Dr. Ben Nyongesa, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), was among invited Deans from East Africa who attended the Deans of Humanities and Social Sciences Conference held at Sirikwa Hotel, Eldoret City, from 5th to 6th May 2025.
The symposium was organized by Moi University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences (SASS) in collaboration with the Moi University African Cluster Centre (Moi-ACC), a hub of the African Multiple Cluster of Excellence. It brought together Deans from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda to examine the challenges facing humanities education in the region, foster collaboration, share best practices, and chart new directions for the future.
Dr. Nyongesa presented a paper titled “Navigating Deanship: Sandwiched Between Budget Cuts and Quality Education”, highlighting the complex role of Deans in maintaining academic standards amid financial constraints.
In his remarks, Dr. Nyongesa emphasized the critical role of humanities in bridging science and society, advocating for their integration into STEM to create a more holistic STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) approach. He noted that such forums are essential for academic growth, collaboration, and policy development.
The conference resolved to establish an Eastern Africa forum for Deans of Humanities to enhance regional cooperation in research, consultancy, and teaching. It also called for capacity-building initiatives to equip Deans with strategic and transformative leadership skills.
