The Commission for University Education (CUE) and stakeholders in the higher education sector are advocating for the extension and increase of research funding for universities.
They argue that Universities are the main research centres in the country but grapple with challenges and limitations, including funding and infrastructure.
They say the lack of adequate funds has seen researchers, including students and faculty, adapt coping methods, such as sourcing funds from outside and collaborating with other institutions. Competition for limited funding has also seen many valuable research proposals shelved.
CUE CEO Prof Mike Kuria said that the commission is advocating the extension of part of the two percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to research and development at higher learning institutions. This, he said, will limit over-reliance on outside sources and unnecessary project delays.
In March, the National Research Fund unveiled a proposal to revamp the governing law in science, technology, and innovation to provide up to two per cent of the GDP. According to the Central Bank of Kenya, the country’s GDP stood at Sh13.5 trillion in 2022; thus, two per cent of this would be Sh260 billion.
According to the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovations (NACOSTI), Kenya spends about 0.8 percent of its GDP on research and development. This fact has made it challenging for researchers, most of whom work at universities, to carry out their responsibilities.
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“It is a good idea to have part of the funds allocated for research earmarked specifically for universities because they have the responsibility to carry out research; it’s their core business,” Prof Kuria said.
The CEO spoke during a visit to Zetech University’s Mang’u campus in Juja, Kiambu County, where he joined the university management and students in a tree-planting exercise.
Zetech University Vice Chancellor Prof Njenga Munene echoed similar sentiments and reiterated that research plays an integral part in the growth of the country’s economy and, therefore, should be properly funded.
However, he noted that the government, through the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Education and the National Research Fund (NRF), should expedite the release of the current allocation to Universities to ease financial limitations and burdens on researchers and facilitate timely project completion.
“Let the Government release the current allocation to the institutions,” Prof Munene said.
Meanwhile, Prof Kuria hailed the University’s tremendous progress in terms of infrastructure, including modern laboratories and innovation labs, noting that they are imperative in providing quality education to students.
By Kamau Njoroge
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