Talking Points By The Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac O. Kibwage During The Session On Harnessing Ai To Drive Egerton’s Mission In Teaching, Research, And Community Transformation

VENUE: MAIN CAMPUS, NJORO

DATE: WEDNESDAY, 15^TH OCTOBER, 2025

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Yesterday, as we opened this landmark AI in Higher Education Summit, I spoke of Egerton University’s excitement in convening this dialogue, the first of its kind here. Today, as we gather for the session titled “Harnessing AI to Drive Egerton’s Mission in Teaching, Research, and Community Transformation,” we move from reflection to direction. This is the moment to think deeply about how we, as universities, can position ourselves to benefit from and shape the AI era.

Setting the Strategic Imperative

For Egerton, the goal is not simply to watch this revolution unfold, but to learn how to integrate AI responsibly and purposefully into our mission. This is a decisive step toward advancing our global competitiveness while remaining deeply relevant to the communities we serve.

AI as the Engine for Institutional Excellence

If we are to make real progress, we must recognize that AI is the new engine of institutional excellence. It should not be confined to ICT departments but embedded into our institutional DNA; our planning, budgeting and academic strategies.

We must begin shifting from reactive adaptation to proactive integration, cultivating an environment where AI becomes an essential tool for innovation, learning efficiency, and effective administration.

Modernizing Teaching and Learning

AI must transform how we teach and learn. It should be woven across disciplines from Agriculture and Health Sciences to Philosophy and Education. The goal is to teach about AI and also with AI.

Generative AI offers opportunities for personalized and adaptive learning, empowering lecturers to create dynamic content and providing students with customized feedback and support, thereby enriching the learning experience.

Accelerating Research and Discovery

AI is also a catalyst for research excellence. It enhances our capacity to analyze complex datasets, uncover insights, and generate discoveries in areas vital to national development such as climate modeling, food security, and precision agriculture.

But we must go further: ensuring that research powered by AI moves from the lab to the market, driving innovation, shaping policy, and creating sustainable economic value.

Ethical Leadership and Community Transformation

As we engage with AI, we must also lead with ethics. Egerton aspires to be a thought leader in responsible AI one that addresses algorithmic bias, protects data privacy, and upholds academic integrity. True to our mission, we must ensure that the benefits of AI reach our communities, making the technology inclusive, equitable and transformative for all.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Colleagues, this session calls us to collective action. The AI transformation cannot be achieved in isolation. It will require collaboration among faculty, students, industry partners, and policymakers.

Let us, therefore, move from conversation to concrete steps, to guide and support universities like Egerton in embedding AI in ways that enhance our teaching, expand our research frontiers, and uplift our communities.

The time to act is now.