The government is urging public universities to make better use of their land, buildings, research and other resources to generate value and support their operations.
Principal Secretary for Public Investments and Assets Management Cyrell Wagunda said universities have large physical, intellectual and human resources that can be put to better use without taking away from their academic responsibilities.
Wagunda spoke in Kisumu on Sunday, October 4, during an education summit where he represented Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
He said universities should keep proper records of their assets and ensure they are well maintained.
These include land, buildings, laboratories, ICT facilities, research centres, accommodation and equipment.
“Asset optimization should not be interpreted simply as commercialization or disposal; rather, it should mean ensuring that public assets are productive, sustainable and aligned to institutional priorities,” Wagunda said.
The government also wants universities to work more closely with private companies to give students more opportunities to gain practical experience.
Such partnerships could include internships, student projects and programmes linked to challenges in the workplace.
Wagunda said universities produce large amounts of research and new ideas, but more needs to be done to turn some of the work into products and services that can be used outside the classroom.
“Our universities are generating a lot of knowledge, research and innovations, but the process of transferring the knowledge from the lab and journal articles to commercialization and applications is a great chance,” he said.
He challenged universities to enhance the management of intellectual property and invest more in technology transfer, innovation and incubation.
He said closer ties with the industry will enable the universities to transform their researches into business ventures and solutions, and at the same time provide opportunities for graduates.
The move comes against the background of the larger government strategy of making university and technical education relevant to the jobs market.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has earlier appealed to the universities to establish closer cooperation with the industry to equip the learners with practical skills.
He has also encouraged universities to lay emphasis on digital literacy, problem-based learning and entrepreneurship to prepare the graduates for employment and entrepreneurship.
The government is also advocating that the universities seek Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in order to attract private resources and experience for developing and managing public goods.
