St. Paul's and KCA Universities got into a memorandum of understanding to enhance joint research and innovation between the two institutions on Friday 30th June, 2023, at the KCA University Conference Hall.
The signing off ceremony was coupled with a farewell luncheon to see off Prof. John Okpara, a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP) based at the Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania-USA. Exploring new frontiers on maters research and innovation has been instrumental in capacity building for students and staff; hence, the quality programmes, cutting-edge innovations and celebrated leaders curving a niche for themselves in the global arena, just to mention a few aspects identified with St. Paul's University today.
The two institutions have enjoyed a cordial working relationship over time and signing of an MOU is an affirmation of a long-standing partnership that KCA and St. Paul’s University have had in innovation and research in extensive cadres. “What we are doing is part of what has been the interest of the two learning communities for many years,” stated Prof. James Kombo, the St. Paul's University Vice Chancellor. This was echoed by Prof. Isaiah Wakindiki, the CEO and VC of KCA University with these words “In this MOU, we are looking forward to strengthening our bilateral ties that have been going on and today we are just formalizing the same.”
The deal was sealed with Vice Chancellors for both institutions appending their signatures to copies of the spiral bound documents whose content detailed nitty-gritties of the collaboration. “These are in terms of capacity building for both our staff and students. It has to do with writing joint grant proposals and fellowships, knowledge sharing, and joint research and innovation ideas,” said Prof. Wakindiki. Prof. Kombo exuded confidence in the collaboration that he said was the first that St. Paul’s has engaged in locally as it sought to expand opportunities for local and international scholars. The two administrators underscored the benefits that the two institutions would reap from the MOU.
The event also marked the hallmark of a fellowship programme that the two universities have undertaken in collaboration with the Carnegie fellowship programme based in the United States. “Another aspect was to celebrate the conclusion of a fellowship partnership we’ve had with Carnegie that culminated into hosting Okpara from Bloomsburg University for eight weeks,” Prof. Wakindiki of KCA stated." Carnegie pairs African Diaspora scholars with higher education institutions and collaborators in Africa. “Sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York, the competitive programme sponsors innovations, democratic engagement, and strengthening international peace and security through funding proposals,” stated Prof. Peter Ngure, the St. Paul's University Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs. The scholars jointly work on curriculum co-creation, co-development, collaborative research, graduate training, and mentoring activities with the aim of developing sustainable partnerships. In his stint in Kenya, Prof. Okpara had been involved in activities around the mentorship of postgraduate and senior staff in research-grant writing proposals, during which four proposals were submitted, according to the two VCs.