The
USIU or the
United States International University is the first and only secular center for education in
Kenya. It has currently 3,420 students, with 55% of them being females.
The
USIU had its inception in 1952 through the vision of Dr. William Rust, who believed that individuals and nations cannot develop or flourish in isolation. Quality education is a pathway to global understanding and cooperation.
USIU in
Nairobi was founded in 1969, when the then president Jomo Kenyatta granted it a Presidential Charter.
USIU began in 1970 in a house at Parkland with five American students. At the time it was offering only the first two years of classes, the rest of the education to be completed at San Diego.
The
USIU later relocated to the Mayfair Hotel. By 1979, the repertoire of courses offered had increased, with the full four years of education possible on the premises, and a masters degree. The first graduation took place with 23 students.
USIU moved into permanent grounds 12km away from
Nairobi in 1991 through the efforts of Executive Director Dr. Lilian Bean. Since then it has rapidly grown, and was awarded accreditation through the Kenyan charter on December 10, 1999. It was later also accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (
WASC) in 2005.
USIU has a strong faculty, and a variety of education options. It currently offers
undergraduate and
graduate programs in the field of arts, sciences and business, with courses on psychology, international relations, journalism and business administration. It also has options for exchange programs and studying abroad.
