Daystar University is a Christ-centred non-denominational institution of higher learning which exists to equip Christian servant leaders for the transformation of church and society.
Daystar’s philosophy, as an academic institution, is the integration of faith and learning for transformational servant leadership. Daystar believes that faith is central to the holistic development of the human being and that such integration is inescapably linked to a cultural system. Daystar’s chosen faith is Christianity. Daystar University’s Christian philosophy of life and conduct, teaching, training and research, is founded on Christian principles and values based on the following Biblical Statement of faith and practice.
Daystar University seeks to develop managers, professionals, researchers and scholars to be effective, Christian servant-leaders through the integration of Christian faith and holistic learning for the transformation of church and society in Africa and the world.
The University combines impressive modern facilities and a dynamic approach to teaching and research. Daystar University strives for excellence in its teaching and research methods. The University is well known for its quality in teaching. Training is personalized and by highly qualified faculty.
Daytime undergraduate programs are offered at the Athi River Campus situated on the edge of the Athi plains on the slopes of the Lukenya Hills, about 40 kilometers from downtown Nairobi.
Diploma courses, postgraduate programs, day and evening undergraduate programs are offered at Nairobi Campus. Built on 300 acres of land, the University’s Athi River Campus is home to over 1,500 students both local and international.
The steady growth of Daystar University since its inception in Kenya in 1974 has been a clear testimony of the strong foundation laid and skillful ‘materials’ used in building the institution. Indeed as recorded in 1 Corinthians 3:10, ‘Let each one take heed how he builds on this foundation that is already laid,’ I’m glad that each member of the Academic Division has embraced this call passionately.
The Academic Division has constantly been revising and developing new programs to align them to emerging and current issues and challenges. We perfectly understand, as JF Kennedy once said, that we now stand today at the edge of a new frontier. This new frontier is not a set of promises; it is a set of challenges. The division has taken these challenges positively, adjusting accordingly but still maintaining consistency to our Mission and Vision. The division has not only embraced sound policies and administrative structures but also ensured that strong academic programs and quality learning are maintained. Relevant quality programs have been developed to keep our graduates at the cutting edge of innovation and knowledge. When the institution was founded, we basically had 1 academic program (Communication) with a very lean staff. This has increased over the years to a faculty capacity of over 150 with several academic programs.
We also have a Ph.D. program in Communication and anticipate having the Ph.D. in Psychology and the Doctor of Psychology launched in January 2012. Enrolments have also increased from less than 100 students at inception to the current enrolment levels of about 4000 students. This is all testimony of quality structures and learner-centered approaches we have maintained over the years. Our Science students have a state-of-the-art laboratory that enhances their practical skills. For our Communication students, the Shine FM provides a much-needed hands-on experience. We also provide core textbooks for each course undertaken by our students. This may not be a common practice in other institutions in the region.
Daystar University was founded on the principle of nurturing servant leaders for the transformation of Church and Society. We have remained true to this calling. The uniqueness of our programs has been in developing the total person. We strongly believe that real transformation (social, political, or economic) can only be achieved by having the right people in place; People who, other than the relevant training, also have the moral and ethical maturity needed to propagate a just society.
At Daystar, we have integrated faith and learning and maintained a strong mentorship strategy for our students to realize this critical goal. Our students participate in the evaluation of our processes and procedures to ensure that the high quality of our programs is maintained. We are committed to continuing to do this because we believe in it.
As a community of people who follow Jesus Christ, we are committed to:
Founded in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, as Daystar Publications in 1964, the institution was moved to Kenya in 1971 and registered as Daystar Communications, a non-profit organization in 1973 offering a five-week International Institute for Christian Communication (IICC) course. In 1976, Daystar Communications started a two-year post-high school diploma program in Christian Communications, followed by a two-year M.A program in Christian Communication and Christian Ministries in 1978, in collaboration with Wheaton College in Illinois, USA.
In April 1984, Daystar launched a four-year B.A. degree program in collaboration with Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, USA, and changed its name to Daystar University College. On September 29, 1994, Daystar was granted a Charter by the Government of Kenya and became Daystar University. Since then, Daystar has continued to strengthen its academic offerings, research, and extension services in response to emerging societal needs.
A Chronological History of Daystar University