Auditors from the Commission for University Education (CUE) have recommended Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) to start offering a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in the just-concluded CUE verification exercise.

The two-day extensive exercise started on Thursday, February 27 and ended on Friday February 28, 2025.

The audit team from CUE is now expected to submit it findings and recommendations to the top CUE Board for official approval of the medical school and it's programmes. 

The pending launch of the medical school would be culmination of a ten-year journey of TUM investments in infrastructure, facilities, staff, and partnerships in its efforts to make the School of Medicine a reality. 

Addressing TUM top management and staff at the School of Medicine Boardroom, CUE experts led by Prof Urbanus Mutwiwa, who doubles as the Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of accreditation, stated that they visited laboratories, library, lecture halls, and ICT infrastructure and confirmed that TUM has met the threshold to offer the programme.

“As a committee, we are satisfied that TUM has all the required equipment and human resources to run the programme.

"We are going to give our recommendations to the board so that in their next sitting they can discuss it further,” Prof Mutwiwa said.

In his remarks, Prof Stephen Ogendo, a CUE council member and renowned Professor of Medicine at Maseno University, said the anatomy laboratory was well furnished to teach medical students.

Nautical Sciences 

Another programme that saw the light of the day was the Bachelor of Science in Nautical Sciences from the Institute of Maritime and Seafaring Studies.

Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science is an undergraduate Degree Programme that prepares students for a career as a deck officer in the merchant navy or in the maritime industry.

The course is intended to equip the trainee with the knowledge, understanding, skills and competence required to work onboard a merchant ship performing operational-level functions associated with the deck department.

On March 20, 2024, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Laila Abubakar and the Director TUM Institute of Maritime and Seafaring Studies Captain Talib Ibrahim paid a courtesy call to the Kenya Ports Authority Harbour Master, where they were welcomed by Capt. Ali Abdille, who hosted the industry review of the programme. The curriculum for the BSC in Nautical Sciences, was subsequently accepted by both the Association of Marine Pilots Kenya and the Association of Maritime Practitioners in Kenya. The stakeholders lauded TUM for taking bold steps to ensure quality in Maritime Education and Training (MET). The close relationship with the Association of Maritime Practitioners-Kenya has enabled such great milestones to be achieved.

The degree programme, being the first of its kind in the country, has been hailed as a trailblazer.

 Other verified Programmes 

During the exercise, other six programmes were also verified by CUE. They are Bachelor of Quantity Surveying, Bachelor of Science in Human Resources, Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Master of Business Information Systems, Master of Science in Computer Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Human Resources Management.

School of Medicine

Prof Peter Gichangi, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academics Research and Extension, emphasized that there was a need to establish the School of Medicine at TUM to bridge the shortage of medical doctors in the country.

Dr David  Kariuki, the chief executive officer of Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council (KMPDC), said he supports the idea and advised  TUM to observe all the necessary procedures to make the goal a reality.

He noted that once the doctors graduate, they will not only serve in Kenya, but also the whole of East Africa region.

Prof Laila 

TUM Vice Chancellor Prof Laila Abubakar promised the CUE team that TUM will provide all the required resources to make the school of medicine a reality. 

"We take quality very seriously at TUM. We shall follow all the procedures to produce quality graduates," Prof Laila assured.

The sentiments were echoed by Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Finance and Planning Prof Joseph Rasowo who said TUM is committed to ensuring all academic programmes are given adequate resources to prosper.

 Conclusion 

The verification visit by CUE to TUM underscores the importance of ensuring that academic resources meet the required standards for quality education. That is by conducting thorough assessments and providing recommendations for improvement.

CUE is the university's apex regulatory body hence regularly conducts quality and standards verification exercises in local universities to ensure compliance.

So the just ended exercise was purposed to assess the adequacy and quality of academic resources available to students and faculty.

The CUE officials visit was a proactive measure to ensure that TUM maintains high standards of education and provides students with the necessary resources to excel in their academic pursuits.

In attendance were the Dean School of Engineering and Technology Dr Sameer Bachani, the Dean of the School of Applied and Health Sciences Prof Huxley Makonde, the Dean School of Business Dr Samson Kitheka, the Director of Quality Assurance Dr Sylvia Mutua, the Director Maritime and Seafaring Studies Institute Mr Talib Ibrahim and Chairperson of various departments within the University.