Universities told to enhance innovation to stay competitive

EMILY KADZO-KNA

The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KNIA) CEO, Dr. Tonny Omwansa, has challenged universities across the country to sharpen their competitive edge in innovation, while the Network of Entrepreneurial Institution Leaders rolls out a nationwide student innovation challenge aimed at identifying and nurturing promising young innovators.

Speaking during the Innovation Week at Maasai Mara University, Dr. Omwansa said the challenge is designed to spark healthy rivalry among universities, while pushing institutions to align their strengths with real-world problem solving.

For instance, he noted that Maasai Mara University’s (MMU) niche in tourism, environmental resource management and conservation places it in a strong position to leverage the challenge.

According to Dr. Omwansa, a niche is defined by an institution’s distinctive capability that is consistently recognized, resourced and applied to address societal challenges.

He urged the university to deepen its expertise by investing in specialized infrastructure, strengthening academic programs and taking a more intentional approach to capacity building.

Students taking part in the challenge, he added, were already undergoing training through a start-up school programme, where skills development remains a top priority.

Dr. Omwansa further called on the institution to evaluate its ecosystem positioning, which refers to how industry players and government want to leverage on MMU, particularly in areas tied to its core strengths.