The Great Lakes University of Kisumu (gluk) is a chartered private institution located in Kisumu, Kenya, and is governed by a Trust. The university was initially granted a letter of interim authority by the commission of higher education on June 30th, 2006, and later received its Charter on November 16th, 2012. As a community-focused university, gluk offers programs in Health Sciences and Business, both critical to advancing Sustainable Development in Africa and beyond.
gluk was established by the Tropical Institute of Community Health And Development in Africa (tich), a non-profit organization dedicated to community-based research, training, and development since 1998. The roots of Tich can be traced back to the Saradidi rural health program in Siaya district, Kenya, founded in 1979. The Saradidi program served as a teaching site for developing community health, which laid the groundwork for the idea of creating a formal academic institution.
The creation of gluk was inspired by the need for a recognized academic institution to offer formal education in community-based healthcare. This approach integrates theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on training in real-world community settings, civil society, industry, and public institutions. tich led the initiative for gluk’s establishment, and its vision continues to emphasize self-sustained development through active community participation, ensuring that the university plays a key role in addressing development challenges in Africa.
We subscribe to a philosophy of self-propagated development, focusing on community involvement for sustainable change. The university is proud to attract some of the brightest minds in the country, committed to excellence in health, development, and related fields. This engagement guarantees academic rigor while allowing for flexibility in producing graduates who are problem solvers and job creators.
The main goal of gluk is to train managers for Health and Development initiatives across Africa by combining education with service delivery programs at the community level. It provides opportunities for hands-on learning, action research, and the testing and dissemination of innovative models for development. These models of excellence are documented, analyzed, and shared to benefit a wider community.
gluk is rooted in Christian principles of service and excellence, welcoming students from all backgrounds, regardless of their faith, gender, or ethnicity. The university admits students from more than ten countries, both English and French-speaking. The institution offers a range of programs, including doctorates, bachelors, diplomas, and certificates in fields such as nursing, clinical medicine, community health, development, and various business-related disciplines.
Our students engage in skills development and attitude transformation through practical experiences, managing real-life programs and community-based partnerships in health, social, and enterprise development. These programs act as models of best practice, with outcomes documented and disseminated for broader impact.