Magoha roots for varsity courses tailored for global jobs

Education Secretary George Magoha. PHOTO | LUCY WANJIRU | NMG 

By JAMES KARIUKI
More by this Author

Summary

• Prof Magoha said the future of learning was international and only institutions that helped students understand happenings across the globe would remain relevant.
• UoN chancellor Vijoo Rattansi urged for closer co-operation between Kenya and China to benefit from exchange of knowledge and skills.
• Chinese ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng said the country would fund construction of a modern library at the institute.

Education Secretary George Magoha wants universities to embrace internationalism in their learning programmes to ensure students are employable globally.

Speaking last week when he launched the University of Nairobi’s (UoN) Sh1.4 billion Confucius Institute, Prof Magoha said the future of learning was international and only institutions that helped students understand happenings across the globe would remain relevant.

“The university of the future is characterised by internationalisation of programmes where cross-pollination of ideas is made possible through academic exchanges,” he said adding that the UoN must become an African centre of excellence for Chinese language and cultural studies.

UoN chancellor Vijoo Rattansi urged for closer co-operation between Kenya and China to benefit from exchange of knowledge and skills.

Chinese ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng said the country would fund construction of a modern library at the institute.

UoN chancellor Vijoo Rattansi urged for closer co-operation between Kenya and China, saying this would see both countries benefit from exchange of knowledge and skills that improve their people’s lives.

She supported vice chancellor Stephen Kiama’s plea that China funds construction of a Sh100 million bridge linking the institute to Chiromo campus to enhance safety of students and staff working at the institute.

said the project mooted in 2007 was a fulfillment of a commitment by China’s government to enhance partnership with Kenya that promotes business and cultural exchanges.

Professor Magoha, who spent 32 years teaching at the university rising to become the UoN VC said 17,000 Kenyans had undertaken Chinese language and cultural studies at the temporal Confucius Institute set up years ago at UoN main campus.

The new facility will be headed by Professor Susan Xiao and will be tasked with championing Chinese Language and cultural studies as well as student exchange programmes.