Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability into African Universities Institutional Change in Context By Richard Kerich Kenyatta University

Recap!! Innovation calls for new strategies and modes of service delivery and in the case of African Universities involves: Collaboration across departments Re-purposing of existing materials Refinement of existing collaborations Re-orienting management strategies to allow optimal delivery of service Selection of relevant content into the existing programmes Introduction of relevant curricula

Considering the Topic: Institutional Change in Context:- The question is... Why the Change?

Reasons Necessitating Change in Africa Universities Change in the societal needs and preferences as well as changing environment Change in university population Change in knowledge base Change in the available technology Management skills change over time Change in modes of communication Change in available infrastructure within universities In some institutions, change in the type of students being attended Above all because of the need to introduce new programmes e.g. ESD With the above reasons, change is inevitable in African Universities

A Fully Functional University would have the following: 1. Administrative structures Functional University Council Functional Senate Functional Faculty/ School Board Functional Departmental Board or their functional students affairs equivalents 2. Rules and Regulation governing operations of the various divisions Quality of service or output of a university will depend on the effectiveness for the various divisions as well as their interrelationship

To Enhance Service Delivery Improvement must be exhibited in the following aspects: Communication Provision of teaching materials Provision of other place of work materials e.g. office plans Research strategies Approach to community outreach programmes as well as their mode of evaluation

Anticipated Changes (i) Management review of rules and regulations to ease Communication and smooth operation of various divisions Management should assess the availability and appropriateness of materials to accommodate new programmes e.g. ESD. Hence number would be increased and quality improved

Anticipated Changes (ii) Change in teaching approaches through workshops or seminars to cater for needs for new programme Methods of evaluation of field attachment programmes Research methodologies and modes of information dissemination especially targeting the user group Level of collaboration with other faculties within the university and external universities

Sharing Responsibility University Management: Provision of Infrastructure and teaching materials Faculty Members: Innovations and actual teaching

Likely Challenges Lack of cooperation among staff Doubt in possible success Demand for immediate tangible results Territoriality etc....

Personal Advise Be patient and be tolerant when sensitizing your clients or colleagues Be cautious as ESD is introduced to the university Be ready to nurture it once mainstreamed into existing programmes