Kenyans urged to review their research culture
'As at last year, the latest WIPO report indicated that only about 200 requests for patents were received from Kenya while 13,000 requests from South Africa. The National Research Fund has developed a framework to support researchers in Kenya to access funds and improve on the quality of research. The Research Excellence Framework will provide mechanisms to support research in universities: - The Framework will provide a benchmark for research, stimulate a research culture, promote appearance in fundamental research quality, and best research practices, improve the research execution process, and foster collaboration within universities.
Prof. Andala applauded the UoN for fostering a research culture in the country. He called on researchers to apply for research collaboration opportunities through the NRF website.’
This was revealed during the official opening Ceremony of the 8th Annual UoN Research Week held on Monday, October 28, 2024.
Chief Guest, Cabinet Secretary of Education, Hon. Julius Migos Agamba emphasized the role research plays and how it would solve the financial challenges faced by Institutions of Higher Learning while providing employment for the youth. He remarked, ‘As we gather here, I am reminded of the significant role, education, science, and technology play in shaping the future of our country. For Kenya to develop rapidly and attain global competitiveness, both the government and industry must appreciate the critical value of these sectors. The success stories of Japan and the Asian Tigers stand as a testament to this principle. These nations invested heavily in education and technology, enabling them to overcome bottlenecks, create wealth, and achieve high levels of income for their citizens.’
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jesang Hutchinson on her part highlighted the significant role that the University has played in the Country’s research culture, she noted, 'While government funding remains focused on undergraduate education, our University is pushing to bridge this gap by advocating for dedicated resources to support advanced research degrees. This commitment is not just an institutional priority but a critical step toward sustaining a robust research community that can drive innovation, resilience, and development across Africa. The University of Nairobi will continue to support the training of researchers in grant proposal writing so that we can have more of our researchers wining grants to enhance our research funds. Allow me to mention that our University is very actively involved in research, and we currently have 390 active grants. Between July and September 2024, we have signed grants worth 162,633,483.00 as grants . We registered 30 Intellectual Properly Assets.'
Executive General Manager, Du Shan , China Road and Belt Cooperation gave a key note address and emphasized that CRBC will continue to contribute to the development of infrastructure in Kenya through the Belt and Road Initiative under international cooperation between People's Republic of China and Kenya Government.
The University of Nairobi holds the research week annually. This is the 8th edition under the theme, ‘Harnessing Research for resilience and sustainability of community.’ Over 20 thematic conferences were held and driven by the Faculties.
