Moi University School of Information Sciences -

Moi University School of Information Sciences

Moi University School of Information Sciences: Details below; The School of Information Sciences at Moi University was established in 1988 to meet the growing need for information-related manpower in Kenya. Until its establishment, people aspiring to pursue programmes such as records management, archives management, library training, publishing and informatics had no option but to do it outside the country. The problem with this arrangement was that an external programme was not only costly both to the individuals and the government or sponsor, but also totally irrelevant to the manpower needs of Kenya and much of the African region. Students who went overseas were trained on the environment prevalent in the developed west which was not similar to the situation in Kenya.

In view of the foregoing, it was felt by both the government and members of the information fraternity that the only way to address this need was to establish a local training facility. Moi University was chosen as the most ideal public institution to host this school. The school was mandated to provide high level training for people aspiring to pursue: Information technology; archives and records management; librarianship; publishing; and mass media.

Present Status

Since its inception in 1988, the school has developed to become a leading regional training ground for information-related professionals. Presently, the school offers bachelors, masters and PhD degrees in the following areas:

Information technology
Records and archives management
Library and information studies
Publishing and Mass Media

On account of its pioneering and leadership role in these areas, the school has and continues to attract students and scholars from as far a field as, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda , South Sudan and Uganda. The school is among the very few schools on the African continent offering records and archives management; and publishing programmes up to PhD level. Its professors are among the most respected and sought after on the continent.

Marketability of graduates from the school

Graduates from the school are immediately absorbed on completion of their programmes. A number of them are booked by potential employers during their final year. At present there is a serious shortage of graduates with postgraduate qualifications in records management and librarianship in universities mushrooming in the East Africa making competition for them very stiff. Most students from outside Kenya are sponsored by their employers who guarantee them promotion on successful completion of their programmes.

Conducive learning environment

Moi University is situated in the countryside near the town of Eldoret. The university is noted for its conducive learning environment second to none in Kenya. The rural setting allows students to concentrate on their studies. The cost of living is among the lowest in Kenya. The huge and rich farmlands in the immediate neighbourhood make the cost of living on the campus affordable.

Tuition fee is very reasonable. Transport costs to and from classes are practically non-existent as most students reside either on campus or in the immediate neighbourhood.

A centre for excellence in research

The School of Information Sciences at Moi University has recently established itself as a national and international research centre in information-related disciplines. The PhD programmes offered in the school continue to attract many students from the African region. The majority of doctoral students are university lecturers who take advantage of the excellent resources available in the school. The school boasts of a total of five professors and over 15 doctorates on the establishment. The university library has perhaps the best and most comprehensive resources on information sciences in Eastern Africa. The electronic resources subscribed by the library complements the print resources available on campus.

The school has created a niche in research. Among the areas of research excellence are information ethics, disaster management, information needs and seeking behaviour, copyright and how it impacts on information dissemination and use, legal information provision to rural communities, electronic records and preservation; fundraising as a supplementary funding option for libraries, use of ICTs in poverty alleviation in rural areas, knowledge and content management.

Collaboration with other universities and the industry

The school has recently embarked on joint teaching and research programmes with both national and overseas institutions. In addition, the industry in Kenya has taken advantage of our leadership role in information sciences to establish formal and informal collaborations with the school. Through these partnerships, the industry has played host to many of our students on industrial attachment. The majority of final year students seconded to the industry end up being retained. Media houses have been the greatest beneficiaries of this programme. There is hardly any media house in the country that does not have graduates from the school.

Conclusion

In view of the foregoing, it does appear that Moi University and in particular, the School of Information Sciences, will continue to play a leading role as a supplier of information-related manpower in the country and much of the African region for a considerable period of time.

Moi University School of Information Sciences

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