The ACU in collaboration with the United States International University-Africa (USIU), brought together a group of HR in HE professionals, vice chancellors and registrars from over 40 universities across East Africa for a two-day convention in Nairobi, Kenya, to understand the role of HR in higher education.

The convention programme included the follow topics:

• The role of HR in higher education
• Strategic Positioning of HR in higher education
• HR compliance and labour laws and legislation
• Predictive HR in the higher education landscape

Opened by Professor Amos Njuguna, Dean, School of Graduate Studies, with welcoming remarks by The Rev Keith Stephenson, Chief Financial Officer, ACU, and Professor Nyaigotti Chacha, Chairman Commission of University Education, Kenya. Two beneficiaries attended from the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships and one joined Keith in giving testimony of their experiences derived from their scholarship.

Participants were treated to engaging speeches and conversation from Sarah Richson, HR Consultant and Trainer, Richemele, Jennifer Ellis, Chair of the ACU HE in HE Community, Tarrance Ryder-Downes, Head of HR, ACU, Dorcas Wainaina OGW, Executive Director, Institute of HR Management, Doreen Okiri, Oracle Customer Success Manager for East and West Africa region, and Paul Kasimu, Chief Human Resource Officer, Safaricom, and Chair of USIU Talent and HR Committee.

Yusuf Saleh, Chief Manager, Human Resources, USIU, and East Africa Steering Committee member for the ACU HR in HE Community, worked with the ACU and the Institute of Higher Education, Research and Leadership Development at USIU, to convene this very successful event, as well as providing facilitation and joining panel discussions on key topics.

The ACU also launched its East Africa HR in HE Community, with participants working together to help devise an agenda to address the range of HR priorities in the region.

One participant said ‘Thank you [to] the ACU team for the rich convention… I learnt and gained some good insights in better managing the HR function in HE and look forward to further engagements’.

Find out more about the HR in HE community on the ACU community webpage.