In 2006 the Governing Board of the IUCEA ap¬proved the Council’s Rolling Strategic Plan (RSP) 2007/07- 1010/2011. Among the 13 Strategic Ob¬jectives of the Rolling Strategic Plan are Regional Higher Education Quality Assurance, Leadership and Management Capacity of Member Universi¬ties, Application of Information Communication and Technology and Networking of Member Uni¬versities, Strategic Regional Training and Research Programmes and Publicity and Marketing.

Immediately after the approval of the Rolling Stra¬tegic Plan the IUCEA Secretariat embarked on its implementation. Since 2007 Council activities have been implemented by guidelines stipulated in the Strategic Plan. In 2007 the implementation of the Quality Assurance Programme was in full gear with the support and collaboration of the German Aca¬demic Exchange Service (DAAD). We are now in the 4th phase of the training of Quality Assurance Officers from member universities. This training is being undertaken in line with the establishment of Quality Assurance Offices and coordination of sev¬eral activities related to QA in individual member universities. The sensitization of Deans, Chairmen of Quality Assurance Committees, staff and students are also coordinated at different levels while the Manual (Handbook for Regional Quality Assurance) is in the printing stage. Regarding the Key Result Area 4 on ICT and Networking of Member Universi-ties, the ICT Policy was approved by the Governing Board in March 2009. Since then several activities have taken place including the preparation of the Master Plan for the implementation of the Policy. The Policy is geared to provide guidance in the de¬velopment and deployment of Information Com¬munication and Technology at the IUCEA.

The Council is continu¬ing to promote the standardization of cur¬ricula for programmes with regional demand as we move on to en¬hance and modernize training and peda¬gogical practices in member universities under Strategic Re¬gional Training and Research Programmes. In addition, several IUCEA Thematic Cluster meet¬ings have taken place to address this strategic objective.

As we are approaching the end of the first phase of the implementation of the Rolling Strategic Plan which is aimed at developing operational and fi¬nancial sustainability capacity and a moderate focus on activities designed to provide support to member universities in teaching, research and pub¬lic service roles, it is our hope that East African Part¬ner States and local and International Partners will continue to support the IUCEA to achieve its strate¬gic objectives.

It should be appreciated that all these findings, rec¬ommendations and challenges collected through the Council’s interventions are shared with the member universities’ Vice-Chancellors especial¬ly when they meet at the IUCEA Annual General Meeting every year.

While all these interventions are taking place, sev¬eral members of the Governing Board of the IUCEA and Researchers have joined hands with the Sec¬retariat in the advocacy activities to tell the public about the Council’s achievements.

All details of the Council’s events are reflected in several volumes of our newsletters which come out twice a year.  In conclusion I invite you all our readers to reflect on the growth and transformation of your organization, the Inter-University Council for East Africa, as you enjoy the reading.