The University of Eldoret has taken yet another major step in strengthening its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem under the Institutional Commercialisation Support (IS) Programme by the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA). The University welcomed KeNIA and Murang’a University of Technology for a peer evaluation exercise on 12^th November 2025. The exercise aimed at objectively assessing University of Eldoret’s performance, share experiences, good practices, and lessons from its own entrepreneurial journey, and provide technical guidance to help verify evidence, validate scores, and identify practical areas for improvement.

The KeNIA team paid a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Thomas Kimeli Cheruiyot, to brief the University leadership on the objectives, process, and expected outcomes of the peer evaluation. The Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed the University’s commitment to actualising its motto, “Flame of Knowledge and Innovation,” by fostering an enabling environment that empowers innovators, researchers, and students to translate ideas into real-world impact. He further emphasised the strategic importance of the IS Programme in positioning University of Eldoret as a competitive entrepreneurial university in Kenya and beyond.

The peer evaluation followed the earlier self-evaluation exercise that was conducted at the University of Eldoret on 8th  October 2025 and forms the second phase of the IS Programme by KeNIA. The two assessments are designed to deepen understanding of the University’s entrepreneurial maturity and readiness for research commercialisation.  The peer exercise was a structured, inclusive, and evidence-based evaluation undertaken in close collaboration with the Institutional Working Groups (IWGs) established at the University of Eldoret and Murang’a University of Technology under the IS Programme. The exercise followed a structured and participatory approach that included plenary sessions to revisit the EIMF tool, scoring criteria, and expectations for the peer review; breakout sessions with thematic groups aligned to the EIMF domains; evidence review of policies, strategic plans, reports, structures, and ongoing initiatives, and feedback and validation sessions, where Murang’a University of Technology and KeNIA offered reflections on the University’s self-assessment scores. The peer evaluation reviewed institutional performance across the seven key EIMF domains:

1. Leadership and Governance – Vision, strategy, and institutional structures supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.
2. Finance – Budgeting, incentives, and sustainability of commercialisation efforts.
3. Infrastructure – Existence and effectiveness of technology transfer offices, incubators, co-creation spaces, and laboratories.
4. Human Capital and Culture – Skills, capacity development, motivation, and entrepreneurial mindset among staff and students.
5. Innovation Policies and Strategies – Availability, awareness, and implementation of policies related to IP, startups, partnerships, and commercialisation.
6. Entrepreneurship Education – Integration of entrepreneurship into curricula and provision of experiential learning opportunities.
7. Industry, Alumni, and Community Linkages – Strength and depth of engagement with external stakeholders supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.

The University of Eldoret delegation included senior management representatives led by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Planning, Research and Extension) Prof. Phillip Raburu, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Student Affairs) Prof. Godfrey Netondo, Deans and Directors from various Schools and Directorates, including Prof. Julius Ochuodho, Director of Resource Mobilization and Strategic Initiatives, Prof. Maurice Okoth, Acting Director ODeL, and Dr. Julius Kollongei, Dean, School of Engineering. Also present were members of the Institutional Working Group (IWG), which included Dr. Caroline Ayuma - Chair, Innovation, Incubation and Commercialization Centre (IICC); Dr. Emily J. Chemoiwa, representing Dr. Becky Aloo, the Head, Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO), and Dr. Fatuma Daudi – Director of Industrial Linkages, Partnerships and Collaborations. There were also various representatives from the Innovation Planning Committee and the IICC Committee, and students.

Building on the previous self-evaluation results, which ranked the University of Eldoret as an Emerging Entrepreneurial Institution, the peer evaluation helped to validate areas where the University demonstrates strong foundations, like growing human capital with interest and capacity in entrepreneurship, and active industry, alumni, and community engagement in certain schools and programmes. The participants identified opportunities for growth, including strengthening coordination between IICC, IPMO, Schools, and administrative units; enhancing communication and branding of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives; and expanding structured industry partnerships to support student incubation, internships, and co-creation projects.

The peer evaluation confirmed that while the University has already established at least one dedicated structure for technology transfer and incubation, there is a need to deepen institutionalisation, improve resourcing, and enhance implementation of existing frameworks. The peer evaluation is an important input into the development of the Institutional Innovation and Commercialisation Masterplan for the University of Eldoret. Using insights from both the self-evaluation and the peer evaluation, the University will now work closely with KeNIA experts to develop a clear 3–5-year roadmap for strengthening the innovation and commercialisation ecosystem, prioritise strategic investments in human capital, infrastructure, and enabling policies, enhance entrepreneurship education across all disciplines, and strengthen industry, government, and community partnerships. The Masterplan will be a key reference document for University Management and Council, guiding decision-making, resource allocation, and performance monitoring in relation to innovation and commercialisation. University of Eldoret IWG conducted a peer evaluation exercise for Kabarak University on 28 November 2025.

University of Eldoret remains committed to building a vibrant and inclusive innovation ecosystem that empowers students and staff to turn ideas into prototypes, startups, and enterprises, supports researchers to translate their findings into impactful solutions addressing societal and industry challenges, and strengthens linkages with industry, government, alumni, and communities. Through the continued partnership with KeNIA and other strategic partnerships, the University aims to move from an emerging entrepreneurial institution to a mature entrepreneurial university where innovation and entrepreneurship thrive.