| University of Nairobi | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Unitate et Labore In Unity and Work |
| Established | 1956 Royal Technical College 1961 Royal College Nairobi 1964 University College Nairobi 1970 University of Nairobi |
| Type | Public |
| Chancellor | Joseph Barrage Wanjui |
| Vice-Chancellor | Prof. G.A.O. Magoha |
| Undergraduates | 17,200 |
| Postgraduates | 4,800 |
| Location | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Campus | Urban |
| Affiliations | ACU |
| Website | www.uonbi.ac.ke |
The University of Nairobi (UON) is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in Uganda, the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, and the University of Nairobi.
In 2002 the University had some 22,000 students, of whom 17,200 were undergraduates and 4,800 postgraduates.The university has launched several policy frameworks and introduced module 2 degrees to cope with the demand of higher education in Kenya.
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The inception of the University of Nairobi is traced back to 1956, with the establishment of the Royal Technical College which admitted its first lot of A-level graduates for technical courses in April the same year. The Royal Technical College was transformed into the second University College in East Africa on 25 June 1961 under the name Royal College Nairobi. The college was entitled to a special relation with the University of London whereupon it started preparing students in the faculties of arts, science, and engineering for degrees awarded by the University of London.
On 20 May 1964, the Royal College Nairobi was renamed University College Nairobi as a constituent college of the inter-territorial Federal University of East Africa, and henceforth the enrolled students were to study for degrees of the University of East Africa rather than the University of London. In 1970, the University College Nairobi transformed into the first national university in Kenya and was renamed the University of Nairobi.
Recently, the university has made ties with the University of Rome La Sapienza[1] and Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium[2] mainly for research funding purposes.
In view of the rapid expansion and complexities in administration, the university underwent a major restructuring in 1983 resulting in decentralization of the administration through the creation of six campus colleges headed by principals.