Office of the Vice Chancellor
Get to know our Vice Chancellor.
Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi
Vice Chancellor, USIU-Africa
Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi was appointed as the Vice Chancellor in July 2024. He is a scholar, teacher, researcher and an internationally renowned administrator. He holds a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree in Language from Kenyatta University, a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Kiswahili from Kenyatta University, and a Doctorate in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Illinois. A renowned and accomplished cultural anthropologist, Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi has dedicated his entire professional life, spanning three decades, in the higher education sector in Africa and the United States of America, through teaching, research, fund raising and senior leadership.
Professor Ntarangwi held several leadership roles in local and globally recognized institution, including serving as the Vice President of the Theological Book Network, Executive Director of the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education, and Deputy Principal-Academics, Research and Student Affairs at National Intelligence and Research University College, a constituent college of the National Defence University–Kenya, where he has been instrumental in the establishment and growth of the University’s faculty and teaching programs; mentoring on developing research and publishing; and, assisted in developing student research and academic writing capacities.
He also served for five years as the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya, which he successfully transformed from a policing body into an institution focusing on progressive partnership with universities, with clearly understood quality assurance standards. Professor Ntarangwi has taught and held leadership positions at institutions in Kenya and United States of America such as Calvin College, Augustana College, and St. Lawrence University. Beyond teaching and leadership, Professor Ntarangwi has published nine books and numerous academic papers, journals articles and book chapters and encyclopedia entries. Additionally, he has organized and facilitated 20 conferences and workshops around the world. Professor Ntarangwi is engaging, personable and a lively lateral thinker with good understanding of leadership and the challenges in higher education, particularly in the East African context.