This follows the successful completion of the E-learning Eco-system for Implementation of Mobile Learning research project which was funded by KENET to the tune of KSh. 1 Million between September 2011 and May 2012. The project was led by Dr. J. M. Kihoro, Deputy Director in the School of Open, Distance and e-Learning (SODEL) of JKUAT. The other researchers in the project were Dr. J. M. Wafula (ICT Director), Mr. Philip Oyier (Chairman of the Information Technology Department of ICSIT) and Mr. B. M. Kiula (Head of Research, Consultancy and Training Department of ICT).

The workshop has attracted national and international participants including the University of Nairobi, Strathmore University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology from Kenya, Kigali Institute of Science and Technology and Kigali Institute of Education from Rwanda, Ardhi University and Open University of Tanzania from Tanzania as well as Uganda Christian University and Kyambogo University from Uganda.

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In this connection ICT Directorate has been accorded ten slots in that training. This will go along way in equipping our staff with relevant skills that will add value to the University in terms of productivity. For more details click here

Dr. Muliaro Wafula, who has been on Technology Transfer assignment at the Ministry of Industrialization, was the Technical Team Leader for the revival of Pan Paper Mills, Webuye, from August 1st, 2011 to July 31st, 2012. He oversaw the revival of the plant and the rehiring of over 1500 staff to the advantage of the local and national economy and prepared it for the handing over to a Receiver Manager. He is set to resume duty as the substantive ICT Director, JKUAT. The handing over will be completed on August 29th, 2012 in a warm ICT staff ceremony.

Dr. Wafula comes back with a lot enthusiasm, networks and hands-on knowledge generated during his tenure at the Pan Paper Mills, Webuye, the Ministry of Industrialization as well as dealing with communities who are impacted by the broad socio-economic decisions of technology transfer and industrial management.

Mr. Mwirigi Kiula, the Acting ICT Director, has steered the Directorate through a vibrant one year during which the new library management system was completed, bandwidth upgraded, JKUAT email management system transformed and the Nerve Centre upgraded in line with best practices for data centres. Online services have also been rolled for effective and efficient service delivery to students and staff.

Before his acting appointment Mr. Kiula was the Head of Research, Consultancy and Training in the ICT Directorate.

From L to R: Dr. Wafula Muliaro,Director ICT,Paul Kukubo, CEO KICT Board and Michael J. Brown, Director, Technical Strategy, IBM Research Division

The announcement was formerly announced by the PS, Ministry of Information and Communication, Dr. Bitange Ndemo at a cocktail party hosted by IBM and Kenya ICT Board at the Hotel Intercontinental, Nairobi on August 13th, 2012.

In his remarks Dr. Ndemo, while emphasizing the need for reinforcement of research in Kenya challenged the audience and the nation to carry out value adding research to improve the economic well-being. The Director General, Kenya Vision 2030, noted that the selection of Kenya to host the 12th IBM Research Lab was a key plank of the Kenya Vision 2030 and was excited that the visioning was eventually coming true.

The University was represented in the function by Dr. Muliaro Wafula, the substantive ICT Director and Mr. Mwirigi Kiula who has been the Acting ICT Director.

The ICT Directorate staff will be invited to have their input in the new development.
This is a follow-up to the one-day workshop held on April 27th, 2012 on Key Performance Indicators and Staff Motivation and facilitated by Ms. Regina Mutoko, the ICT and Multimedia Director, USIU.

ICT Management Board meets with the Director, Nakuru CBD. Right to Left: Mr Kwacira(Tutorial Fellow), Pascal Ouma(COD,IS),Juma Wagoki(Director,Nakuru CBD), Mwirigi Kiula(Ag. ICT Director), Dorothy Kahenya(Ag. COD,RCT) and Dennis Mugambi(COD,ISS)

The KPIs and SOPs are expected to be launched by the Vice Chancellor in September 2012 and will be part of the performance contract for the ICT Directorate and its staff in the 2012/2013 year.

This dimension is driven by the realization that the ICT function plays a key enabling role in the effective and efficient delivery of University services. The ICT Directorate must invest in best practices that help the University to achieve the vision of “A University of global excellence in Training, Research and Innovation for development”.

New students queue for service

JKUAT acquired a Sage ACCPAC Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software to integrate all its operational systems. The system links all the University’s Campuses and centres to the main financial module at the Main Campus in Juja. The system was successfully used for registration of new students during the 2011/2012 academic year.

The ERP system has capability of integrating all business functions and processes in an organization to achieve numerous benefits. It offers a single point of data entry that helps in reducing data redundancy while saving time in entering data, thereby reducing labor and overhead costs. The system also centralizes information, decision-making, and control hence leading to increases in efficiencies of operations and productivity, as well as coordination function. The sharing of a centralized database provides the university management with accurate and up-to-date information to make well-informed decisions.

This is so far the largest ICT project the University has implemented so far focusing on key areas of its operation.