The Open University of Kenya (OUK), which was mooted 14 years ago, has finally received a charter to begin operations.
The charter was granted by President William Ruto at the Konza Technopolis where it will be based. The award of the charter makes it the first public open university in Kenya.
Dr Ruto announced that the first batch of students will be admitted in September and will study online.
Following the award, Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi was installed as the university's chancellor. According to OUK's constitution, the president is the chancellor but can appoint someone else.
The vice-chancellor is Prof Elijah Omwenga, while Prof Ezra Maritim is the chairman of the university council.
Dr Ruto described the university as a "hustler university" and said tuition fees will be half of what students pay in conventional universities.
He, however, did not say how much the courses would cost.
The university has moved to Konza from its previous location in the Nacosti building on Waiyaki Way.
It is now housed in the building of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), a postgraduate specialist university being set up with support from South Korea. It's modelled along the Korean Institute of Science and Technology.
“Kenya makes history by flinging open the Doors of the university for everyone who wishes to receive the highest level of education from the convenience of their home, office, kiosk, farm or other hustles. Those who do not wish or cannot afford to abandon their other interests in order to pursue university education can now enrol on more convenient terms,” Dr Ruto said.
He announced that students who are admitted to the university would benefit from government loans and bursaries under the recently established higher education financing framework.
“This is the university of herdsmen, farmers, mama mboga, matatu driver, bodaboda, watchman, domestic employee as well as trained professionals and graduates. Nothing says ‘bottom-up’ better than The Open University of Kenya; it is, indeed, the People’s University,” said Dr Ruto.
The curriculum content for the programmes on offer was developed this year by a team of consultants and later approved by the Commission for Higher Education.
The courses that OUK will initially offer are Bachelor of Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, Bachelor of Data Science, Bachelor of Technology Education, Bachelor of Science in Business and Entrepreneurship and Statistics and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Food Systems.
The university will also offer postgraduate diplomas in leadership and accountability and learning design and technology.
