Lab technologists during routine clinical research at Kombewa Clinical Research Centre in Seme, Kisumu county. This is not because our academics lack talent or ambition, but because the university system itself is not designed to properly support research and innovation. Nonetheless, if Kenya is serious about becoming a true knowledge economy, we must rethink how research and innovation are organised, funded, and supported across higher education. The result is a system that excels at churning out graduates but struggles to create knowledge that drives national development. The question, therefore, is not whether Kenyan universities should do research, but how the system can make it possible.

Source: Standard Digital February 08, 2026 21:01 UTC