The Vice Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi on Wednesday April 8, 2026, welcomed two faculty members from VIVES University of Applied Sciences, Belgium, who are currently visiting the University to assess the progress of their students undertaking internships in various research projects.
The students are placed at the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences Technology and Innovation, hosted at JKUAT, as well as at International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, in collaboration with JKUAT. The visiting faculty will also engage in teaching and knowledge exchange in the field of biotechnology
Prof. Ngumi warmly welcomed Dr. Annick Keirsebilck and Ms. Zoey Vandenberghe and reflected on her visit to VIVES in 2023. She noted that the engagement led to ongoing collaboration with the Department of Zoology in animal sciences, particularly in wildlife management, and further partnerships with the School of Business and Entrepreneurship and the School of Nursing.
Prof. Ngumi reaffirmed JKUAT’s interest in expanding collaboration in biotechnology, noting that related programmes are offered at the undergraduate level within the Department of Botany and at postgraduate level through the Institute of Biotechnology Research (IBR). She expressed the desire to expand collaborations in biotechnology to other departments such as horticulture and food security.
This commitment to collaboration resonated with the VIVES delegation, who expressed their enthusiasm to visit JKUAT, citing positive feedback from a previous group that accompanied 45 VIVES students earlier in the year to Kenya. They commended the University’s research infrastructure and expressed satisfaction with the facilities supporting student training and research.
As part of their visit, the delegation paid a courtesy call to the Department of Biochemistry, where they are scheduled to deliver lectures to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The sessions will, among other topics, discuss emerging technologies, including Oxford Nanopore Technology for sequencing, and are expected to stimulate new research ideas and collaborations.
The initiative was welcomed by the Chairman of the Department, Dr. Joel Bargul, and the Dean, School of Biomedical Sciences, Prof. Johnson Kinyua, who is also supervising one of the VIVES students.
Prof. Kinyua stated that the department is reviewing its postgraduate curriculum to incorporate foundational training in molecular biology and bioinformatics. These additions are critical in strengthening biotechnology training, as they equip students (often from diverse academic backgrounds), with the analytical and computational skills required to handle complex biological data.
Also present was Mr. Stephen Munuve, University Liaison Officer for International Affairs, who emphasized the importance of building collaborative technical teams between JKUAT and VIVES. He noted that such partnerships can be leveraged into structured programmes that advance the University’s internationalisation agenda.
This visit marks the first cohort from VIVES to deliver lectures in biotechnology at JKUAT. Their focus spans key areas of biotechnology such as medical, agricultural, industrial, and marine. These sectors, often represented by the colors Red, Green, Blue and white respectively focus on improving health outcomes, enhancing food security, promoting environmental sustainability, and industrial efficiency.
