The United States International University-Africa has outlined plans to strengthen its enrolment rates by more than 32% while diversifying the range of market-driven courses delivered as part of its institutional growth plans.
The local premier higher education institution has outlined the plans in its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan which also highlights a blueprint to secure and intensify its revenue mobilization efforts to finance its academic delivery programs while leveraging on its robust Information Technology Systems.
The execution of the Strategic Plan she disclosed will be funded at an estimated cost of Kshs 8 billion to be raised through operating revenue streams, grants and related revenue raising initiatives.
The University also aims to transition 85% of its students into the labor market through market-driven programs that meet the 21st-century industry needs. As part of its strategic plan, the institution will also triple external research funding and research productivity by 2026.
Speaking at a media engagement event, USIU-Africa Interim Vice Chancellor Prof Freida Brown confirmed that the new strategic plan had been formulated to mitigate operating risks and challenges facing higher education institutions.
“The plan seeks to address these challenges and seize the opportunities as they affect the University. It builds on the considerable successes of the previous 2015-2020 Strategic Plan and USIU-Africa’s long history of innovative and strategic investments and initiatives. The development and growth you see today is as a result of previous strategic plans that have guided us through challenging times and we have no doubt that the next strategic period will be an opportunity for growth,” she said.
The University’s strategic plan has five goals: Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Distinction in Research and Scholarship, Competitiveness in creative works, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Excellence in Service and Community Engagement and Organizational Excellence.
USIU-Africa will diversify source markets for student recruitment and increase non-KCSE enrolment to 50% by 2026 to increase student numbers. The number of international students will be maintained at 17%, while global faculty flow will increase. The University will seek to utilize world-class technologies, develop innovative practices in delivery of quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity through face-to-face, online, and blended learning and recruit highly qualified staff to equip students with diverse learning needs.
By 2026, USIU-Africa will aim to incubate 60 start-ups, accelerate 50 firms and generate innovations that generate 5% of the university’s revenue. This will be achieved through collaborations with Government, Civil Society and the Private Sector to co-create and commercialize innovations. The University will increase its public-private partnership initiatives by 10% annually and deliver quality service to internal stakeholders to achieve 80% satisfaction according to the plan. The University will mentor students for leadership and community engagement while enhancing its Corporate Social Responsibility with the industry and society.
Prof Brown added, “We want to increase the income to cost ratio from core functions by 5% in 2026 by strengthening our organizational governance, decision-making and culture, which will enable us to develop policies which will guide the sustainable use of resources.”
In research, USIU-Africa aims to exceed 160 high impact publications annually by developing strategic partnerships for multi-disciplinary and trans-country research, translate research findings into policies and practice and undertake research that resonates with local, regional and global priorities.