Kenya joined the conversation on seamless higher education integration as leaders from across East Africa gathered in Kampala for the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on the East African Community Common Higher Education Area (EACHEA).

The event was graced and officially opened by His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, whose presence underscored the importance the host nation placed on regional cooperation in higher education.

Leading Kenya’s delegation, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education Hon. Julius Migosi Ogamba called on partner states to move from words to action.

Speaking at the ministerial roundtable, the Cabinet Secretary urged his counterparts to remove the barriers that prevent students and professionals from freely moving across the region.

“The time has come for us to move from commitments on paper to real action that students, faculty, and institutions can feel. Removing visa restrictions and discriminatory tuition fees will give young East Africans the freedom to learn, work, and innovate without borders,” Hon. Ogamba said.

 
Ministers responsible for Higher Education from EAC partner States- Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and CEOs of Commissions/Council of Higher Education pose for a group photo during the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on the East African Community Common Higher Education Area (EACHEA), held in Kampala, Uganda, from 9th to 11th September 2025. The conference was convened under the auspices of the Forum of CEOs of National Higher Education Commissions, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), and other key stakeholders

His message captured the spirit of the Kampala Ministerial Communiqué, which reaffirmed the commitment of partner states to build a common higher education area that strengthens academic excellence, knowledge mobility, and socio-economic transformation.

The Cabinet Secretary was accompanied by Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, the Principal Secretary, State Department of Higher Education.
Adding Kenya’s voice, Commission for University Education (CUE) CEO Prof. Mike Kuria stressed that harmonisation doesn’t mean uniformity, but rather building trust and comparability among institutions.

“We cannot afford fragmented systems if we are to compete globally. Harmonisation means agreeing on standards, ensuring quality, and giving confidence in our qualifications. 
CUE will intensify efforts to implement the East African Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and the Regional Quality Assurance Framework,” Prof. Kuria said.

 
CUE CEO Prof. Mike Kuria (centre) and Dr. Eunice Marete (far right interact with delegates at the CUE exhibition booth during the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on EACHEA in Kampala, Uganda

For CUE, the Kampala resolutions are more than aspirations. The Communiqué directed national commissions to play a central role: designating focal points for EACHEA, ensuring universities align with regional frameworks, enforcing fair tuition rules, and supporting the removal of visa requirements for students and professionals.

 
CUE Secretary/CEO, Prof. Mike Kuria (left), and IUCEA Executive Secretary, Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona(right), lead a panel discussion during the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on EACHEA at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda.

In practical terms, this means CUE will work with universities to integrate regional standards into academic programmes, promote joint degrees, and support student and staff mobility schemes. It also places CUE at the centre of monitoring Kenya’s compliance with regional higher education frameworks, ensuring the country delivers on the commitments made in Kampala.
The conference also gave opportunity for participating institutions to exhibit their services, programmes and innovations. CUE took part in the exhibition to promote the visibility and mandate of the regulator across the region.

   
Left: Ms. Evelyn Okewo, Ag. Deputy Director-Corporate Communication, CUE briefs East African Community delegates on the mandate and functions of the Commission during the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on the EACHEA, held in Uganda from 9th to 11th September 2025.

Right: Mr. Michael Tanui, Ag. Deputy Director for Quality Assurance at CUE, chats with a delegate visiting the CUE booth during the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on the EACHEA, held in Uganda from 9th to 11th September 2025

Kenya was well represented at the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference on the EACHEA in Kampala by a wide array of institutions and stakeholders. Among the university present were: Mount Kenya University (MKU), Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST), Rongo University, KCA University, South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), Kenya Highlands University, Aga Khan University, Scott Christian University, Pioneer International University, and Tom Mboya University. In attendance was also Prof. Daniel Mugendi, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Embu (UoEm) who also serves as the Chairperson of the Vice Chancellors’ Forum of Public Universities and Dr. Alice Kande, Director General, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA).

State corporations and regulatory bodies were equally represented, including the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), the Kenya Universities Quality Assurance Network (KUQAN), and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA). Student voices were not left behind, with the Kenya Universities Students Organization (KUSO) actively participating. Professional bodies also had their voice at the table, with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) taking part in the conference deliberations.
CUE’s delegation included Dr. Eunice Marete, the Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Quality Assurance, Mr. Michael Tanui- Ag. Deputy Director, Quality Assurance, and Ms. Evelyn Okewo, Ag. Deputy Director, Corporate Communication.

As ministers resolved to eliminate visa requirements, standardise tuition fees, and expand digital learning across East Africa, Kenya’s role through its education ministry and CUE emerged as crucial. 
 

Delegates during the EACHEA Conference held in Kampala, Uganda, from 9th to 11th September 2025

The next test will be whether these bold declarations become reality by the time leaders meet again in Rwanda in 2027.
For now, the Kampala conference has set the stage for an East African higher education space where opportunities will no longer stop at borders, but open doors for every student and researcher across the region.

Article by Evelyn Okewo, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ag. Deputy Director, Corporate Communications