting with you,” explained Prof Mutua.

The Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) in conjunction with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), through the Supporting Researcher Communities Training Grant, will be conducting a 3-day online training on presentation skills and research data management. The training targets post- graduate students in ACU member universities.

The training will take place on 14^th to 16^th January 2025.