University students urged to embrace innovation

Rongo University, Vice Chancellor Samuel Gudu urges students to exploit their talents to solve societal problems. [File, Standard]

University students have been encouraged to embrace innovation to help contribute to the country’s development.

Speaking during a career fair themed Knowledge to Impact at Rongo University, Vice Chancellor Samuel Gudu emphasized the need for students to use creativity and curiosity to solve real-world problems and build new ideas.

Prof Gudu asked the students to exploit their talents and seek to provide solutions to challenges the country is facing including unemployment, food security, national security and health.

“Career fair is an opportunity to showcase what the university is doing and the various innovations that the university is planning to mount and take for commercialization. Some of these come from students’ innovations and staffs,” he said.

The VC said that the university was working towards commercialisation and solving challenges facing the country.

‎Deputy Vice Chancellor- Academics and Students Affairs Michael Ntabo told the students to always lead from the front.

‎Prof. Ntabo urged the students to be innovative in order to sharpen their skills and abilities to be creative so that they are able to bring socio-economic transformation to the country.

“We are trying to prepare our students well for the job market because what we teach is not theory but practical and skills inbuilt to the students so that as they go out, they are hands-on. We train them to fit into the job market,” Ntabo remarked.

During the career fair, three students won in an innovation challenge that attracted 25 young innovators.

‎The career fair had partners and collaborators that included Airtel Kenya, Old Mutual, and Equity Bank.

‎‎John Ambuchi, who is the Chair for Career and Innovation Expo 2026, said that the career fair showed that students have to put what they have learnt into practice and visualise what they can do for society.

“We brought an innovation challenge to the students. We are grateful because the three best students have already earned internship opportunities at Old Mutual. This is a great opportunity that any student can dream about,” Ambuchi stated.

More students are expected to enroll in a career fair innovation challenge in the coming academic year.