About the Directorate of Research and Innovation - Multimedia University of Kenya

The Director’s Welcome Remarks

Research and innovation are pivotal to national progress, enhancing productivity, improving livelihoods, and stimulating economic growth. The Directorate of Research and Innovation (DRI) is dedicated to fostering an environment that supports research activities and strengthens Kenya’s competitive edge and economic development. Our primary functions include:

Facilitating communication with stakeholders,
Establishing and supporting interdisciplinary research groups, research centres, and professorial research chairs,
Promoting active research engagement, and cultivating collaborative research partnerships with industry, research institutions, and both local and international donors.

Our Research Policy is aligned with the MMU Charter, the MMU Strategic Plan, government policies on research, and emerging global trends. This comprehensive policy guides all research activities at MMU, with a strong focus on effective research governance and management, execution of a strategic research agenda, enhancement of research information systems, cultivation of a robust research culture, provision of state-of-the-art infrastructure, and pursuit of sustainable research funding.

Currently, researchers at MMU are actively engaged in eight key thematic areas: Media and Communication; Engineering Technologies; Optics and Laser Technologies; Climate Innovation and Clean Energy Technologies; Pure and Applied Sciences; Information and Communication Technology; Social Sciences and Governance of Urban Mobility; and Business, Economics and Management.

It is my pleasure to invite you to explore the Directorate’s web page, where you will find comprehensive information about our functions, services, and impactful research outputs. We trust you will find this platform both informative and engaging. Through this web page and the MMU e-Repository, the DRI maintains a strong connection with its clients and stakeholders. We also welcome your valuable feedback, which will help us continuously enhance the quality of our services and products.

We extend a warm welcome to you all.

Dr. David Wafula Wekesa, CEM®; CMVP®; Ph.D.
Director, Directorate of Research & Innovation
Email: director_research@mmu.ac.ke or dwekesa@mmu.ac.ke

About Directorate of Research and Innovation

ABOUT THE DIRECTORATE OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

The Directorate of Research and Innovation at the Multimedia University of Kenya operates under the Academic Affairs, Research, and Innovation Division. It is mandated to coordinate, manage, and oversee all research and innovation activities within the University.

To fulfill this mandate, the Directorate focuses on strengthening research and innovation capacity, ensuring the timely and accurate dissemination of research outputs, promoting innovative research in priority areas, and fostering continuous improvement through collaboration and consultancy with both internal and external stakeholders. These efforts are aligned with national and international development agendas.

Our Mission
To promote the discovery, invention, application, and dissemination of knowledge through high-quality research and innovation.

Our Vision
To achieve excellence in research, innovation, outreach, and consultancy.

Our Objectives

To mobilize and administer research funding from the University and external partners to support high-quality research;
To establish and maintain robust monitoring and evaluation systems for funded research projects;
To continuously review and implement the University’s research policy;
To strengthen researchers’ capacity in research management and innovation;
To provide platforms for researchers to share, publish, and disseminate their findings;
To spearhead impactful community engagement and service initiatives;
To promote interdisciplinary collaboration within the University and with external partners.

Core Functions

The Directorate of Research and Innovation is responsible for:

Facilitating communication on all matters related to research and innovation within the University community;
Supporting the establishment and sustainability of interdisciplinary research and innovation groups and centres, both internally and externally;
Facilitating engagement, creation, and maintenance of collaborative research and innovation links with industry, other research institutions, local donors, and foreign donors in a proactive way;
Guiding the activities for Research and Innovation by setting goals and standards, and by supporting initiatives and new directives in these areas;
Ensuring the transmission and implementation of decisions made by the University organs in line with Research and Innovation;
Liaising with government departments, private and public sector organisations, donor agencies, and education institutions on issues related to Research and Innovation;
Promoting a research and innovation culture to MMU staff and students;
Safeguarding intellectual property rights to ensure recognition for creators;
Publishing research and using strategic marketing to solidify MMU’s reputation for research excellence and innovation.