Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi was recognized by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) for championing student-led innovations. In a statement released on September 12, KeNIA honored Prof. Ntarangwi alongside 10 other vice-chancellors from universities across Kenya for their commitment to nurturing student-led innovations in their institutions. Among key pointers, these Vice Chancellors were applauded for incorporating student innovation clubs within their respective institutions, a move KeNIA terms as pivotal in strengthening Kenya’s innovation ecosystem.

This recognition follows USIU-Africa’s ongoing efforts to incorporate innovation into its teaching, learning, and co-curricular activities, positioning the university as a premier institution of academic excellence with a global perspective. It showcases the institution’s role in shaping Africa’s innovation landscape and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs and global problem-solvers.

Beyond clubs, USIU-Africa already has a strong foundation, anchored on innovativeness, one of the university’s core values, which entails introducing new methods and strategies that ensure quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity. One of the ways in which the university has laid the foundation for innovation and entrepreneurship is the presence of the Innovation and Incubation Center and the Design Your Future Integrated Innovation Pipeline Program, which offers students a platform to share their fresh ideas, receive guidance, and redefine those ideas into business ventures that provide solutions that address existing gaps in society.

Additionally, through mentorship, research, and strategic partnerships with industry, the university continues to position itself as a hub for creativity, research, and business development. This is fulfilled through the various initiatives that the institution carries out, such as innovation nights, SDG summer school, innovation entrepreneurship challenge, and innovation day, which cultivate entrepreneurial spirit and nurture innovative minds. The integration of these initiatives into academic programs ensures that innovation is not another extracurricular activity but a core feature of the USIU-Africa student experience.

This recognition serves as a testament to the university’s commitment to creating an enabling environment that produces young innovators who are at the center of creating solutions that promote sustainable social and economic impact globally.