College of Engineering and Technology hosts Engineers Board of Kenya to Review JKUAT Engineering Programmes

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, hosted the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), the body mandated to register Professional Engineers as well as evaluate and accredit Engineering courses in Kenya on Monday 20^th and Tuesday 21^st February 2023. The main purpose of the Board was to visit the College of Engineering and by extension the University to carry out an extensive exercise of course evaluation and review for recognition and accreditation. The University Management was represented by Prof. Robert Kinyua, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs who also represented the Vice Chancellor and Prof. Bernard Ikua, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration and Finance. The College of Engineering and Technology (CoETec) on the other hand was led by the Principal Dr. Hiram Ndiritu and included the Deans of Schools, Chairmen of Departments and other Academic as well as Technical staff.
The review exercise resulted from an invitation by the University to the board in order to have seven Engineering Programmes evaluated and recognized hence accredited. The programmes are:

• BSc. Chemical Engineering
• BSc. Water and Environmental Engineering
• BSc. Aerospace Engineering
• BSc. Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• BSc. Telecommunication and Information Engineering
• BSc. Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Of the seven programmes, four are new which are set to commence later in September 2023 namely:

• BSc. Chemical Engineering
• BSc. Water and Environmental Engineering
• BSc. Aerospace Engineering
• BSc. Materials and Metallurgical Engineering

Two of the remaining four programmes were being evaluated for the purpose of being recognized and accredited by the board namely:

• BSc. Telecommunication and Information Engineering
• BSc. Electrical and Computer Engineering

The remaining one programme,Electrical and Electronics Engineering, is currently recognized and accredited by the board but it was being reviewed.

While welcoming the delegation from the Engineers Board of Kenya, Dr. Eng. Ndiritu first gave a brief genesis of the College that grew from a Faculty from the birth of JKUAT in 1981 as JKCAT to a College in 2010, to become the first within the University. Being a registered professional Engineers himself, Dr. Eng. Ndiritu stressed the need of having the Engineering courses offered in JKUAT accredited. The review and accreditation process is an endeavor he has championed and is part of his goals in his vision of transforming the College since becoming the principal.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance, Prof. Eng. Bernard Ikua who is also a professional Engineer, underscored the need for accreditation of the programmes offered by the University saying this will give the University a good global image.
Prof. Eng. Ikua also stated that an integrated involvement of all engineering stakeholders enhances teamwork important in building synergy in addressing breaches affecting the engineering profession.

The Chief Executive Officer of EBK Eng. Margaret Ogai on her part gave a brief on the mandate of EBK in the process of course review. While commending the University for its commitment on the review process Eng. Ogai said the process of having JKUAT engineering courses reviewed had been interesting since the University was resourceful and played its part effectively.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, expressed the University’s commitment in engaging the appropriate parties including professional bodies of every discipline offered by the University to see to it that their take on emerging trends and required standards are ropped into the curriculums to ensure the peak of each course in terms of content is attained.
In her speech that was read on her behalf by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Robert Kinyua, the Vice Chancellor said she was confident that the University’s level of training and facilities were top notch and there was no doubt the students were getting the highest quality of training.

Prof. Ngumi committed that the University will undertake the responsibility of encouraging members of staff to register as professional and consulting engineers with EBK in addition to development of quality engineering programmes.
The Vice Chancellor was buoyant that JKUAT has over 35 registered professional and consulting engineers, whereas a good number are at conclusive stages of registration as professional engineers. She additionally credited the collaboration of the University and professional bodies as a key strengthener of training standards and engineering practice of university staff.

Being the Chief Guest at the opening of the review process, the Chairman, Engineers Board of Kenya, Eng. Erastus Mwongera applauded JKUAT for its undertaking in seeing all its engineering programmes recognized and for championing engineering.

Eng. Mwongera emphasized the commitment of the Board in guarding the engineering profession pointing out that engineering was the oldest science and a noble profession that needed to be taught and practiced with accuracy. He also stated that the Borad has put much effort on upscaling of transitioning of graduates to practicing engineers as a way of advancing the profession.                 

While commending Prof. Eng. Ikua for pursuing a role in management in the University as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, Eng. Mwongera challenged engineers to think jobs that are outside engineering noting that there are many jobs that engineers would do with much success.

To ensure ease of movement of local professional engineers around the globe and building of capacity in the country, Eng. Mwongera noted that EBK was working on attaining Signatory Status at the Washington Accord.
“The Accord acknowledges recognition of engineering academic programmes as a key foundation for the practice of engineering at the professional level in each of the countries or territories covered by the Accord,” said Eng. Mwongera.

Eng. Mwongera disclosed that JKUAT will become a Center of Excellence in Engineering and will be able to admit international students while also upscaling research in the University upon attaining accreditation.

Being part of the delegation from EBK, the Chairperson of the Academic Qualifications Committee (AQC), Prof. Eng. Silvester Abuodha, noted the need for accreditation of courses since it is an international requirement to have any engineering given programme evaluated for recognition by the competent authority in charge of engineering education within that particular jurisdiction.

He outlined the following areas as the key for evaluation: programme design, programme curriculum content, staff establishment, training facilities and infrastructure; training duration; and quality assurance.