Turkana University College has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA)that would focus mainly on research and innovation, institutional capacity building, internships and placements.

KIPPRA through its mentorship programme for universities is aiming at enabling the University community including students and lecturers to have conversation on the Policy agenda for the government as well as areas that the University community could support in providing evidence required in the public policy process as well as mentoring the University students in preparing them for work life after .

Addressing the media after the signing of the MoU at the University’s boardroom on Thursday, Turkana University College Acting Principal Prof. George Chemining'wa lauded the signing of the MoU with the KIPPRA that would enable the only institution of higher learning in the county to be globally esteemed particularly in research, teaching and also outreach. 

 “Today is a very important day. We are beginning a journey of collaboration in research particularly on public policy research and analysis with KIPPRA. We are going to have a long- term partnership and we hope we shall move on to collaborate on other areas of research and outreach,” said Prof. Chemining'wa.  

KIPPRA executive director Rose Ngugi said the autonomous public institute KIPPRA has a mandate to build capacity that supports strengthening the evidence based public policy process.

On his part, KIPPRA chairperson Prof. Ben Sihanya who is also a lecturer at the University of Nairobi Law School said that KIPPRA through its mentorship programme for universities seeks to address the disconnect that exists between policy, research and analysis and on one hand academics.

Present at the event was the University Council representative Eng. Justus Wambutura who is also the chairperson for Finance, Planning and Infrastructure in the University. He said the MoU would enable the University to conduct more research to have the capacity to develop solutions to the local problems like uplifting the academic standards of the people in the area.

He further noted that the University is looking forward to introducing courses that were relevant to the local needs like introduction of courses in dry lands farming, fisheries, oil and gas, maritime and human evolution biology.

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