Judging by the number of students and programs offered, Zetech University is one of the country's fast-growing academic institutions.
Located along Ruiru, Thika Road, Zetech's main campus boasts a student capacity of over 6,000 students. But, do you know the institution started from a university hostel over 20 years ago?
How Zetech University was Created
The institution was established by Ken Mbiuki in 1997 when he was studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nairobi (UoN).
According to Mbiuki, the institution started in his university hostel when he offered his computer application training to fellow students.
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Mbiuki noted that pressure from students and a lack of computer training colleges pushed him to offer training at his hostel room.
"Initially I had two to three students but the number went up between the end of 1997 to 1999, growing between 200 to 300 students," he said.
The increased number of students was a blessing for Mbiuki as his income increased to around Kshs 200,000 monthly.
The numbers kept growing, prompting him to register and officially run a college dubbed Zenith Technology, which was re-branded to Zetech College in 1999.
Following the re-branding, the college opened a branch in Nairobi CBD, hoping to attract clients from other parts of the city besides UoN.
Zetech Expansion from College to University
After moving to Nairobi CBD, the college embarked on an expansion drive to attain university status. Their goal was finally achieved in August 2014 when they received a Letter of Interim Authority.
"In line with its blueprint Zetech developed the Ruiru Campus and on 24th August 2014 received a Letter of Interim Authority (LIA) from the Commission for University Education giving it authority to operate as a University. Our flagship programs were Bachelor of Information Technology, Bachelor of Business Information Technology, and Bachelor of Business Administration and Management," Zetech states on its website.
In 2015, former President Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened Zetech University's Ruiru Campus Complex. The complex comprises a multipurpose, state-of-the-art facility hosting tuition areas and academic and administrative offices.
Zetech University First Graduation and Expansion to Post-Graduate Programs
The university graduated the first cohort of degree students on 10 November 2017. The students graduated with degrees in different fields, such as education, Hospitality, Procurement, and Business management.
In September of the same year, Zetech received its first cohort of government-sponsored students.
Four years after graduation (2021), Zetech launched its post-graduate degree program, starting with Master's in Business Administration.
However, the university's most significant highlight came in August 2022 when President Kenyatta awarded the Charter to become a fully-fledged University after meeting all the required conditions by the Commission for University Education.
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