Accreditation report

Abstract

The inception of the University of Nairobi is traced back to 1956, with the establishment of the Royal Technical College which admitted its first lot of A-level graduates for technical courses in April the same year. The Royal Technical College was transformed into the second University College in East Africa on 25th June, 1961 under the name Royal College Nairobi and was admitted into special relations with the University of London whereupon it immediately began preparing students in the faculties of Arts, Science and Engineering for award degrees of the University of London. Meanwhile, students in other faculties such as the Faculty of Special Professional Studies (later renamed Faculty of Commerce) and Faculty of Architecture continued to offer diplomas for qualifications of professional bodies/ institutions.

On 20th May 1964, the Royal College Nairobi was renamed University College Nairobi as a constituent college of inter-territorial, Federal University of East Africa, and henceforth the enrolled students were to study for degrees of the University of East Africa and not London as was the case before. In 1970, the University College Nairobi transformed into the first national university in Kenya and was renamed the University of Nairobi.

The Universities Act No.42 of 2012 Act repealed all the seven Public Universities Acts including the University of Nairobi Act Cap 210. Accordingly, all Public Universities existing before the commencement of the Universities Act No.42 of 2012 were required to take steps prescribed under this Act (section 13 (1), including the an institutional audit, to obtain a Charter in accordance to section 72 (1). The purpose of the audit was to verify if University of Nairobi had met the expected requirements for the award of Charter.

The Commission then established a panel of professionals to study the University of Nairobi Self-Assessment Report and use it as a basis for carrying out institutional audit (verification of the physical facilities and academic resources) at University of Nairobi, and thereafter to develop and submit a report and recommendations for CUE’s consideration and adoption.

The Commission for University Education audited University of Nairobi in February 2013 and was satisfied that the institution had met minimum requirements in governance, Academic Programmes, and Academic resources. The University was expected to implement recommendations contained in the Accreditation and Audit Report in order to enhance the quality of teaching it offers to its students and play a greater role in the development of this country. A summary of the Commission's findings including an update of the current status is contained in this report.

The Commission for University Education recommended that University of Nairobi be awarded a Charter.