Kenyatta University


Kenyatta University is a public research university with its main campus in both Nairobi County and Kiambu County, Kenya. It acquired the status of university in 1985, being the third university after University of Nairobi and Moi University. As of October 2014, it was one of 23 public universities in the country.

Location

The main campus of Kenyatta University is at Kahawa, Nairobi County in Kasarani Constituency, approximately, 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.
The list of KU campuses includes the following locations:
  1. Main Campus - Kahawa, Nairobi
  2. Ruiru Campus - Ruiru
  3. Parkland Campus - Parklands
  4. Kitui Campus - Kwa Vonza
  5. Mombasa Campus - Mombasa
  6. City Centre Campus - Nairobi Central Business District
  7. Nyeri Campus - Nyeri
  8. Nakuru Campus - Nakuru
  9. Kericho Campus - Kericho
  10. Dadaab Campus -Dadaab
  11. Embu Campus - Embu
  12. Arusha Campus - Arusha, Tanzania - Closed
  13. Kigali Campus - Kigali, Rwanda - Closed

    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. and paternal relatives are from Kenya, visited Kenya in 2015; while there, he visited one of the university's campuses.

Academics

As of March 2016, the university has 12 campuses offering bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. 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.

Library

Kenyatta University's library is one of the largest in Africa with a vision to bring high quality, scholarly information resources and services to its students and researchers. In addition to lending services, the library offers E-services and has branches in the respective satellite campuses. The library is open from 8:00 a.m – 12:00 midnight from Mondays to Fridays and from 8:00 a.m – 10:00 p.m. on weekends.

Schools and institutes

, the university maintains the following schools:
School of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Public Health
School of Visual And Performing Arts School of Business
School of Education School of Economics
School of Pure And Applied SciencesSchool of Agriculture and Enterprise Development
School of Engineering And Technology School of Law - Parklands
School of Environmental Studies School of Medicine
School of Hospitality & TourismSchool of Virtual & Open Learning
School of Architecture and the Built Environment - Ruiru CampusSchool of Creative, Film and Media Studies - Ruiru Campus
School of Nursing Sciences School of Security, Diplomacy and Peace Studies

Institutes and centers

The university hosts institutes and centers such as;
  1. Confucius Institute at Kenyatta University,
  2. Africa Centre for Transformative and Inclusive Leadership
  3. Chandaria Business Innovations and Incubation Centre
  4. Center for Refugee Studies and Empowerment
  5. Cisco Networking Academy

    Degrees and courses

The following courses are offered by the university and accredited by the in Kenya
Doctorates and PhD - 14
Master's degree - 94
Bachelor's degree - 117
Postgraduates Diploma - 12

Student life

International students

The Centre for International Programmes and Collaboration is a unit under the office of the Vice Chancellor, responsible for coordinating international activities, collaborations and linkages.

Athletics

Kenyatta University partnered with IAAF as an athletics-village in the 2017 world under 18 championship Nairobi. The athletes were hosted in the Nyayo hostels and used the campus facilities for training.
Kenyatta University offers the following disciplines:

Men's sports

, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, chess, scrabble, darts, boxing, bodybuilding, taekwondo, swimming, athletics, scrabble, karate, Roll Ball, woodball, judo, wrestling, Goalball, baseball, softball.

Women's sports

Football, rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, chess, scrabble, darts, boxing, fitness modelling, Taekwondo, swimming, athletics, Scrabble, Karate, Roll Ball, woodball, Judo, goalball, baseball, softball Seminars Short – term Courses in coaching, Sports management, training and Sports leadership are offered.

Sports facilities

Sports achievements

The following individuals are some of the "prominent alumni" at the Kenyatta University website:
  1. Prof Ahmed Hasanali - Professor, ICIPE
  2. Prof Mike Boit - Sports Science,Former athlete. Received an honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Glasgow in recognition of his contributions to the academic research of sports and its development in Kenya 2014
  3. Prof. Edward Waswa Kisiang'ani - Historian, Political analyst/scientist and strategist.
  4. Prof Olive Mugenda - Former Vice-Chancellor, Board Chair KU hospital.

    Management

The chancellor is Benson Wairegi. The 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 Deputy Vice Chancellors are:
The university owns and operates the following income-generating businesses and investments:
  1. Kenyatta University Funeral Home
  2. North Coast Beach Hotel - Mombasa
  3. Uni-City Shopping Mall & Office Complex - Nairobi
  4. Kenyatta University Conference Center - Nairobi
  5. Kenyatta University Bookstore - Nairobi
  6. Television station KUTV
  7. Kenyatta University Children's Hospital - Nairobi
  8. Kenyatta University Dairy Farm -
  9. Kenyatta University Hospital

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