KNQA Takes Qualifications Registration to University of Embu (UoEm)

The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) has commenced a three-day capacity-building session at the University of Embu (UoEm), running from 29th September to 1st October 2026, to facilitate the institution’s registration as a Qualification Awarding Body (QAB) and support the registration of its programmes and graduate records on the National Qualifications Database (NQD). The Authority targets to register 97 programmes by the end of the exercise.

The opening session brought together University management and staff, led by the Ag. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Research & Extension, Prof. Paul Nthakanio, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Daniel Mugendi Njiru.

The KNQA delegation was led by Council Chair, Hon. Stanley Kiptis, and Director General/CEO, Dr. Alice Kande. The Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, was represented Dr. David Watene, Director of Higher Education.

In her remarks, Dr. Kande commended the University’s management for its hands-on approach to education and training matters and highlighted the importance of the engagement in strengthening the credibility and integrity of qualifications. She took participants through KNQA’s mandate, with the rest of the team taking on the registration process, requirements and the importance of maintaining accurate and continuously updated institutional and graduate records.

The KNQA Council Chair, Hon. Stanley Kiptis, highlighted the strong connection between KNQA mandate and universities, noting the role of the NQD in enhancing the credibility, recognition and portability of qualifications. He also commended the university for taking the initiative and engaging KNQA on this crucial exercise.

Representing the Principal Secretary, Dr. Watene appreciated the University for embracing the exercise and commended KNQA for its efforts in harmonising Kenya’s education and training sector. The PS remarks highlighted the importance of ensuring that higher education qualifications remain relevant, credible, comparable and responsive to labour market needs. The PS expressed support for the process and called on other institutions of higher learning to embrace the process to achieve the collective objective of ensuring visibility of qualifications to enable mobility of learners locally and internationally. She also encouraged institutions to ensure that qualifications and graduate data submitted to KNQA is accurate, complete, current and credible.

The KNQA has taken a practical hands-on approach to the registration of Qualification Awarding Bodies, programmes and graduate records as part of the broader mandate to strengthen the implementation of the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF) and enhance recognition of Kenyan qualifications globally.