Seven private and public learning and research institutions will receive scholarships in the Cambridge–Africa program for lecturers to boost shortage of qualified teaching staff at PhD and Masters level.
The institutions have developed proposals in areas that require capacity building in order to alleviate the shortage of qualified teaching staff at PhD and Masters level in local universities.
They are expected to finalise the country proposal, which will be presented to University of Cambridge and the UK government.
Institutions set to benefit are University of Nairobi, Keyatta University, Jkuat and Maseno University.
Others are Kemri and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology.
Addressing representatives from the institutions at Jogoo house on Wednesday, University Education PS Collette Suda acknowledged that majority of our local universities lack sufficient staff with doctorates.
Suda encouraged the institutions to focus on priority areas to be presented to the Cambridge-Africa program.
“The training will equip the staff with advanced research skills and the expertise required to teach Masters and PhD’s in the universities,” the PS noted.
A representative from Cambridge University, Professor David Dune said the aim of the program is to provide education mentorship.
Dune said the program will assist African academics owing to the current shortage of PhD holders in the region.
A report focusing on the state of university education released this week indicated an acute shortage of professors in the country.
It also highlighted that very few faculty staff are at senior lecturer or professor levels.
The Commission for University Education had earlier in the year raised an alarm over the small number of PhD holders and low doctoral degree enrolment.
CUE also issued guidelines that require only holders of PhDs to lecture at universities.
This new rule takes effect in 2018.