Type Public Vice-Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina Chancellor Benson Wairegi Number of students 71,000 Academic staff 1,500 | Established 1985 Administrative staff 3,500+ (2015) Phone +254 20 8710901 Founded 1985 | |
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Motto in English Knowledge Is A Source of Strength Location Kahawa, Nairobi County, Kenya Address Kenya Drive, Nairobi City, Kenya Notable alumni Fred Matiang'i, Mohammed Abduba Dida, Sospeter Ojaamong, Vera Sidika, Isaac Mwaura Similar University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University, Egerton University, Moi University, Mt Kenya University Profiles | ||
Kenyatta University (KU), is a multi-campus public university in Kenya. As of October 2014, it was one of twenty three public universities in the country.
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Location
The main campus of Kenyatta University is located at Kahawa, Nairobi County in Kasarani Constituency, approximately 18 kilometres (11 mi), by road, northeast of the central business district of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, off of the Nairobi-Thika Road. The coordinates of Kenyatta University main campus are:1°10'50.0"S, 36°55'41.0"E (Latitude:-1.180568; Longitude:36.928042).
The list of KU campuses includes the following locations:
- Main Campus - Kahawa, Nairobi
- Ruiru Campus - Ruiru
- Parkland Campus - Parklands
- Kitui Campus - Kwa Vonza
- Mombasa Campus - Mombasa
- City Centre Campus - Nairobi Central Business District
- Nyeri Campus - Nyeri
- Nakuru Campus - Nakuru
- Kericho Campus - Kericho
- Dadaab Campus -Dadaab
- Embu Campus - Embu
- Arusha Campus - Arusha, Tanzania
- Kigali Campus - Kigali, Rwanda
History
In 1965, the British government handed over the Templar Barracks in Kahawa, to the newly formed government of Kenya. The barracks were then converted into a college called Kenyatta College. In 1970, Kenyatta College became a constituent College of the University of Nairobi, and its name changed to Kenyatta University College, following an Act of Parliament. In 1985, it was granted full university status, and was renamed Kenyatta University. U.S. President Barack Obama, whose late father, Barack Obama, Sr. (an economist) and paternal relatives are from Kenya, visited Kenya in 2015; while there, he visited one of the university's campuses.
Academics
The university offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees through twelve campuses, as of March 2016. The degrees awarded include those in medicine and law. The university has open-learning, e-learning, school-based, part-time and full-time teaching. Kenyatta University is accredited by the Kenya Commission of University Education, the Inter-University Council for East Africa, the Africa Association of Universities, the International Association of Universities and the Commonwealth Universities.
Schools
As of March 2016, the university maintains the following schools:
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences (2002)
- School of Visual And Performing Arts (2008)
- School of Education (1970)
- School of Pure And Applied Sciences
- School of Engineering And Technology (1985)
- School of Environmental Studies (2003)
- School of Applied Human Sciences (2008)
- School of Public Health (2004)
- School of Business
- School of Economics (1998)
- School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development
- School of Law
- School of Hospitality & Tourism
- School of Medicine (2011)
- School of Graduate Studies
- School of Virtual & Open Learning
- School of Architecture and the Built Environment (2016)
- School of Creative, Film and Media Studies (2015)
International students
The Centre for International Programmes and Collaboration at Kenyatta University, is a unit under the office of the Vice Chancellor, responsible for coordinating international activities, collaborations and linkages.
Athletics
Kenyatta University offers the following disciplines:
Football, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, chess, scrabble, darts, boxing, bodybuilding, taekwondo, swimming, athletics(track and field), scrabble, karate, Roll Ball, woodball, judo, wrestling, Goalball, baseball, softball.
Football, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, chess, scrabble, darts, boxing, fitness modelling, Taekwondo, swimming, athletics (track and field), Scrabble, Karate, Roll Ball, woodball, Judo, goalball, baseball, softball Seminars Short – term Courses in coaching, Sports management, training and Sports leadership are offered.
Alumni
The following individuals are some of the "Prominent Alumni" at the Kenyatta University website:
Management
The Chancellor is Benson Wairegi. The Acting Vice Chancellor is Professor Paul Wainaina. He replaced Professor Olive Mugenda, the first female Vice Chancellor of a public university in Kenya, who retired after the end of her tenure in January 2016. There are four Deputy Vice Chancellors and four Registrars, to assist the Vice Chancellor carry out his mandate.
The Director of Student Affairs is Dr. Edwin Gimonde, and the Director of Open Distance & e-Learning is Dr. Nzuki Mwinzi.
Businesses and investments
The university owns and operates the following income-generating businesses and investments:
- Thika Road Funeral Home - Nairobi
- North Coast Beach Hotel - Mombasa
- Uni-City Shopping Mall & Office Complex - Nairobi
- Kenyatta University Conference Center - Nairobi (100 rooms)
- Kenyatta University Bookstore - Nairobi
- A television station
- Kenyatta University Children's Hospital - Nairobi (Under construction)
- Kenyatta University Dairy Farm - (In development)
Views 2016
The Best University ever-Amos Alumni