University of Nairobi and PASGR discuss partnership

Discussions between the University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) regarding UoN’s participation in the Master of Research and Public Policy programme (MRPP) are at an advanced stage.

This was revealed yesterday at a meeting between PASGR and members of faculty from the University’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration.  Sixteen department faculty attended; PASGR was represented by a team of four, led by Director for Higher Education Dr. Beatrice Muganda.

Following a presentation by Dr. Muganda and a question/answer session on the MRPP, several members of faculty expressed a keen interest in teaching on the masters programme.  Some were particularly enthusiastic about the programme’s flexibility, which allows for coverage of pressing and pertinent public policy issues that resonate with socio-economic and political dynamics in Kenya.

According to the Department’s Chair Dr. Adams Oloo, the MRPP Memorandum of Understanding (which is being reviewed by the university’s administration) will be executed soon. The Department has already set up an internal committee chaired by Prof. Peter Wanyande to look into the modalities of adopting the programme in 2016. Prof. Wanyande expressed the Department’s excitement about collaborating with PASGR and assured their commitment to the success and quality expected of the MRPP.

PASGR’s Professional Development and Training Manager Dr. Pauline Ngimwa also briefed the meeting participants on two short courses (Advanced Research Design and Interpretive Methods & Ethnography) being delivered in March-April 2016.

Dr. Muganda later met the Deputy Registrar, Academic Division Mr. Humphrey Webuye, to agree on the next steps regarding the Memorandum of Understanding.

The MRPP is currently being offered at ten African universities, with the first cohort due to graduate in 2016.