Professor Justus K. Mile, Vice Chancellor. 

VICE CHANCELLOR’S SPEECH 15TH GRADUATION CEREMONY

VICE CHANCELLOR’S 15TH GRADUATION SPEECH ON 6TH OCTOBER, 2023

Mr. Chancellor sir, it is with immense pleasure that I formally welcome you all to this historic occasion marking the 15th convocation ceremony of our university for the award of Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Honorary Degree of Human Letters across faculties and disciplines.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Senate, the Management, as well as the staff and students of Kiriri Women’s University of Science and Technology, we feel honoured and humbled by your presence here today and finding time to grace this occasion. Today, KWUST is graduating 3,218 graduands, the biggest ever since the inception of the University. We thank the Almighty God for this great favour and promise our students, graduands, their parents and all stakeholders that the University will remain steadfast in its vision and mission of unparalled academic excellence.

I take this special chance to salute the Graduating Class of 2023. On behalf of the entire University, we express our sincere joy for your remarkable achievement. This graduation ceremony is not only an achievement for the graduating class of 2023 but also an achievement to their parents, guardians and to our society at large. Education exposes you to what the world has to offer, to the possibilities open to you. It’s your turn to choose and define what success means to you, but yours is only the voice that matters My dear graduates, you are about to enter the most uncertain and thrilling period of your lives. The University has equipped you with the skills of communication, teamwork, flexibility, organization, planning, problem solving among others which you will compliment with general competencies and behaviours that are essential for successful working.

It is with great joy and honour that this is the second time we are graduating students when we are a Fully Chartered University in Kenya. Since the award of charter the University has made significant progress in introducing new market-driven academic programmes intended to bridge labour market gaps. The Commission for University Education on 29th and 30th August, 2023 approved our 7 new programmes including:

  1. Master of Business Administration.
  2. Master of Science in Applied Statistics and Data Analytics.
  3. Bachelor of Procurement and Supply Chain Management.
  4. Bachelor of Community Development.
  5. Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management.
  6. Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.
  7. Bachelor of Economics and Finance.
  • To DIT students the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology is here with the most current soft wares in the market.
  • To Diploma in Procurement and Supplies Management, the Bachelor of procurement and Supplies Chain Management is here for you.
  • The Diploma in CD&SW, the CD degree is ready for you.
  • To DBF, DAC the BEC programme awaits you.
  • Lastly to DHT, the BSc. Hospitality Management with the most modern facilities and new Textbooks, e-resources, e-journals, state-of-art teaching tools and aids awaits you all in January 2024. Come join us.

Through these notable achievements, I wish to sincerely appreciate and recognize the great vision of founder and sponsor Mrs. Mary Assumpta Ndarua and the entire Board of Trustees for their total commitment to this noble goal and also for availing all the funds required in achieving this dream.

Mr. Chancellor Sir, we are proud of the Graduating Class of 2023. We have full confidence that these graduands are fully equipped with appropriate skills, knowledge and exposure to compete in the global economy. These graduands were not only taken through a rigorous teaching process but also a comprehensive research and examination process.

These graduands of Class of 2023 not only met the standards of the various Boards of Examiners, the University Senate but has also met all the requirements of the University as per the standards and guidelines of the Commission for University Education (CUE).

Our models of teaching, training and education are purely anchored on scientific guidelines. The University has made significant efforts in establishing sustainable strategic partnerships with industry players and other institutions of higher learning to reinforce its research endevours. Mr. Chancellor sir, the University is committed in leveraging research opportunities to attract research grants and expand its revenue streams. The forthcoming 5th Annual International Interdisciplinary Research Conference entitled “Sustainable Models for Social-Economic Transformation and Development” is geared towards fulfilment of Kenya’s Vision 2030 initiatives.

Mr. Chancellor sir, on behalf of the University Management Board, Board of Trustees and the University Senate, I am pleased to inform you and this congregation that the University is awarding an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) to the Founder and Sponsor of Kiriri Women’s University of Science and Technology- Mrs. Mary Assumpta Ndarua for her profound contributions to this University and the society. This Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) awarded to her is a sincere appreciation for the selfless service to the community and especially the graduating class sitted here with us today.

Mr. Chancellor sir, I wish to sincerely thank our continuing and former students for believing in us in their academic pursuits and trusting our brand. I particularly wish to recognize the Academic staff as well as non-teaching staff for their dedication in providing exceptional services to the students as well as University stakeholders who have walked with these graduands over the last four years.

Finally, I appreciate the parents and guardians for standing with these graduands regardless of the challenges experienced. On behalf of the University and on myself, I sincerely appreciate you for loving and supporting them through their university life; remember the many day and night calls, the endless words of advice you offered to them, but today here we are celebrating their achievements; I together with their lecturers join them in thanking you for this far and being there for them over all those years. Your efforts were not in vain.

To the Graduating Class of 2023, I request you to be our brand ambassadors and encourage you to join KWUST Alumni Association as well as reconsider enrolling in the newly launched post-graduate programmes. We encourage you to make education your culture because it’s through education that we can find everlasting freedom in our endevours.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO KWUST!

Prof. Justus K. Mile, (Ph.D, M.Sc., BSc.)
Vice Chancellor