Sound Governance to Save Local Universities from Collapse – Vice Chancellor.
Local universities are grappling with financial instability and mounting debts, threatening their survival.
However, a university academic suggests that ethical leadership and strong governance structures could prevent many institutions from collapsing.
KCA University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaiah Wakindiki, emphasized that globally, stable higher learning institutions attribute their success to ethical and effective leadership across all governance levels.
He highlighted that adhering strictly to the University Act could stabilize struggling institutions.
“The main challenge to stable universities is lack of ethical leaders. This can bring any institution down. Also, structures including Board of Trustees, the University Management, office of the Chancellor, the University Council must perform their functions as expected,” Prof Wakindiki said.
Prof. Wakindiki pointed out that the absence of ethical leadership poses the greatest challenge to the stability of universities, potentially leading to their downfall.
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He also stressed the importance of governance structures such as Boards of Trustees, University Management, Chancellors’ offices, and University Councils performing their roles effectively.
The Vice Chancellor underscored the necessity for visionary leaders within governance frameworks, capable of inspiring and influencing society positively. He noted that universities must remain responsive to societal and market demands, tailoring their programs to meet students’ needs.
Increased competition among local universities, driven by their rising numbers, has forced many institutions to adopt market-responsive strategies.
This, Prof. Wakindiki explained, has led to curriculum reviews aimed at attracting more students and enhancing institutional stability.
“This has forced most universities to constantly review their curriculum to respond to market demands thus attracting more students and make the institution stable,” said Wakindiki.
Financial Struggles Among Local Universities
The call for ethical leadership comes amidst growing financial instability across local universities.
Institutions such as Moi University have recently been in the spotlight due to a standoff between management and academic staff over salary demands, resulting in prolonged lecturers’ strikes.
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The situation disrupted learning and necessitated government intervention to prevent the university from collapsing.
Numerous other universities continue to struggle under heavy debt and financial challenges, raising concerns about their long-term sustainability.
Sound Governance to Save Local Universities from Collapse – Vice Chancellor.
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