The Commission for University Education (CUE) is established under the University Act of 2012 section 4. The CUE was created to manage and oversee university education in Kenya. The commission is headed by a chairperson appointed by the president.
The CUE commission is mandated to promote university education, monitor, regulate, accredit universities and programmes, and inspect the quality of education among other functions defined in the act.
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Functions of the Commission for University Education (CUE)
To achieve the commission objective under the University Act it is given the following roles and responsibilities.
- Promote the objectives of university education.
- Advise the Cabinet Secretary on policy relating to university education.
- Promote, advance, publicise, and set standards relevant to the quality of university education, including promoting and supporting internationally recognized standards.
- Monitor and evaluate the state of university education systems to the national development goals.
- Licence any student recruitment agencies operating in Kenya and any activities by foreign institutions.
- Develop policies for criteria and requirements for admission to universities.
- Recognize and equate degrees, diplomas, and certificates conferred or awarded by foreign universities and institutions per the standards and guidelines set by the Commission from time to time.
- Undertake or cause to be undertaken, regular inspections, monitoring, and evaluation of universities to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act.
- Collect, disseminate, and maintain data on university education.
- Accredit universities in Kenya.
- Regulate university education in Kenya.
- Regularly, inspect universities in Kenya.
- Promote quality research and innovation.
Commission for university education standards and guidelines
To meet its mandate the commission has developed different standards and guidelines to be used when managing its functions. The guidelines and standards are used when accrediting a new university or programme. When doing a quality inspection among other activities relating to university education.
To align with the Act the ministry presented to the parliament the universities regulations 2023 which were rejected for implementation. The regulations highlight the establishment of universities, technical universities, special awarding universities, constituent colleges and campuses.
It also gives guidelines on collaboration management and governance in universities.
Some of the other standards used by the commission include.
- Institutional standards
- Standards of physical resources
- Standards and guidelines for an academic programme
- Standards and guidelines for open, distance, and e-learning
- University libraries standards and guidelines
- Technical universities standards
- Standards for specialized degree-awarding institutions