About the Directorate

The Directorate of Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer (RITT) is guided by a board chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research and Student Affairs), with the Director of RITT serving as the Secretary.

The Directorate serves as the engine of research coordination, innovation promotion, and technology dissemination within the university. It is strategically positioned to support both academic excellence and industry-relevant research.

Mandate and Responsibilities

• Coordinate all research activities across the University.
• Identify research needs and appropriate facilities.
• Implement university research policies and advise Senate on research matters.
• Align university research with Intellectual Property (IP) policy.
• Establish institutional research priorities.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory research requirements.
• Recommend funding allocations for Schools, Faculties, and Institutes.
• Receive and evaluate research grant reports.
• Publish annual research and innovation reports.
• Organize seminars and support publication of research findings.
• Monitor and ensure proper use of research funds.
• Disseminate research to target beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Liaise with the IP Rights Committee to identify and patent innovations.
• Support incubation of research-based products.
• Promote publicity for groundbreaking research outputs.
• Handle additional research-related responsibilities as assigned.

Regional and International Collaborations

Tom Mboya University continues to foster strong collaborative networks to support research, innovation, and development both regionally and internationally. Some of the active partnerships and projects include:

• The International Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research Project (ICEMR)
• Collaboration between TMU, Thika Way Investment Limited, and DBFZ (Germany)
• The Cotton Victoria Project
• Research partnership with Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)

Ongoing Research Collaborations

• NRF 2019/2020 FY Funded Multidisciplinary Research Project
  • Partners: TMU, JOOUST, Maseno University, and Agri Seed Company Ltd
• TMU & Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA)
  • Focus: Research training, partnership activities, and networking
• TMU & SHEP Biz
  • Project: Smallholder Empowerment and Agribusiness Promotion

Seminars and Workshops

Tom Mboya University has successfully organized and hosted impactful academic events, including:

• International Conference in collaboration with the Education Evidence for Action (EE4A) Forum.
• Theme: “Revitalizing Education and Training through Research.”
• Sub-Themes:
  • Higher Education: Positioning higher education for transforming education and training.
  • CBC: Examining CBC implementation, assessment and transitions in Kenya.
  • Education Technology: The potential of technology in education to ensure equitable, equal and quality education for all.
  • Partnerships: Optimizing Partnerships for successful education reforms in Kenya.

Training Opportunities

In partnership with Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA), TMU conducted a focused training titled:

“Enhancing Capacity of African-Led Education Research Institutions to Produce Credible Evidence on the Education Ecosystem with Focus on Resilience/Socio-Emotional Learning.”

The training empowered scholars to carry out evidence-based research and strengthened institutional capacity for policy-relevant studies.

Research Support Services

Tom Mboya University recognizes research support as a vital enabler of academic excellence and innovation. The institution is dedicated to improving:

• Physical infrastructure supporting research activities
• Access to e-resources and online journals
• Financial and training support for researchers

Efforts are underway to establish an institutional repository for theses, projects, and other scholarly works.

Institutional Commitments

TMU remains committed to strengthening its research ecosystem through:

• Ongoing infrastructure development for research labs and study spaces
• Expanding digital access through database subscriptions
• Strengthening partnerships to build capacity in priority research areas

These efforts ensure alignment with the university’s mission of promoting research, innovation, and technology transfer.