By Mandere Onyinkwa
The acting Chief Executive Officer of the Universities Fund, Dr Edwin Wanyonyi, has been nominated to serve on the General Council of the Association of African Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA).
The nomination, announced on Wednesday, recognises Wanyonyi’s experience in higher education financing, strategic leadership, policy development, institutional planning, resource mobilisation and stakeholder engagement.
Also Read
AAHEFA President Dr John Machayi said Wanyonyi’s leadership of the Universities Fund would bring valuable experience to the continental body as it seeks to strengthen cooperation among higher education financing agencies.
“You provide strategic leadership to an institution with a central role in supporting access to and financing of higher education in Kenya,” Machayi said in the nomination letter.
He added that Wanyonyi’s understanding of higher education financing systems would provide useful insights to the General Council as the association works to advance sustainable financing approaches across Africa.
The General Council provides strategic direction and guidance to AAHEFA while serving as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices among higher education financing agencies.
Wanyonyi’s appointment is expected to place particular focus on sustainable financing mechanisms, institutional strengthening, policy development and innovative approaches to expanding access to higher education.
AAHEFA brings together national student loan boards and other higher education financing agencies across Africa, with the aim of improving access to higher education and strengthening financing models for students.
Machayi said Wanyonyi’s professional expertise and institutional perspective would contribute to the association’s strategic objectives.
“We are confident that your experience, professional expertise and institutional perspective will make a valuable contribution to the work of the General Council,” he said.
The nomination also gives Kenya an opportunity to share its experience in higher education financing while drawing lessons from other countries on funding models, institutional capacity and student support.
The Universities Fund is established under Section 53 of the Universities Act, Cap 210, with a mandate to provide sustainable financing for universities in Kenya.
Under the Student-Centred Funding Model, the Fund provides government scholarships to eligible university students. Since 2023, more than 400,000 students have benefited from Universities Fund scholarships.
AAHEFA was established to facilitate the sharing of information, skills and expertise among higher education financing agencies, promote capacity building and mobilise resources for common development initiatives.
