04/06/2026
On 2nd – 3rd June, 2026, the University of Kabianga brought together leaders from across the country as the School of Business and Economics hosted the Graduate Employability Enhancement (GEE) Summit. With nearly 800,000 young Kenyans entering the job market annually, the summit tackled the critical challenges of youth unemployment and skills mismatch. By uniting universities, TVET institutions, government ministries, key employers, professional bodies and development partners, the forum aimed to pave way for innovation, enterprise development and commercialization pathways as vital routes to self-employment. The event focused on four pivotal sub-themes designed to co-create actionable blueprints for the future: Education, Industry Skills Mismatch and Graduate Readiness, Economic and Development Implications of Graduate Unemployment, Policies, Partnerships and Interventions for Closing the Skills Gap and Innovation, Enterprise Development and Commercialization Pathways for Graduates.
The summit opened with high-level government representation that reflected the national importance of the agenda. The Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department of Science, Research and Innovation was represented by Ms. Stella Langat, alongside Dr. Milton Njuki who represented the PS for Higher Education and Ms. Mary Koigi represented the State Department for TVET. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Prof. Dr. Fredrick Kasilly (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic & Student Affairs) on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eric Koech (PhD; MBS), alongside Prof. Issa Mwamzandi who represented Prof Maurice Oduor (Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Planning, Research and Development).
Inspirational and training sessions kept the audience engaged throughout the two days. The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Chris Odindo, an Associate Professor from De Montfort University, United Kingdom. He challenged universities to prepare graduates for future jobs. Dr. Rose Ngugi, Chairperson of Southern Voice and Former Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis. (KIPPRA), delivered a presentation on preparing Kenyan graduates for the labour market by highlighting evidence-based challenges and solutions. Additionally, Ms. Mary Koigi shared insights on scalable reforms to bridge skills gaps while the University of Kabianga's Technology Officer conducted a session on innovation, intellectual property rights and commercialization.
Bridging theory and practice, was a major highlight of the summit which included showcasing projects from both the University of Kabianga and Belgut TTI. The guests were impressed by the diverse, market-ready innovations on display which illustrated the power of practical, self-employment pathways. The exhibition featured everything from the uniquely crafted Pinezz Wine and eco-friendly Eco Gas Stove to critical agricultural solutions like the Maxdairy milk booster and Mavuno Boost Biofertilizer. Advanced Electrical Engineering projects and creative excellence in Tailoring, Hair and Beauty designs were also on display while digital healthcare and wellness took a center stage with a new health-tech innovation, the Sober Connect Addiction Recovery App.
The energy remained high across four diverse, high-level panel discussions that brought together crucial perspectives from industry giants, employers, professional bodies, government representatives, development partners and the graduates and alumni themselves. The summit reached a climax with an online fireside chat, where participants brainstormed on "Reimagining Skills for the Future." The University extends it's gratitude to everyone who joined, shared their insights and contributed to empowering the youth who are the next generation of leaders.
