Name: Prof. Daniel Mugendi Njiru, Ph.D., EBS
Qualification: PhD
Position: Vice-Chancellor, University of Embu and, the Chairman, Vice-Chancellor’s Committee
Department: Vice-Chancellor’s Office
Brief Biography
Professor Daniel Mugendi is a renowned scholar, leader and a consultant with an illustrious management expertise. His remarkable career in academia, research, education and training sectors, spanning over more than three decades, has seen him make substantial contributions in the areas of his expertise including the development of University Education in Kenya.
He embarked on his professional journey as a Researcher with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) in July 1986 and made tremendous professional and academic progress. Later, he joined Kenyatta University (KU) in 1999, where he rose through the ranks of academic and professional leadership. He served in various administrative positions and responsibilities that included but not limited to; the Chairman of the Department of Environmental Foundations, Dean of the School of Environmental Studies and Human Sciences and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance, Planning and Development) in Kenyatta University.
Currently, Prof. Mugendi is serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Embu and the Chairman, Vice-Chancellor’s Committee of Public Universities in Kenya. He has steered the University of Embu to being the Best Performing State Corporation and Public University in Kenya in Performance Contracting for three years (2019/2020 FY, 2021/2022 FY & 2022/2023 FY). He was honoured with a prestigious State Award in the rank of the Elder of the Burning Spear, EBS. He also holds the following positions; A member of the Strategic Committee, Education Collaborative East Africa Hub, Board Member of Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) and, Higher Education and Loans Board (HELB), A member of the selection panel on appointment of a Chairperson for the National Commission for Science and Technology Board of Directors, Governing Board Member of the Regional Research and Development Working Group of the East African Science and Technology Commission, Chairman of Tree Biotechnology Program Board of Trustees (TBPT), Member of the FOCUS Kenya Advisory Committee, and a Lead Expert in Environmental Impact Assessment/Audit. He has also served in other leadership capacities, to mention but a few, the Chairman Board of Directors of Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Member of National Environment Council (NEC), Regional Secretary General and Chairman of the Soil Science Society of East Africa, Secretary and Chairman to the Kenya Chapter of Soil Science of East Africa, Member of the Editorial Board of Agricultural Systems Journal and the Chairman, Africa Network (AfNet) of Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme (TSBF).
He is actively engaged in conducting groundbreaking revolutionary research endeavors centered around agriculture, forestry, environmental policy, and sustainability. He has collaborated extensively with communities, national and international partners in diverse fields of research in his area of expertise, and also in higher education leadership.
As a scholar of international repute, Prof. Mugendi has won over 23 research grants and fellowships, authored nine (9) books and Sixty-Four (64) books chapters with ISBN numbers, in addition to publishing over 100 refereed articles and research papers in both national and international peer-reviewed journals. He has supervised and graduated 38 Masters and 18 PhD students. He continues to lecture, supervise postgraduate students and conduct research in Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resource Management. In addition, he has participated in more than 120 conferences and presented scientific papers in more than 91 conferences.