The United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) made history in the local higher education space with the graduation of its first cohort of students who pursued their Masters of Business Administration (MBA) that was delivered entirely online.
The class comprising twelve graduands was part of more than 1,339 graduates who received degrees in various Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctorate disciplines at the premier University’s 44th graduation ceremony.
At the colourful ceremony presided over by outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof. Freida Brown and newly appointed Vice Chancellor Prof. Margee Ensign, the University leadership confirmed plans to enhance its e-learning programmes to meet growing market demand.
In a press statement, the Principal Secretary of University Education and Research, Mr Evans Atambo, who graced the Commencement Ceremony, lauded USIU-Africa for taking the lead in developing e-learning solutions to complement traditional higher education delivery options.
“The graduation of this first cohort of Postgraduate students who have undertaken their studies online from start to finish is encouraging and provides good proof that the delivery of quality e-learning at the higher education level is possible in Kenya,” said Atambo.
USIU-Africa received regulatory approval to deliver the fully online MBA programme from the Commission for University Education (CUE) in 2020.
The programme, which is powered by a range of learning resources, including e-books, e-journals and other e-resources from the University’s online library, is designed for online delivery and virtual examination within five semesters (approximately 18 months).
Speaking at the commencement ceremony, outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof. Freida Brown said that the graduating class also featured the first cohort of Bachelor of Arts in Animation and the Bachelor of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
At the same time, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor Prof. Margee Ensign, who brings a distinguished scholarly and administrative reputation from the United States and Africa to her new position, also congratulated the graduating Class of 2022
“You are the future global leaders in Kenya, across the entire continent, and beyond. We are so proud of you and look forward to hearing the impact that you will create in your life journey,” said Prof. Ensign.
In its recently launched 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, the University outlined plans to strengthen its enrolment rates by more than 32 percent while diversifying the range of market-driven courses delivered as part of its institutional growth plans.
Further, the Strategic Plan also highlights a blueprint to secure and intensify the University’s revenue mobilization efforts to finance its academic delivery programs while leveraging its robust Information Technology Systems.
The University also aims to transition 85 percent of its students into the labour market through market-driven programmes that meet the 21st-century industry needs. As part of its strategic plan, the institution will triple external research funding and productivity by 2026.
By Michael Omondi
