MKU’s inaugural cohort of 5 nursing apprentices travel to Koblenz University in Germany tomorrow
The inaugural cohort of Mount Kenya University’s (MKU’s) nursing students are set to travel to Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany tomorrow having secured nursing apprentices following a deal inked by the two varsities.
This is the first batch of MKU-trained health personnel to be offered opportunities in Germany.
“Mount Kenya University congratulates the first cohort of five Nursing apprentices travelling to Germany on April 2, 2024.” MKU Chairman and Founder Professor Simon Gicharu noted.
Consequently, the beneficiaries of the project have received full sponsorship from German accredited partner hospitals with work permits, visa, work contracts and air- tickets to commence their paid apprenticeship.
The five pioneer students have set the stage for MKU, the largest private university in East and Central Africa which aims at preparing and sending 5, 000 apprentices to Germany.
During a state visit to Nairobi by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in May 2023, at a bilateral meeting and joint press conference at State House Nairobi, President William Ruto called for the easing of immigration barriers so that Kenyans can access job opportunities in the European country.
Consequently, Chancellor Scholz agreed to open doors to 250,000 professional, skilled and semi-skilled Kenyans in an effort to meet Germany’s huge labour requirements.
And in supporting the president’s initiative, Mount Kenya University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Koblenz University of Applied Sciences to develop strategies to actualise the president’s agenda of creating job opportunities.
MKU has been designated as the global hub for championing the fight on inequalities by a United Nations agency.
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) bestowed the status on the university for its documented academic work on reducing inequalities in Kenya and in the East African region.
Universities that serve as academic impact hubs for SDGs are appointed by UNAI based on their innovative approaches and expertise around a particular goal.
The MKU-Hochschule Koblenz University partnership aims at bridging a shortfall in the number of healthcare professionals in Germany, in which many people in the profession retire without enough people to replace them.
