KEMRI Scoops awards at the 4th Biennial Conference

The institute had the honor of attending the 4th Biennial Conference hosted by the Commission for University Education. The conference aimed at igniting a dynamic space for scholars, university students, and research organizations to display their research outputs and services to the public. This landmark event transcends the realm of knowledge dissemination, serving as a potent catalyst for systemic societal transformation in Kenya.

The conference which was held from 12th to 14th June, and guided by the evocative theme “Catalyzing Systemic Social Transformation through Research and Innovation” with the empowering tagline “Innovate, Collaborate, Transform,” fostered a vibrant exchange of ideas among distinguished researchers, innovators, industry leaders, and stakeholders. This diverse tapestry of expertise delved into a rich array of applied research findings, experiences, achievements, and challenges across various disciplines.

The Chief Guest, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Ezekiel Machogu, officiated the opening ceremony in presence of various key speakers from institutions within and outside the country. Mr. Machogu emphasized on the importance of the conference for participants. highlighting its role in exhibiting impactful research across diverse disciplines, fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange between universities, industry, and government stakeholders while promoting collaborative research and innovation, benchmarking against international best practices, and inspiring the next generation of researchers and innovators.

“I am confident that with the diverse pool of experts attending this conference, there will be lively discourse and valuable insights shared across various disciplines. I want to challenge the academic and research fraternity to infuse their expertise and transformational ideas into the country’s efforts to actualize Vision 2030. This way, we will be contributing to the societal transformation agenda that seeks to accelerate Kenya’s transformation in provision of
better health and a newly industrialized country. I look forward to seeing operational collaborative initiatives emerge from this conference, catalyzing the much-needed societal and economic transformation in this country. Another expected outcome of the conference includes a comprehensive communique outlining action on policy, regulatory, and practice recommendations to inform the future of research university education and institutions in Kenya,” Hon.
Machogu stated.

Renowned scholars, researchers, industrialists, and technocrats were urged to use the forum to engage and reflect on research output, innovations, and technology with a view of sharing and expanding knowledge in academic work. Hon. Machogu highlighted collaborative opportunities for creating linkages with public corporations and infrastructural projects, such as the SGR, National Highways Construction, and research centers like KEMRI, KEFRI, and AMREF, which work with international partners using cutting-edge technology, especially in agriculture, health, and forestry.

KEMRI Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok was equally present during the conference. In his presentation he spoke on Strategies for linking Universities with Research Institutions in Kenya. “University-Research Institution collaboration is common in most places, KEMRI being one of them. KEMRI Graduate School – JKUAT collaboration has been there since 2003 to offer Masters and PHD degrees in health-related courses. Encouraging researcher mobility fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange between institutions. Researchers and medical students gain new perspectives, insights, and skills through exposure to different research environments and methodologies, which in return promotes knowledge
transfer and capacity building. Proposed guidelines for universities are to equip students with futureoriented skills like; critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, and adaptability to thrive in their professional landscape is a key factor,” he intimated.

Hon. Machogu concluded by urging all participants to take advantage of the conference to network and build lasting relationships anchored in scholarly engagement and commitment to research and innovation.

As a part of the Universities’ Expo, KEMRI Graduate School had the opportunity to exhibit its postgraduate programs. Various dignitaries and delegates interacted with staff from the school, who answered questions related to the programs offered. Areas of possible collaboration were also identified, where delegates noted gaps in the health research arena that could address through research capacity building. Prof. Chacha Nyaigotti, Board Chairman of the Commission for University Education, visited the KEMRI exhibition booth and commended the KEMRI Graduate School for its excellent work in providing health related educational services.

KEMRI’s African Journal of Health Sciences also exhibited its services to a varied audience, including researchers, graduate students, and other stakeholders from different organizations and higher learning institutions. Many inquired about the journal’s publication scope, turnaround time, costs, and manuscript submission schedules.

Previous authors expressed their appreciation to the journal secretariat for the support and services provided during the publication process. “I want to thank the AJHS team for making it seamless to disseminate my research findings to a final publication. I am committed to submitting more manuscripts and referring more clients to publish through AJHS,” acknowledged Dr. James Wafula.

During the award ceremony KEMRI received a 1st Runners-up accolade in Research and Innovation category. A testament to the Institute’s groundbreaking research and innovation in the healthcare sector. All in all, it was a successful expo and an excellent exposure for both the KEMRI Graduate School and the African Journal of Health Sciences, having satisfactorily met the objectives of the University Expo in the 4th Biennial Conference.