Under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Professor Isaac Kibwage, Egerton University has achieved a major milestone—the re-introduction and successful certification under the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) standard.
The university’s journey toward regaining its ISO status began with a clear vision to restore systems and processes that reflect global best practices. Prof. Kibwage emphasized accountability, quality service delivery, and institutional efficiency as key pillars of his administration.
ISO 9001:2015 is the most widely recognized QMS standard globally. It assures that an institution consistently meets customer and regulatory requirements while enhancing satisfaction through continuous improvement and effective systems.
For Egerton University, the certification affirms its commitment to excellence through:
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Well-documented systems and procedures
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Effective leadership and stakeholder engagement
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Strong focus on students, clients, and partners
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Continuous evaluation and improvement of service delivery
The certification process was institution-wide, with active involvement from all departments, faculties, campuses, and research institutes. Each unit contributed to aligning their processes with ISO standards.
The University Management Board led by the Vice Chancellor has been keen with processes and procedures.
To coordinate the effort, the university re-established the Directorate of ISO Standards, appointing Prof. Bruce Mackenzie as Director. He brought renewed focus and structure to the certification process.
Alongside him, Ms. Frida Murugi, the directorate’s administrator, worked closely with a team of trained internal auditors. Their role was to continuously review, monitor, and document processes across the institution.
This meticulous internal audit process led to the successful completion of the first and second stages of audit by external auditors from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
During the closeout meeting, KEBS confirmed Egerton’s readiness for ISO 9001:2015 certification. Prof. Richard Mulwa, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration, Finance and Planning), emphasized that while achieving certification was a difficult task, maintaining it will be even more demanding.
Director Mackenzie expressed his deep relief and joy after the announcement. “I held my joy with bated breath before the KEBS officials made the announcement. For once, I will sleep. It has been a journey full of reviews, stepping on some toes, ensuring conformity and discipline in processes,” he remarked.
The certification now positions Egerton University as a competitive, quality-driven institution ready to serve students and stakeholders with renewed excellence.
