Egerton University Vice Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage and Prof Zhu Yan, Vice President of Nanjing Agricultural University, China, during the signing of the MoU to extend their 30-year partnership. Photo/Lucy Njeri.
Kenya’s Egerton University and Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) of China have extended their 30-year partnership, focusing on joint research and education.
The initial MoU, signed in July 1995 and lapsed last month, tasked the two institutions to develop joint scientific and technological research projects, while also expanding scholarly ties, facilitating academic cooperation, and promoting mutual understanding.
Egerton University Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Isaac Kibwage explained that under the renewed MoU, expected to run from July 2025 to July 2030, the two institutions had reaffirmed their joint commitment to championing a transformative model of cooperation grounded in mutual benefit, global academic exchange, and sustainable development.
Prof. Kibwage said the extension of the partnership was further motivated by the need to facilitate the development of academic and non-academic programmes, support staff capacity building and promote joint course offerings between the two institutions.
Speaking at Egerton University’s Njoro Main Campus after the renewal of the partnership, the VC hailed the deal, saying it would impact academic development and capacity building of the academic stakeholders.
The partnership, he added, would help strengthen human capital, enhance digital skills, and provide a model for future education collaborations between China and Africa, adding that the renewed MoU would introduce a bold 50-50 cooperation model between Chinese and African institutions of higher learning.
According to Prof. Kibwage, both institutions agreed to explore new forms of collaboration that would broaden the scope of their engagement, strengthen institutional capacity and advance teaching, research and community extension.
“One of the key highlights of the renewed MoU is a proposal to establish a Nanjing Agricultural University Africa Campus, likely to be hosted at Egerton University,” he added.
The VC said the proposal to establish the NAU African campus was first conceptualised in September 2024, when both institutions signed a letter of intent, followed by NAU's application to the Commission for University Education (CUE) in March 2025.
The Chinese university is said to be waiting for feedback from the Commission. Prof. Kibwage affirmed that if joint degree programmes were to be offered, they would comply with Commission for University Education and proposed that as plans for the establishment of the African campus progress, Egerton University be considered to host the programme office, or set up a collaboration centre to coordinate activities including those of the Confucius Institute.
"Egerton University fraternity is happy with the progress made together with Nanjing Agricultural University in the past three decades. Some of the notable achievements include having in place joint research activities and development of shared degree programmes, especially at Masters and PhD level," the VC added.
During the meeting, it was revealed that Egerton University had been selected to lead the formation of the Global Alliance of Confucius Institutes with Agricultural Characteristics. The alliance, scheduled for launch in November 2025, aims to bring together Confucius Institutes around the world with a focus on agriculture and applied sciences.
The VC pledged Egerton University’s commitment to serve as a mentor and to provide capacity building and expertise to alliance members when called upon. He added that through the platform, the university would extend its global influence beyond agriculture, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships and research collaborations.
The VC pledged that the renewed collaboration would continue fostering resource-sharing, technical collaboration and course development to promote educational equity and regional economic growth. Prof. Zhu Yan, Vice President of Nanjing Agricultural University who signed the agreement on behalf of the Chinese university, noted that by offering innovative courses and programmes, the initiative would help meet the increasing demand for skilled human resources across various sectors.
He said the partnership renewal was a timely move given that Kenyan universities were currently pursuing international partnerships as a way of improving graduate employability and getting students familiarized with international best practices, as well as improving institutional capacity via knowledge transfer.
The partnership, Prof. Zhu Yan, stated was part of the two institutions’ plan to internationalize their academic programs offerings and expand international academic partnerships that provide practical, cross-cultural experiences for their students.
Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) boasts of a rich history, tracing its origins back to 1902, with the establishment of Sanjiang Normal School, a teacher training center in Nanjing. NAU was officially formed in 1952 through the merger of the agricultural faculties from the University of Nanking and National Central University, along with departments from Zhejiang University's agricultural college.
The university was later renamed Nanjing Agricultural University in 1984. Ranked as one of the top 50 universities in China, NAU has achieved global recognition for its significant contributions to agricultural science and technology, particularly through international collaborations and research.
The university is also known for its high-impact research, evidenced by numerous national and ministerial/provincial awards, and a large number of publications in top international journals like Science and Nature.
As a country, China has made a huge contribution to the education sector in Kenya through the granting of scholarships, Chinese language teaching via Confucius Institutes and partnerships in building capacity in science and engineering studies and technical training.
Established in 1987, Egerton University is Kenya's oldest institution of higher learning having evolved from a Farm School founded in 1939 by large scale colonial farmer Lord Maurice Egerton of Tatton. The school was upgraded to an Agricultural College in 1950, offering diploma programs.
It later became a constituent college of the University of Nairobi in 1986. Egerton University has achieved significant global recognition, particularly in innovation and research. It recently excelled at the China International College Students' Innovation Competition, securing multiple awards. Furthermore, Egerton students achieved third place globally in this year’s edition of the Huawei ICT Competition's Innovation category.
Through the renewed collaboration, Egerton University aims to benefit from China's rich vocational training and industry networks, particularly networks related to emerging industries and technology.
The agreement also draws on Kenya's rising educational and diplomatic exchanges with China, with more Kenyan students studying in Chinese universities and more Chinese students studying in Kenyan institutions.
