It was a moment of joy, pride and renewed hope as graduands of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, technology and Innovation (PAUSTI) thronged the graduation square to celebrate academic excellence, innovation and resilience. Flanked by faculty, parents, guardians and friends, the graduands, drawn from 28 African countries embodied the aspirations of Africa’s youth, all brimming with new energy and freshly crafted talents to drive the continent’s development agenda forward.
During the joint graduation ceremony on Friday June 27, 2025, JKUAT Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Mathu Ndung’u conferred degrees and awarded diplomas and certificates to 2,826 graduands. PAUSTI presented 78 graduands for convocation, while the rest came from JKUAT.
Prof. Ndung’u said that the graduands were well equipped with the skills, knowledge and mind-set to address existing and emerging issues facing society, just like the growing number of alumni from both institutions.
The Chancellor added that JKUAT continued to play a leading role in Kenya’s research ecosystem, developing solutions to the country’s development challenges. He cited the Kenya Electronic National Vaccine and Immunization Portal, designed by JKUAT scientists with the aim to revolutionize immunization logistics by eliminating fragmented data, while enhancing transparency, and enabling data-driven public health decisions.
“JKUAT and five other universities in Africa and Belgium are also undertaking an international research project, aimed at repositioning underutilized plant species of Africa as a solution to food, health and climate change impacts,” Prof. Ndung’u added.
Education Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Julius Migos Ogamba lauded JKUAT Council in the smooth running of JKUAT, which he noted, had enabled the University to play its rightful role in supporting Kenya’s development through producing quality graduates and impactful research.
Department of Higher Education, Dr. David Watene during the academic procession.
The CS in a speech read by Dr. David Watene, Director of Education in the State Department of Higher Education added that the government was constituting reforms in Kenya’s higher education sector for increased efficiency and effectiveness. Some of the reforms underway by the state include university funding model, aimed at increasing financial buoyancy of state universities.
Hon. Ogamba also announced that Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service had completed the placement of the 2024 KCSE students to various universities, with official release of the results set for next week.
JKUAT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi said that the University’s dedication to high quality academic and research standards had seen JKUAT retain its position as a popular choice for students seeking higher education.
Prof. Ngumi said JKUAT students had posted exemplary performance in both local and international competitions, citing the recent triumph of the University’s students at the Huawei Global ICT Competition in Shenzhen, China.
The Vice chancellor said JKUAT had introduced three academic programmes namely: Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, to address the growing need for innovation in the blue economy; and the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, which focuses on design, manufacturing, and maintenance of medical equipment and devices.
On community impact, Prof. Ngumi noted that JKUAT with the support from the Japan International Co-operation Agency, had embarked on a three-year community training programme aimed at improving the well-being of communities hosting refugees through adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. The programme, she reported, had set up a demonstration farm and conducted training for target beneficiaries both at JKUAT and in Turkana County.
While congratulating the graduands, PAU Rector Prof. Jean Koulidiati said that PAUSTI specializes in nurturing talent in areas fundamental to the continent’s transformation—Engineering, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Molecular Biology, Mathematics, and innovation management.
“Here, we are training minds not just to understand science, but to apply it for Africa’s benefit—from clean energy and health technologies to climate resilience and infrastructure development,” he added.
JKUAT Council Chair, Dr. James Micah Onsando, said the University had posted remarkable performance in undertaking both basic and applied research, resulting in an enviable portfolio of intellectual property assets.
“To encourage research excellence among the university faculty, JKUAT recently inaugurated the Vice Chancellor’s Research Merit Award, aimed at promoting high quality research across thematic areas, like resource mobilization, visible community impact, potential for commercialization, impact on field of study and upcoming faculty,” Dr. Onsando reported.
The graduation ceremony was also headlined by a valedictorian address by Ivy Jane Wanjiku, who graduated top of her class with BSc. Information Technology. A fast rising leader and developer, Ivy recounted with fondness the moments spent with contemporaries at JKUAT during her study.
She lauded the faculty for steadfast guidance and the university management for availing quality learning environment, enabling thousands of dreams to bud and finally thrive.
“We are indeed grateful that this esteemed institution provided us with the environment to learn, grown and sharpen our talents,” Ivy said.
