Laikipia University (LU)

Founded in 1929 as a primary school by British colonial farmer William Thomas Alfred Levet, Laikipia University has one of the most remarkable institutional histories in Kenya. It served as a Large-Scale Farmers Training College (1965-1970), an Animal Husbandry Training Institute (1970-1990), and a constituent college of Moi University before being chartered in 2013. Located in Nyahururu, Laikipia County, the university serves over 10,000 students.

The university operates five schools including Humanities and Developmental Studies, Science and Applied Technology, Business and Economics, Education, and Graduate Studies. Its Main and Nakuru campuses serve the central Rift Valley region.

Accredited by CUE, the university ranks 32nd nationally. Its unique institutional evolution, from colonial farm school to full university, reflects Kenya's broader educational transformation.

Laikipia University focuses on sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and teacher education, leveraging its unique agro-ecological setting spanning temperate and semi-arid zones. The School of Agriculture continues the institution's AHITI legacy, conducting research on animal health, crop production, and sustainable land management across Laikipia's diverse ecological zones. Research projects include analysis of endocrine disrupting pesticide residues in the environment, detection of mycotoxins in retail foods, and water quality studies in Nyahururu and surrounding areas. The School of Education advances research on pedagogy and teacher professional development, building on the university's origins as a teacher training institution. Partnership with the African Virtual University (AVU) expands open and distance learning, while collaboration with Egerton University and the University of Kabianga strengthens regional research capacity. Research output increasingly informs agricultural extension and environmental policy in Laikipia, Nakuru, and the broader central Rift region.

A C+ mean grade is the minimum for a Bachelor's degree; competitive programmes (medicine, engineering, law, nursing, architecture) require higher grades and specific KCSE subject clusters. Master's programmes require a relevant Bachelor's degree; PhD programmes a relevant Master's degree.