It is my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome you to Kabarak University. We are truly delighted to host you here in our campus this afternoon. Your visit marks a significant moment in the growing relationship between our two distinguished institutions. We deeply value the existing ties we share, and today, we look forward to exploring how we could forge an even deeper and more impactful collaboration.
Prof. ZHU Yan, Vice-President, Nanjing Agricultural University;
SHI Song, Director, International Office and Dean, College of International Education;
CAO Aizhong, Dean, Academic Affairs;
ZHANG Ruifu, Dean, School of Resources and Environment;
YAO Hong, Section Chief, General Affairs of International Education;
Members of Kabarak University Management;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon!
It is my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome you to Kabarak University. We are truly delighted to host you here on our campus this afternoon. Your visit marks a significant moment in the growing relationship between our two distinguished institutions. We deeply value the existing ties we share, and today, we look forward to exploring how we could forge an even deeper and more impactful collaboration.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, both Kabarak University and Nanjing Agricultural University share a common commitment to excellence in learning, research, innovation and community impact. As we navigate through the 21 Century dynamics and the complexities, we are persuaded that there are opportunities our collaboration can exploit as we bring in our complementary capabilities, particularly in areas of mutual interest such as agricultural education, agricultural economics, agri-business, agriculture and technology, food security, and environmental stewardship.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to share with you the milestones we have achieved within the last one year of our collaboration:
The first milestone is a comprehensive Chinese Language Teaching program, which we launched in September 2024. To make this program possible, the Confucius Institute, domiciled at Egerton University, supplied one qualified teacher, curriculum, teaching materials, and opportunities for cultural activities. This program continues to equip our students with valuable language skills and a deeper appreciation of Chinese culture, preparing the students for global career opportunities. Through this initiative, we have had three (3) cohorts of learners, giving us a total of 94 learners to date. I am pleased to report that on September 7, 2025, we will have our first cohort attempting HSK3 test.
During the year, the Chinese language learners have participated in various cultural activities, including competitions. It is noteworthy that this year one of the learners performed very well during the 24th Chinese Bridge – Chinese proficiency Competition for College Students, Kenya Division. The student finished in position 6 out of 21 finalists.
The second milestone is with regard to four (4) of our Chinese language learners who competitively qualified to participate in the Four-Week Hubei University of Education Summer Camp program, which will start tomorrow, July 25, 2025.
The third milestone is the successful application, which we made in June 2025 to be members of Global Alliance of Agricultural Characteristic Confucius Institutes (GAACCI).
The fourth milestone took place on May 28, 2025 when Kabarak University co-hosted online the launching ceremony of the China International College Students Innovation Competition 2025 – Africa Division, organized by Nanjing Agricultural University. Thank you for inviting us to co-plan with you this continental competition, an invite we have gladly embraced and supported. Besides hosting launch of the competition, we have also hosted the online evaluation phase. In addition, we have played a pivotal role in mobilizing student teams and forming the judging panel for the Africa Division of the Competition.
Our collaboration in the China International College Students Innovation Competition 2025 – Africa Division provides a global platform for Kabarak University students to showcase their creativity, originality, and entrepreneurial spirit, potentially leading to recognition and further development of their innovative solutions in critical sectors such as agriculture and related fields. This has directly enhanced student talent development and cross-cultural exchange in innovation.
Following an intensive evaluation process conducted by the organizing committee from June 21-July 5, 2025 from a pool of over 100 applications received from across Africa, a total of 30 teams were shortlisted to advance to the Nairobi on-site finals. I am pleased to report that four teams from Kabarak University have been selected to proceed to the crucial stage set for today and tomorrow (July 24-25, 2025) in Nairobi.
The fifth milestone is the High-Level Graduate Chinese scholarship for 2025/2026, which Nanjing Agricultural University has awarded to two out of our four applicants. As a result, two of our applicants, Herman Kimutai and Kiplangat Lilian Jerop, have been admitted to pursue PhD in Plant Genetics and Breeding, and Master of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, respectively, at Nanjing Agricultural University. We express our gratitude.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, in view of the monumental success Kabarak University and Nanjing Agricultural University have achieved within the last one year, we are pleased to make the following bold proposals for strategic areas for further collaborations with Nanjing Agricultural University:
First, we propose to Nanjing Agricultural University the establishment of an African Campus at Kabarak University. The campus, once established, will serve as a dedicated regional strategic hub to prepare African students for further academic pursuits in the People’s Republic of China. This strategic initiative would offer comprehensive pre-departure programs, including intensive Chinese language training, foundational courses in agricultural sciences and related disciplines tailored to the Chinese academic context, and crucial cultural orientation. This preparatory phase will significantly enhance student success rates, bridge academic and cultural gaps more effectively, and foster a deeper understanding between our continents, ultimately solidifying the pipeline of talented African scholars to Nanjing Agricultural University and strengthening Sino-African educational collaboration.
Second, based on our successful Chinese Language Teaching Program launched in September 2024, Kabarak University respectfully proposes that Nanjing Agricultural University supports us in establishing a dedicated Confucius Classroom. The Confucius Classroom would provide a focused, well-resourced environment for Chinese language and cultural immersion. It will serve as a good beginning as we look to establish a full-fledged Confucius Institute in future. Besides a Confucius Classroom would greatly attract more students to Chinese studies, streamline the provision of HSK tutorship and cultural activities, as well as build the necessary operational capacity and community engagement.
Thirdly, building on our established and successful collaboration, Kabarak University respectfully proposes that Nanjing Agricultural University to support us by providing a distinguished visiting Professor of Agriculture to strengthen our under-resourced agriculture programs. This expert would be instrumental in co-developing cutting-edge curriculum content, integrating the modern advancements in agricultural technology and precision farming practices relevant to both our local context and global food security challenges. Such an expert would not only enrich our academic programs but also empower our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive innovative and sustainable agricultural transformation in Kenya.
Last but not least, we also propose the establishment of a robust Faculty Exchange Program with Nanjing Agricultural University that will enable faculty members from both institutions to undertake short-term teaching assignments, engage in collaborative research projects, and participate in academic conferences. This program will foster invaluable cross-cultural understanding, sharing best practices in pedagogy and research methodologies, and jointly pursuing solutions to global challenges, particularly in the critical areas of agriculture, agricultural economics, agricultural technology and food security. We believe this reciprocal exchange of expertise will enrich the academic experience for faculty and students at both universities. It will also significantly enhance our collective research output and global competitiveness.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, with those remarks, it is my pleasure to welcome Prof. ZHU Yan, Vice-President, Nanjing Agricultural University, to make her remarks.
Prof. Henry K. Kiplangat, Ph.D, MBS, OGW
VICE CHANCELLOR
