Prof. Robert Gateru is the Vice Chancellor of Riara University and a distinguished academic and institutional leader with over two decades of extensive experience in higher education management, teaching, research and innovation. He is also the Information Access Officer of the University. Prof. Gateru holds a PhD in Microelectronic Engineering and Semiconductor Device Physics from the University of Surrey (UK), a Master’s degree in the same field from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) in Physics from the University of Nairobi.
Under his leadership, Riara University has grown from a small institution of 500 students operating under a Letter of Interim Authority to a fully Chartered University with over 2,500 students and more than 3,600 alumni, achieving an employability rate exceeding 90 percent in various instances. He has spearheaded key strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of land at Konza Technopolis for the development of the University’s Main Campus and the formulation of an ambitious Strategic Plan, positioning Riara University as the Innovation and Startups University of Africa. He has also championed the establishment of various innovation initiatives at the University, including a Student-Led Innovation Club. The Vice Chancellor has also guided the University into very strategic partnerships with over 50 corporate entities, government agencies, local and international universities and development agencies. Riara University is presently a member of the Education Collaborative, the Kenya Network of Entrepreneurial Institution Leaders, the Kenya-India Innovation Nexus, the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Universities in Africa, among other networks, initiatives and projects.
Prior to joining Riara University, Prof. Gateru served as the Principal of the Nairobi Campus of Kenya Methodist University (KeMU), where he was also the Founding Dean and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Computing and Informatics. He previously held the role of Founding Dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology at Kabarak University, in Nakuru, Kenya. His leadership extends beyond academia through service on several national and institutional boards, including the National Research Fund, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, Linking Industry With Academia (LIWA) Kenya Trust, and Education for All Children (EFAC).
Prof. Gateru is a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society, a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Founding Member of the Physics Society of Kenya and a Fellow of the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation at the University of Nairobi. His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Scholar Award by the ICT Association of Kenya, the Africa HR Leadership Award for Outstanding Contribution to Training and Development and recognition among Kenya’s Top 40 Under 40 Men by the Business Daily newspaper in Kenya.