Students benefit from MKU’s innovative research, partnerships

For any developing nation, it is impossible to talk about matters of higher education without including the term ‘research and innovation’ – words that Mount Kenya University (MKU) understands only too well as it continues setting trends in its attempt to answer institutional and societal needs.

Through strategic alignment and well-crafted partnerships, MKU has deemed itself ready to answer Kenya’s Vision 2030 call. Structured on science, technology and innovation, Vision 2030 is Kenya’s economic blueprint aimed at transforming the country into a middle-income nation by the year 2030.

What started as a small technical training institute in the early 2000s has, in the past two decades, morphed into a globally recognised institution keen on finding solutions to problems affecting the country and the world.

To keep up with the ever-changing needs of the world, MKU prides itself on progressive research policies. In the past five years alone, the institution has seen an increase in journal publication rates, funding from external sponsors, and an increase in research collaboration at both national and international levels. According to the institution, strategic partnerships are what enable it to constantly succeed where others are struggling.

So, how does one of the youngest universities in Kenya find itself among the top institutions in the EduRank rankings and research ability? University World News went looking for answers.

Local and international sponsorships

Due to limited funding from the government, there is a lot of competition for the available resources, a fact that makes researchers struggle to bring their work to life, thus limiting their potential. MKU has been able to counter this hurdle by seeking sponsors both locally and internationally to help them meet their needs.

In the first two months of 2024, MKU managed to snag a record seven research grants totalling almost KES90 million (about US$697,950). Sponsors include the World Bank, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, or ICIPE, the European Union (EU), the German Academic Exchange Service, or DAAD, the National Research Fund, Kenya, the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, and the Mayo Clinic.

“MKU has actively sought collaborations with other institutions, locally and internationally. These partnerships [with institutions] such as Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, the Leipzig University in Germany, the University of the West of Scotland, Vincent Pol University in Lublin, Poland, and Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany, among others, enhance the university’s research capacity and provide access to additional resources and expertise, further boosting its research profile,” Boniface Murigi, MKU’s director of communication, said.

The partnerships include:

• The Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital in Nairobi partnering with MKU’s School of Pure and Applied Sciences on the cancer prevention and treatment programme.

• Leipzig University partnering with the MKU School of Business & Economics under the Erasmus+ programme. Through the programme, MKU staff and students can travel through the Schengen countries for teaching and training. The Erasmus+ programme is an EU programme for education, training, youth and sport.

• Vincent Pol University partnering with MKU’s School of Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management, also under the Erasmus+ project.

“Our directorate of grants and development plays a pivotal role in managing and coordinating grant activities. The directorate offers comprehensive support, including identifying suitable grant opportunities, assisting in proposal preparation, and ensuring compliance with grant requirements,” Murigi said. “This centralised support with research teams domiciled in every school and regional campus system enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of grant acquisition and management.”


Japan’s ambassador to Kenya, Ken Okaniwa (right), and Mount Kenya University’s vice-chancellor, Deogratius Jaganyi (with the blue tie), inside the laboratorium at the malaria research centre, Image: John Muchucha

Focused approach

MKU uses a targeted approach that helps align its research activities with global and regional needs, thus attracting relevant and consistent funding opportunities. “We have established specialised research centres and themes such as antimicrobial resistance, malaria surveillance, cancer management, cancer treatment, unemployment, pedagogies, food security, and science communication,” Murigi explained.

“We also prioritise capacity-building in research skills among our staff and students. This includes training in grant writing, which equips the university community with the necessary skills to craft competitive research proposals.”

MKU’s biggest research sponsorship came in 2020 when they, in a joint proposal with Osaka City University in Japan, won a KES450 million (about US$3.5 million) grant to help establish a malaria research centre at their main campus in Thika, Kenya. The Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA, provided the funding.

This initiative is part of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) programme and aims to conduct extensive research on malaria in Homa Bay County, Kenya. SATREPS is a Japanese government programme that promotes and funds joint international research projects, mostly in developing countries.

“So far, the centre features state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and focuses on various aspects of malaria research – including early detection, treatment, and integrated prevention strategies. The project emphasises understanding malaria immunity in children and pregnant women, developing diagnostic kits, and investigating anti-malarial drug resistance,” Murigi said.

He said the centre is currently conducting malaria vaccine trials and tests to establish their efficacies and the mosquito variants, aiming to developing a genetic breed of mosquito that cannot carry the malaria parasites.

Innovation hub

To help enhance sustainability and innovation in research, MKU established an innovation and incubation centre in 2020. The facility was jointly funded by the Erasmus+ programme through the African Higher Education Leadership for Advancing Inclusive Innovation for Development (AHEAD) project.

“The multimillion-shilling facility is intended to support the life cycle of innovations, from inception to market diffusion and commercialisation. It serves both students and the community. For example, we are currently running a programme called SKIES Business Incubation Programme 2024, which focuses on manufacturing, agriculture, the creative economy, health, and digital technologies. We run accelerator programmes, hackathons and boot camps to stimulate creativity, problem-solving, and the generation and commercialisation of novel ideas,” said Donatus Njoroge, head of innovation, intellectual property, and community outreach at MKU.

Through the centre, MKU was able to sign multiple grant agreements with Spineberg Limited – an engineering company based in Nairobi, the E4Impact Foundation – a social change organisation that supports the start-up and growth of new businesses in Africa through MBAs, entrepreneurship programmes, business accelerators and economic development projects; and Kenya’s Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry.

“The centre is currently supporting 40 start-ups with technical support for the next six months,” Njoroge told University World News.

Student participation in research

To sustain a culture of curiosity and investigation in research, MKU encourages student participation through avenues such as boot camps and hosting research and innovation weeks where their students can display their ideas.

“For students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees, research is a core component of their academic programmes. The Vice-Chancellor’s Research and Innovation Grant ensures that the students’ theses and project components align with the faculty proposal and are funded to address some of the objectives in the faculty-funded research,” said Dr Henry Yatich, principal of the College of Graduate Studies and Research at MKU.

“We support undergraduate students through the incubation hub, where they can access equipment and personnel support to sharpen their innovations before being evaluated internally for presentation outside the university and for further support,” Yatich said.

Faculty members are also expected to involve at least one doctoral student and two masters students in their research projects to help them gain first-hand experience. MKU also set up an e-repository to which students can upload their research output for future reference by students.

Practical partnerships

To bridge the gap between research and practical application, MKU seeks partnerships with industries and government bodies that help them facilitate the transition of research findings into products, services or policies. For instance, partnerships in fields such as healthcare are entered into with hospitals, while agriculture and technology involve targeted farmers to allow for the implementation of research innovations in real-world settings.

“MKU has developed practical solutions like Amrex, a health-solution software designed to streamline patient data management and improve healthcare delivery,” Murigi told University World News.

Another notable example is Wema Herbal Soap, a plant-based soap developed from indigenous medicinal plants, including aloe vera and bamboo extracts, he said. This innovation emerged from the university’s research into the therapeutic properties of plants cultivated at their botanic garden at Happy Valley campus in Thika. The soap not only promotes environmental consciousness but also offers natural skincare benefits.

“Wema Herbal Soap has gained international recognition, winning an award at the Leipzig Global Soap Awards for its innovative approach and quality. It was nominated for EXIST funding by Leipzig to promote scalability and sales in Germany,” Murigi said.

“We provide financial assistance to researchers to cover publication costs. We ensure that we identify high-quality, peer-reviewed indexed journals where they can publish. The university’s Vice-Chancellor’s Research Grant, has a vote head for publication expenses, ensuring that our researchers can disseminate their findings without financial constraints. We provide 100% publication support for one article per year to all academic staff,” he explained.

The grant, which currently stands at KES30 million (about US$232,709), is expected to be increased to KES40 million over the next two years. “Our research policy is reviewed annually to remain up to date with new research agendas such as AI, and industry 4.0 technologies,” Murigi concluded.