Brief History

Machakos University was founded in 1957 as a Technical Rural Training School by the then colonial Government. It was converted into Machakos Technical and Trade School in 1958, Machakos Technical School in 1967, and Machakos Technical Training Institute in 1987. The Institution was upgraded to Machakos University College through Legal Notice No. 130, on 16th September, 2011. The journey towards achieving a full University status started in earnest right at the inception. The University College had six degree programmes across its five initially constituted Schools, namely the School of Engineering & Technology, School of Education, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, school of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the School of Business and Economics. The University College embarked on a focused and sustained growth agenda involving recruitment of highly trained thematic leaders in various disciplines and expansion of infrastructure. This has seen the number of students grow from 2500 at inception to 6250 currently. The number of Schools has increased from the initial five to seven. The new Schools are: School of Agriculture & Natural Resource Management and the School of Pure & Applied Sciences. The Commission for University Education has made three inspection visits to the institution and their reports have shaped the developments of the University to full-fledged status. Recently, The Commission approved twenty seven programmes ranging from undergraduate, masters to PhD levels. Located at the heart of the Lower Eastern Region, and situated only a Kilometre away from Machakos City along Machakos/Wote Road, the University is destined to continue its growth trajectory to World Class status in the near future.

 Vision

A Preferred University of Excellence in Scholarship and Service Delivery

Mission

To provide scholarly education through training, research and innovation for industrial and socio-economic transformation of our communities

Philosophy

Education for industrial and economic transformation

Core Values 

The University is guided by the following Core Values and Competencies which form the corporate culture of the University:-

  • Accountability
  • Professionalism
  • Integrity
  • Inclusivity
  • Creativity
  • Equity
  • Team work

Function of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor      

  1. The Vice-Chancellor shall:-
  • by virtue of his or her office, be ex-officio member of every College, Campus, School, Institute, Centres and Departmental Boards and any other entity within the University;
  • by virtue of his or her office shall be a member of every committee appointed by the respective University Management and Senate, unless otherwise expressly provided;
  • be Secretary to the Council and Chairman of the Senate;
  • have powers to assign or delegate any of his duties to a committee or to a member of staff of the University and may withdraw such assignment or delegation at any time;
  • in consultation with the Chairman of the Council and where appropriate with Senate, on occasions which he or she considers to be occasions of necessity, take such steps as he or she and the Chairman may deem expedient for safeguarding the interests of the University, provided that in all the cases he or she shall report in the next meeting of the Council or the Senate as the case may be;
  • be the custodian of the University Seal, Mace, Flag, Logo, Charter, Accreditation Reports and title deeds;
  • by virtue of his or her office, be a member of every standing committee of the Council or a committee appointed by the Council unless otherwise explicitly provided for;
  • be responsible for policy matters, planning coordination, public relations, fund raising and general development of the University;
  • subject to the Act, the Charter and these Statutes, have powers to appoint Directors, Deans, Deputy Deans, Chairmen of Departments, Heads of Units and Directors of Directorates, Centers and Institutes;
  • in consultation with the Chairman of the Council, have powers to re-appoint, re-designate or re-assign officers whose terms have expired under these Statutes and where circumstances are such that it is in the interest of the University;
  • in consultation with the Chairman of the Council have powers to appoint a Deputy Vice-Chancellor in an acting capacity pending substantive appointment;
  • have powers to appoint in an acting capacity a Registrar, Principal of a College, Deputy Principal, Director, Dean, Deputy Dean, Chairman of Department or any other officer pending substantive appointment or in the absence of the substantive office holder;
  • may assign or delegate any of his or her duties to a committee of a member of the University staff and may withdraw any such assignment or delegation at any time; and
  • have such other powers and duties as may be conferred upon him or her by the Council from time to time in accordance with the Act, the Charter and these Statutes.
  1. The Vice-Chancellor shall be responsible to the Council.