Kibabii University has secured a highly competitive grant from the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Coalition (CSCC). The grant, valued at GBP £12,000 was awarded by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). It positions Kibabii University among a select group of institutions contributing to global conversations on sustainable urban development across the Commonwealth.
The project is led by Dr. Patrick Oduor Owoche, a Senior Lecturer in Information Technology and Director of Open, Distance and eLearning (ODeL) at Kibabii University, who serves as Principal Investigator. He is supported by an interdisciplinary team comprising Dr. Walter Alando, an Urban and Regional Planning specialist from Maseno University with over 20 years’ experience in spatial planning, transport systems, housing, and infrastructure; and Dr. Dennis Gichuki, an Information Technology expert from Kibabii University. Together, the team combines academic depth, practical expertise, and policy-facing research capability, bringing strengths in applied analytics, digital systems, and research support technologies.
The award will fund a Rapid Scoping Study and an Online Stakeholder Workshop focusing on integrated urban planning, with particular emphasis on housing and urban finance as interdependent pillars of sustainable urbanisation. The project will directly inform the work of the CSCC Action Groups on Integrated Planning, Housing, and Urban Finance, which are supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Rapid urbanisation, coupled with flagship national initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Programme, has heightened the need for integrated approaches linking spatial planning, housing delivery, infrastructure development, and urban finance. However, consolidated insights into the role of higher education in supporting these interconnected systems remain limited. Titled “Higher Education and Integrated Urban Planning in Kenya: A Rapid Scoping Study and Stakeholder Workshop,” the project addresses a critical evidence gap on how Kenyan universities are aligning teaching, research, and professional training with county-led urban planning under the devolved system of governance.