MMUST has continued proliferating its international networks outside the continent. June 4th2018, Scholars from Ball State University (BSU) landed in MMUST for a partnership to champion for Early Childhood Education. Among the scholars were Prof. Winnie Mucherah, Deborah Lanier and Melinda Messineo, an associate Vice President for Diversity at BSU.
Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Mucherah and Prof. Benbern commended the hospitality and innovativeness of MMUST, expressing their interest to work with the university. They also noted that collaboration between MMUST and BSU has come a long way, not only in academics, but also in improving Early Childhood Education, Diversity and Research. Prof. Mucherah urged the university to embrace Early Childhood expert training, noting that this is the area that has been neglected for so long in the Kenyan Education system. She emphasized the need to value and embrace diversity and inclusivity irrespective of race, gender or religion.
Prof. Messineo, embraced the idea of diversity in Africa and more specifically Kenya. She said that it is very sweet to have a diverse society in which we learn from different people with whom we mingle every day. She noted that if everyone was similar, there would be no distinction. Areas of diversity that she pointed out included race, religion, color sex, pregnancy status, thinking style, culture and ethnicity among many others.
While receiving the visitors, MMUST Vice Chancellor, Prof. Fred Otieno resonated with the need to focus on Early Childhood training, saying that ignoring it inhibits innovation and diversity in Kenya. He pressed on the need to embrace diversity, committing that the University will set up a Diversity Office. “This office will greatly embed ideals of diversity to everyone in the University, we shall also invite experts to sensitize the entire MMUST fraternity on importance of diversity” said Prof. Otieno. MMUST staff in attendance included the Chairperson Department of Educational Psychology, Dr. Kennedy Bota, Director International and Academic Linkages, Dr. Catherine Aurah, Dean School of Education, Dr. Judah Ndiku, and Coordinator ECD Programmes Dr. Rose Opiyo.
