Marist university starts centre for timely research reports

You will soon get timely reports on research about various topical matters after a private university in Nairobi collaborated with a research firm to create a research centre.

Marist International University College (Miuc), a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, on Friday unveiled the Marist Research Centre that it will co-run with Research Plus Africa.

Marist Research Centre will be based at Miuc’s headquarters in Karen, Nairobi, and it promises to “revolutionise the research industry in Africa.”

“The Marist Research Centre is a vehicle through which industry experts in collaboration with academia will proliferate generation of local research projects,” said the centre’s director Mokeira Masita during the launch.

FIRST IN AFRICA

Commission for University Education (CUE) chairman Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha, who was the chief guest at the launch, said the centre is “first in the country, the region and continent”.

“It has the potential to revolutionise the research industry,” said Prof Chacha.

Ms Masita, the chief executive of Research Plus Africa and the director of Marist Research Centre, said the facility will play three roles: training students on research, conducting research projects and sharing knowledge.

On training, she said the society needs to be more deliberate in the way it is developing young researchers.

“Students will be engaged practically in varying degrees in such projects in a way that complements the classroom based training tracks,” said Ms Masita, who has been in the research field for 15 years.

On research, the centre plans to offer support for conducting, sharing and publishing research. It hopes to achieve this through one-on-one and group consultations with various individuals.

MONTHLY WORKSHOPS

And in terms of sharing knowledge, the centre plans to hold monthly workshops and forums that will generate debate.

A statement from the centre says the debate topics will include research approaches, methodological issues, technology and innovations in the research space.

Prof Chacha lauded Miuc’s approach to research, urging other universities to follow the university’s example.

“This centre is an outstanding example of collaboration between a local research firm and university with the aim of generating and sharing knowledge,” he said.

He added: “I call on other universities to borrow a leaf from this centre. It is time to build linkages with research firms in this country. We are not in competition.”