University News

Saturday 5th July, 2014 was it; the day over 1 billion co-operators marked with pomp and color the International Co-operatives day. In Kenya, the home of Co-operatives in Africa, co-operators from all the corners of the country converged at the  KICC to mark this important day. The theme for this year’s Ushirika day celebrations is “Co-operative Enterprises Achieve Sustainable Development for all”. The Cabinet Secretary in charge of Industrialization and Enterprise Development, the docket that houses the department of Co-operatives, Aden Mohamed graced the occasion flanked by leaders of the Co-operative movement in Kenya among the chairman of the Co-operatives Alliance of Kenya, CEO of the Co-operatives Alliance of Kenya among others. The co-operative university college of Kenya being the premier co-operative education, training and research leader in Kenya for over half a century now did join the celebration with the principal Prof. Douglas Shitanda leading them. The University choir led the entertainment crew in marking the day as the students joined thousands of co-operators in the walk for co-operatives. The University also show-cased the courses offered in an exclusive exhibition organized by the national Shirika day celebrations council at the KICC grounds.

The Co-operative University of Kenya on 11th August signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development on strategic partnership and capacity building. Speaking during the signing of the MOU, the PS MoIED Dr. Wilson Songa said this would serve as the new begging to catapult the co-operative movement in Kenya to clinch the best position globally. He noted the mandate of the Co-operative university college of Kenya was key to economic growth in training over 16,000 co-operative and Sacco societies countrywide. Dr. Songa reiterated that a sector controlling over Kshs. 500 Billion in the economy need to be run more professionally than ever before, a role he said the University College must take as an obligation. The Principal of The Co-operative University College of Kenya Prof. Douglas Shitanda marked that the co-operative movement and the university have in history worked closely and that the signing of the MOU will cement this relationship to the best. Dr. Gladys Mwiti, the chairman of the university college council reiterated the strong support from the council in supporting initiatives to strengthen the co-operative movement in the country. She remarked that this is one of the most progressive documents that will be taken seriously to rep maximum benefits from both sides of the parties. THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) is intended to set out an arrangement for establishing and maintaining a partnership between the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development (MOIED) and the Co-operative University College of Kenya (CUCK) whose aim is the development of the Co-operative movement through training, joint activities, exchange of information, consultancy, research and related development, and any other areas that may be agreed upon from time to time. The objectives of this Memorandum of Understanding are; To provide technical expertise and co-operation in specific areas to be mutually agreed upon; To encourage sharing of information and exchange visits between CUCK lecturers and officers of the MOIED in the areas to be mutually agreed upon; To undertake joint research, innovation and development activities as and when necessary; CUCK to provide training facilities for MOIED as and when requested for local and International Government trainees on terms to be mutually agreed upon from time to time; MOIED to provide student industrial experience through internship; To work on values, andragogical model and technical assistance required by clients to rejuvenate, transform and enhance their service, profitability and sustainability; To transfer, benchmark and disseminate modern co-operative business models for best practices; To undertake value addition training and methodologies for improved productivity and income generation; To enhance Local, County, National and International networking and partnership building for the benefit of the parties and the country at large; To undertake initiatives that may influence policy formulation for the Co-operative movement.

The co-operative university college of kenya led by the ag. Principal prof. E.N. Gicheru, prof. G. Kihoro joined the students, parents and teachers of Kihome secondary school in Othaya on Saturday 22nd march for the school’s prize giving day. The chief guest was prof. G. Kihoro of CUCK and the guest of honor was prof. E.N. Gicheru.

On the 9th of March 2014 the Co-operative University of Kenya participated in the Beyond Zero Campaign by taking part in the First Lady’s marathon. The members of staff and students of Co-operative University led by the P.R.O Mr. Francis Mwongela took part in the ten Kilometer race. The marathon was aimed at raising funds for the provision of mobile medical clinics to all the 42 counties in the country. Laughs and smiles graced the faces of the participants and was replaced by pride after they completed the race. The Campaign managed to raise Kshs 200 million which will be used in the acquisition of mobile medical clinics. We are now one step ahead towards the achievement of zero maternal deaths.

CUCK students took on the Kibera slums  primary schools for a reading campaign in bid to promote and encourage  the young children into academic excellence. The exercise was  spearheaded by CUCK’s Librarian and Public relations office.

The Co-operative University College of Kenya (CUCK) through its corporate arm Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy services (ATC) Limited in collaboration with SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), MicroSave and the Financial Sector Deepening (FSD Kenya) have developed premier courses in, individual lending including delinquency management and risk management to address core capacity gaps identified in a survey conducted amongst select Deposit Taking SACCOs in 2013. This is as part of on-going SACCO reforms project being implemented by SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) in partnership with Financial Sector Deepening (FSD Kenya) to support the sub-sector meet requirements in the SACCO societies Act (2008) and its regulations as identified in a SACCO sub-sector core skills gap survey conducted in 2013. The two courses are scheduled to run concurrently from 17-21st February, 2014. Participation certificates will be issued to successful trainees.Licensed deposit-taking SACCOs are invited to sponsor participants in both or either of the courses: Delinquency management and individual lending. Course objective: To assist SACCOs in strengthening individual lending administration and management, and delinquency management. Target Group: Chief Executive Officers, Credit Managers/Heads and Finance Managers. Risk management. Course objective: To help SACCOs to better manage critical business and operational risks for improved profitability and compliance with the regulations.Target Group: Chief Executive Officers, Internal Auditors and Finance Managers. Each course will run for 5 days and will cost KSh 45,000 per participant for non-residents including VAT, stationary, teas and lunch. The total cost including accommodation and VAT is KSh 63,000. The two training programmes shall take place at the CUCK’s Co-operative Retreat and Conference Centre (CRCC) in Karen. The first 20 applicants in each course will benefit from a KSh 15,000 scholarship from FSD Kenya. SACCOs that sponsor participants to these courses may recoup some of the cost of training from the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) as the CUCK and ATC are registered with NITA. The training fees should be paid to Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy Services (ATC) Ltd, A/c No 111-022-66-59 at the KCB, Karen Branch by 5th February, 2014. Application forms can be obtained from www.atc.co.ke and www.invigorate-strategies.com/cuck. Further information can be obtained on telephone 020-2325498 or 0720564169. Completed applications should be submitted to info@atc.co.ke by 4:00 pm on Wednesday 5th February, 2014.

The Co-operative University College of Kenya wishes to congratulate the 341 graduands who will be awarded diplomas and certificates on 6th December 2013. the Chief guest will be by Prof. Geoffrey Moriaso Ole Maloiy, MBS, EBS Chancellor Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology