Plans are underway to establish the University of Nairobi Institute for Blue Economy and Ocean Studies (UoN-IBEOS). This was revealed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Julius Ogeng’o at the handing over of the modular boards by that were used at the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference to the University by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prof. Ogeng’o was speaking on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor.
“The establishment of the institute is a commitment that the University of Nairobi made at the Science and Research Symposium at the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference (SBEC) that was held in November 2018,” explained Prof. Ogeng’o. “To kick start the journey towards Blue Economy Studies, Research and Innovation, the University of Nairobi requested the UNDP/MFA to donate the modular boards to the University as a seed capital towards launching the academic and intellectual centre of studies and research in Blue Economy.”
Presiding over the ceremony, the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kenya, Amb. Macharia Kamau, welcomed the initiative, lauding the University on the initiative.
“I am excited to hear that the University of Nairobi is going to establish the Institute for Blue Economy and Ocean Studies,” said Amb. Kamau. “We are going to make this a reality because the ministry will work with the University and in the next five years, we are going to have an institute of global standards in UoN.”
The University of Nairobi will constitute a task force on Blue Economy to review and develop curriculum, seek partnerships, funding and resources to execute the commitments. The University will work hand in hand with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNDP to make these commitments a reality in fulfillment of Kenya’s Vision 2030, Africa Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals by unlocking the full potential of the Blue Economy.
