Egerton University Appoints New Registrar Academic Affairs

Egerton University Council has appointed Professor Mwanarusi Saidi as the Registrar Academic Egerton University effective 16 August 2021 for a period of five years through a competitive process that attracted a large number of applicants from several universities in Kenya. Professor Mwanarusi Saidi is an Associate Professor of Horticulture in the Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Faculty of Agriculture.

Professor Mwanarusi Saidi is taking over the helm of Academic Registrar with over 8 years of experience in University administration and over 20 years’ experience of academic and Research leadership both in the Horticulture and Education sectors. Previously, Professor Mwanarusi Saidi served as the Acting Academic Registrar from 2018. She joined the Department as a Teaching Assistant in 1996 and now the Programme Coordinator for the Master of Science Horticulture Programme at the University.

She has established good working relationships with the horticulture industry of Kenya through the alumni of Egerton University and other team players in the agriculture sector. She has wealth of experience in development, accreditation and delivery of agri-based curricula, having spearheaded departmental curriculum review a number of times to include entrepreneurial skills and climate smart production components.

Prof Saidi has been involved in teaching and supervision of several students at diploma, bachelor, Master and Doctoral level and has successfully supervised several postgraduate students in his area of specialization. She has published over 30 papers in refereed journals and presented several papers in national, regional and international conferences. Prof Mwanarusi Saidi is well-grounded in sustainable crop production systems including cropping systems, crop environment manipulationn, water and pest management with a special interest in low cost sustainable production systems and capacity building among potential vegetable and fruit growers and other stakeholders in the industry.

As Professor Mwanarusi Saidi ascends the position of Academic Registrar, she brings in a wealth of experience in in Higher educational development, Accreditation and delivery of competent based curricula development especially in agricultural sector, where Egerton University is a leading University. She also has wide experience in agri-based research and development, participatory adaptive research and consultancy services focusing on horticultural sector, IPM for horticultural production for low cost pest exclusion and micro-climate modification for small scale vegetable growers in East and West Africa for enhanced food and nutrition security and livelihoods in smallholder agriculture.

Over the past decade, Prof Said has widened her research and consultancy domain to Strengthening Agri-Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement Training, Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture focusing on Tomato Value Chain, Bio-economy Entrepreneurship and Capacity Building Programmes, Innovative Learning and Co-creation of Teaching Methodology for Scaling Entrepreneurship in Food and Agribusiness in Sub-Saharan Africa and also in specialist areas of higher education including Strengthening skills and training capacity in horticulture in Kenya including strengthening Agriculture TVET Teacher Training in Kenya and the Netherlands as well as cooperation Programmes in Higher Education for strengthening University capacity to enhance competitiveness of Agribusiness in East and West Africa.

She has been involved as a Principal Investigator (PI) and collaborator of several research projects, funded by European Commission (AgriENGAGE and AgriSCALE), World bank-Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP) projects, Finnish Government, Government of Netherlands – NUFFIC, ACP-EU Co-operation Programme in Higher Education (EDULINK II), USAID, National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) among others. Prof Said has strong linkages, networks and partnerships for training, capacity building, research and consultancy at national, regional and global levels.

Professor Mwanarisi Saidi is expected to use this immense experience in higher education academic programs to improve the student transition, academic staff welfare, expand student enrolment, boost interrelationships with regulators and other relevant national higher education institutions including Commission for University Education (CUE), KUPPS and professional bodies in all the 12 Faculties and Institutes at the University.

The University Council, Vice-Chancellor, University Management Board, staff and students wish Prof Mwanarusi Said every success in his new position.