United States International University – Africa (USIU-A) has launched a high-tech school of Science and Technology building that will house science courses including a pharmacy degree program set to start in May 2015.
The new USIU School of Science and Technology is a high-tech “green building”, designed to save energy.
“The lights in the building are integrated with motion sensors to save on power, and also our hot water system in the building is heated by solar,” said Clerk of works and construction Leah Wanjiku.
The building also uses a surface runoff system that recycles drainage and rainwater.
The USIU School of Science and technology is a 6,847 square meters state of the art building that has 11 classrooms, two post-graduate rooms, two lecture theatres, and two seminar rooms that can hold up to 700 students.
The building also has nine fully equipped laboratories that will cater for the new pharmacy program. Accessibility for the physically challenged at the state of the art building has been catered for through elevators as well as ramps that are wide enough for the movement of laboratory trolleys.
The bachelor of pharmacy degree program is an initiative of USIU after the university decided there was a need to start a medical science degree. The program was finally given clearance by the Poisons and Pharmacy Board of Kenya (PPBK) earlier last month. This came after the program initially got an approval from the American accrediting commission, the Western Association for Schools and Colleges.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Freida Brown, expressed her confidence that the faculty from the School of Science and Technology will continue their commitment in providing high standards of quality education.
“This ushers in a new era for USIU-Africa and reemphasizes our commitment to invest in offering of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programs which will fundamentally improve the nation’s competitiveness in technology development,” said Prof. Brown.
Prof Brown added USIU has over the years been known for having a top quality business school and international relations program as well, and it is high time the university ventured to prosper in other sectors.
“We are expanding, for the longest time we’ve been a business school, and we have prospered as a business school. So why not put another outfit? I think it’s high time we went beyond being a business school,” Assistant Dean, School of Science and Technology Ruth Kabiru said.
The USIU pharmacy program is expected to be a five-year course. The application and intake process has already started.
By Mohamed Abubakar
