Prof. Stephen Kiama Gitahi has officially been installed as the 8th Vice Chancellor of the great University of Nairobi.

In a colorful function held at the Taifa Hall in main campus and steamed online to a global audience, Prof. Kiama took oath office with a clear vision of what lay ahead in terms of spearheading the university to global academic and research excellence.

Addressing the audience, the new VC stated three elements as among his key developmental agenda for the university. Prof. Kiama said, “We need to invest our energies and resources towards setting up a comprehensive and integrated data management system.”

“Data will change how decisions are made, optimize deployment of resources and improve overall systemic output. In the competitive environment that we find ourselves in, leveraging verifiable data to lower decision turnaround time, to seize time- sensitive opportunities and to make better predictions to outsmart competition cannot be gainsaid.” He added.

The new VC also pointed out the need to refresh management, administrative, oversight and governance structures.  “This will entail elimination of redundant and overlapping systems, processes,structures and reporting centres; inbuilding of top-bottom flow of power, resources, responsibility and accountability to the lowest levels and institutionalization of efficient decision and policy making and implementation at every level.”

In his last point Prof. Kiama said, he will embark on the path of fit-for-purpose training. “We need to relook at our university course offerings and to assess the level to which they respond to market, industry, societal and government needs as well as to weed out redundant and overlapping courses and programmes.”

The Vice Chancellors installation ceremony was graced by Chancellor Dr. Vijoo Ratansi, Ministry of education officials, staff, students and key stakeholders.