From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (UEAB) is a non-profit private university located about 50 km from Eldoret Kenya. It offers various degrees in a number of graduate and undergraduate programs including Business, the Humanities, Agriculture, Technology, and Education. Baraton is run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and is part of its system of higher education. It is fully accredited by the Commission for Higher Education, Kenya Government, and was the first private University to receive a Charter granted by the republic of Kenya on March 28, 1991. The University is also a member of the Inter-University Council for East Africa, The Association of Commonwealth Universities, and the Association of African Universities.

The beginning of the Seventh-day Adventist education in this part of Africa dates back to the establishment of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the region. The earliest church was established in Tanzania in 1903, followed by church work around Lake Victoria in Kenya in 1906. In 1928 what is now known as Kamagambo Adventist College was established near Kisii town. Many primary and secondary school have since been established. Some of these have been offering post secondary education, but none of them has offered a full bachelor's degree programme. For this reason, students desiring that level of education in an Adventist institution before 1980 had to go outside Eastern Africa. During the 1970s, the Middle East University in Beirut Lebanon served many such students. Thus there was a great need for a full fledged university in Eastern Africa.

In October 1978, the Board of the Afro-Mideast Division of Seventh-day Adventists took an action to establish such a university in Kenya on December 21, 1978. The Kenya Government allotted the Baraton Animal Husbandry Research Station of 339 acres (1.37 km²) in Nandi District to the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the purpose of founding what is now known as the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton. Classes began in January 1980 in the temporary farm structures. Some of these structures have since been replaced with new and modern buildings.

The University is an integral part of society. It has the special function of lifting the vision of society by challenging and motivating its students to develop to the highest possible goals. This is done through programmes geared to serve the needs of the community and the general public.

Here, instructors and students engage in free inquiry. An important facet of this co-operative effort is the validation of knowledge. The University of Eastern Africa, Baraton is designated to serve the church by offering courses that are relevant to the training of its workers, including leaders and administrators.

The university also hosts a local research centre of the Ellen G. White Estate.

• Seventh-day Adventist Church
• List of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities

• University of Eastern Africa, Baraton Website
• List of Kenyan Colleges and Universities