Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University Of Science And Technology Chancellor, Vimal Shah has been appointed the chancellor of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, adding to the list of the corporate leaders being tapped to the world of academia.
President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Mr Shah, the chief executive of Bidco, through the latest gazette notice for a period of five years from May 19.
“…Vimal Shah to be the Chancellor of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology for a period of five years,” read the notice.
The move is seen as an effort to tap brains from the corporate world to boost standards in Kenya’s public universities that have been criticised for churning graduates that do not meet employers’ needs.
A research conducted by an American think-tank in 2013 revealed that graduates from Kenyan universities are less competitive in the job market, due to gaps between their training and the skills employers want.
Mr Shah, a renowned industrialist, joins other corporate gurus such as the former Safaricom chief executive officer Michael Joseph in the academia.
Mr Kenyatta appointed Mr Joseph as the chancellor of Maseno University last year.
Mr Shah, 54, will offer advice to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, which was made an independent university in 2009.
He replaces Prof Jonathan ole Karei who passed on last July.
Mr Shah is credited with turning Bidco into a top player in manufacturer of household products such as detergents, soaps and cooking oils across East Africa.
The company turned over $500 million (Sh48 billion) in 2013.
Forbes placed the wealth of Bidco Oil’s Bhimji Depar Shah — Vimal Shah’s father — and his family at Sh67.2 billion ($700 million) last year.