Dan Kamau the Diaspora University Town (DUT) project director and Diaspora University Trust executive trustee answered questions on the 5,000 student’s enrolment at Diaspora University; the university system, the university endowment and Diaspora founders.
Tell us about Diaspora University?
Diaspora University is the main project of the Diaspora University Town. The university that will adopt the WPI plan. This is an education plan of theory and practice that incorporates project based learning.
The university is founded through an endowment plan. The Master development plan (MDP) will grow the endowment to Ksh 20 billion. Ksh 6 billion will fund property and Ksh 14 billion students.
50 Diaspora Kenyan scholars are founding the university as they bring the university education that has made the U.S grow to a $23 trillion economy.
The first three schools will be: The school of Engineering; Business school; and, The Arts Science and Technology School.
Thereafter the university will expand to more schools including the healthcare sciences school, Medical school and others.
Tell us more on the Ksh 20 billion endowment plan?
Endowment is the difference between the Assets and Liabilities of a Trust. The assets of the trust are currently valued at Ksh 3.2 billion.
The first asset donated to the trust is the WPI plan. Since 2006 the Diaspora University has been shaped to adopt the WPI plan.
The second donation was the master development plan (MDP). This MDP is an intellectual resource that was established to develop Diaspora University and Diaspora University Town using the GDP growth system, The MDP further incorporated the Kenya Constitution 2010.
The third donation was the townhouse developer system. When persons registered and then invested to become townhouse developers they made a donation. There are currently over 400 townhouse developers in DUT.
The fourth donation was the 1,500 acres land grant to Diaspora University Trust. The land was donated by Ndara B Community based on a development plan that will over the years grow the endowment.
The fifth donation are the courses from the 50 Diaspora Scholars who are founding the university.
The Ksh 20 billion will be achieved through various plans in the MDP as follows; County government incentives; national government incentives; property development fees, alumni program and other donations.
Where will the 5,000 students come from?
The institution town development plan that was approved by the Taita Taveta County Assembly gave the incentives with a condition that 200 students, 10 students from each of the 20 wards, be enrolled. In the first four years this is an enrolment of 800 students.
The national government incentives, once granted, will activate the 580 students plan, 2 from each of the 290 constituencies in Kenya. In one year this is 580 students. The total in four years is 2,320 students. This will be aligned with the Diaspora University 47 project centers.
1,500 students will be enrolled through partnership with at least 100 private schools offering basic education.
The other 500 students, about 10%, will be international students. The Diaspora Kenyan founders are already working on this plan. In just the U.S. there are about 5,000 children of Kenya descent in every age group growing up. The MDP is tailored to ensure we get international students. This includes sports.
How many sports will be incorporated in the Diaspora University Plan?
We have already initiated Sagalla Hills Marathon as one of the annual sporting activities. The second marathon will be held on December 12th. The Diaspora University has set aside 70 acres for sports programs.
The university has a plan to build a stadium, a golf course and a water park that can support diverse sports.
Diaspora University will have as many sports as possible and could even include American football.
Can you tell us more about the Diaspora University 47 project centers?
WPI plan has project centers all over the world. Diaspora University plan will have 47 project centers in Kenya and in the neighbouring countries.
Just like the WPI undergraduate students go to a project center for their Interactive qualifying project (IQP) or major qualifying project (MQP); Diaspora university students will go to these project centers.
