TAGDev 2.0 program at Egerton University on February 3, 2025, engaged Deans, Directors, and Chairs of Departments in a strategic forum to discuss ways to strengthen academic, research, and policy interventions for improved graduate outcomes and institutional resilience
The discussions were aimed at identifying institutional opportunities and actionable strategies that would ensure the university remains responsive to the changing industry and societal needs. Key areas such as curriculum alignment, graduate completion rates, policy development and implementation, inclusion & equity, research & extension services and institutionalizing entrepreneurship were discussed during the meeting.
In her welcoming remarks, the TAGDev 2.0 Program Coordinator, Prof. Nancy W. Mungai elaborated the importance of engaging the Deans, Directors and Chairs of departments, in the efforts of transforming the university in line with the vision of being “A world class university for the advancement of humanity”. She urged all members to align their actions to the vision and work towards achieving that end.
In his opening remarks, the DVC Academic, Research & Extension (AR&E) Prof. Bernard O. Aduda, emphasized the need for transformative education. He acknowledged the role that the TAGDev program is making at Egerton university in facilitating and leading discussion toward creating a transformative and sustainable education system. He focused on the need to understand institutional resilience, in view of Egerton university’s niche, the current ecosystem in higher agricultural education and the need to scale out efforts for competency-based curriculum (CBC).
The discussions focused on ensuring that academic programs aligned to competency-based education in preparation for the first cohort of CBC students in 2029. While Egerton University had well-structured programs, the need for continuous stakeholder consultations, industry partnerships, and experiential learning opportunities such as internships and field attachments are apparent. Regular curriculum reviews should be conducted to incorporate emerging industry trends, technological advancements, and practical skills that would improve graduates' employability. Universal approach in curriculum review and development was discussed, to ensure inclusion and equity in delivery of all programs.
Timely graduate studies completion can be improved by providing a clear roadmap to completion during orientation, efficient proposal and thesis approval processes, and access to research funding. There is a need to facilitate supervisors to ensure they actively monitor students during data collection. Given the rise of disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), where data can be generated with a single click, close supervision will help ensure that graduate students engage in genuine, transformative research. Additionally, commitment to providing timely feedback and effectively tracking students' academic progress was also highlighted as a critical factor in improving completion rates.
The discussions further addressed the need for clear policy frameworks to guide academic and administrative processes. While the university had various policies in place, implementation gaps had been noted. Participants emphasized the need to review existing policies to ensure they remain relevant and effective. Additionally, they highlighted the importance of creating awareness and sensitization programs across faculties to promote proper implementation of existing policies. With strengthened monitoring and evaluation of policies, there will be effective dissemination across faculties, and fostering partnerships with government bodies, industries, private sector and philanthropists to enhance institutional capacity and funding opportunities.
Through strengthening partnerships between the university, industries, and communities, research outputs that address societal challenges will be realized at a greater scale. The team proposed ways to access local funding opportunities for research, enhancing the visibility of research findings, and encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations to solve pressing national, regional and global issues effectively.
The importance of fostering an entrepreneurial culture within the university was also highlighted, given the rising unemployment rates. Explored strategies such as establishing incubation centres, integrating entrepreneurship into curricula, and providing mentorship opportunities for students and faculty is key. The university needed to create an enabling environment where students could develop innovative solutions and commercialize their ideas, thereby generating employment.