Egerton University is a public university in Kenya. It is the oldest institution of higher education in Kenya.
Country
Kenya
Inception
1939, 1987
Website
http://www.egerton.ac.ke/
Overview
Egerton University is a public university in Kenya. It is the oldest institution of higher education in Kenya.
Location
The main campus of the university is located in Njoro, a small community approximately , southwest of the town of Nakuru. This is located approximately , by road, northwest of Nairobi, the capital and largest city in Kenya.
History
The school was founded in 1939, and was originally named Egerton Farm School. It was established by a large land grant of 740 acres (3 km²) by Maurice Egerton, 4th Baron Egerton of Tatton. The school's original purpose was to prepare white European youth for careers in agriculture. By 1955, the name had changed to Egerton Agricultural College. A one-year certificate course and a two-year diploma course in agriculture were offered. In 1958, Lord Egerton donated another of land. Soon afterwards, the college opened its doors to people of all races from Kenya and other African countries.
In 1979, with support from the Government of Kenya and USAID, the college expanded yet again, becoming part of the University of Nairobi system. In 1987, the college was recognized as a chartered public university.