Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textiles and Renewable Energy (PTRE): Achieving Teaching and Resear ch Excellence through Internationalization of Academia

Abstract

Internationalization of quality higher education has been a major concern not only at universities in developed countries but also to universities in developing countries such as in Kenya. The main drive for internationalization is the need to have excellent academic programmes that are recognized and acceptable worldwide. Such programmes attract students from all over the world as well as academic staff. In order to realize this internationalization, it calls for partnerships among institutions of higher learning and the respective industry . Ever since its establishment in 1984, Moi University has continually prioritized internationalization. It has been training postgraduate students from various countries and recruits academic staff worldwide. Moi University has excelled in initiation of partnerships and collaboration through diverse approaches. The University subscribes to a number of academic forums including the VLIR Institutional Universities Cooperation Programme and Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). Moi also participate in the development of strategic academic models that yield ideal international institutional networks like the Academic Model for Providing Access To Healthcare (AMP ATH). The university is also keen at instituting Memoranda of Understanding with international universities and industrial partners. It is through these strengths that the university managed to submit a competitive proposal that won The World Bank Group funding as one of the 24 centers of Excellence in Eastern and Southern Africa and among the only three in Kenya. The Moi University African Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals Textiles and Renewable Ener gy (PTRE) will further propel internationalization through attracting more staff and students regionally and internationally . In this cause the Center shall collaborate with universities as well as private sector nationally , regionally and internationally . The Center shall achieve excellence derived from being the only university in the region of fering PhD programs in Textile engineering that are anchored on ground breaking innovative research that has earned patents and awards worldwide; exploiting state of the-art-laboratories; residence and visiting professors in addition to short term exchange programmes. Adoption of ICT for facilitating continued intellectual interaction shall be embraced. Among the expected outcomes of the Center of Excellence is the developing and review of curricula to be accredited internationally . The university shall train postgraduates that are highly skilled and knowledgeable, ultimatelygenerating an experienced workforce capable of introducing novel manufacturing technologies and energy alternatives. The partners will benefit from each other’s strengths in terms of competent academic staff, internships, well equipped laboratories, experience and bench marking, among others. In the long run the region will have enhanced capacity in various disciplines that will contribute a lot in terms of sustainable development hence realization of Kenya’ s Vision 2030 and Africa Agenda 2063.