Brief History

University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Limited (UNES) Ltd was established in 1996 as the commercial arm of the University of Nairobi. It was charged with the responsibility of promoting and coordinating income-generating activities in the University.

The decision to establish UNES was guided by the practice in the more successful entrepreneurial universities where commercial utilization of their resources has been achieved through the formation of university fully or jointly owned companies. The perception of universities as merely institutions of higher education has also been gradually giving way to the view that universities are important engines of economic growth and development. Universities are, therefore, increasingly being considered to be an integral part of the network of public facilities that act as centres of attraction for individual enterprises. In this paradigm shift, it has been recognized that doing first-class research is not sufficient for excellence in innovation. As a consequence, universities worldwide are increasingly adopting a more outgoing, market-led commercial attitude that plugs into the national and the global socioeconomic development.

The fundamental rationale, therefore, for creating UNES was to infuse a more business-like approach and an entrepreneurial spirit into the internal revenue generation where innovation and enterprise were freed from traditional rules, allowing for greater flexibility and faster response. One of the University Management Board Report on Income Generating Activities (1994) recommended the incorporation of UNES and observed that, “The company when established, should be more entrepreneurial, more customer driven, and more ready to short-circuit, if not completely forego, anything resembling the existing bureaucracy”.

Mandate

UNES, registered as a private company limited by shares, operates within the provisions of the Companies Act (Chapter 486, Laws of Kenya). Its Articles and Memorandum of Association prescribe it as a distinct legal person, separate and independent from the University. The company was formed to, among other things:

• Harness the resources of the university with a view to enhancing the university’s teaching and research capabilities.
  
• Promote, co-ordinate, and provide managerial services for income-generating activities within the university.
  
• Undertake consultancy, research, production and other income-generating activities and promote and facilitate such activities undertaken by departments and other units of the university.
  
• Provide managerial services for consultancy, research, production and other income-generating activities to the departments, faculties and other units of the university.
  
• Register patents of any inventions and innovations in which the company will have made a contribution.

Vision, Mission and Core Values

Corporate Vision: To be a premier knowledge-based business enterprise committed to turning ideas to reality.

Corporate Mission: To promote and engage in business activities for the benefit of the University of Nairobi and other stakeholders

Corporate Values

• Operate to the highest levels of probity, accountability and transparency
• Act at all times with the highest degree of honesty and integrity
• Take initiative and calculated risk towards realization of the vision and mission of the company
• Perform to the highest measures of competence and professionalism always
• Promote at all times virtues of meritocracy and fair play
• Operate in such a manner as to communicate a sense of high responsibility within the society
• Institute such measures as are likely to satisfy all stakeholders