CUEA: Catholic University Receives the First Digital Psychological Testing Kit in Eastern Africa
Fr. Mbugua receiving the digital psychological testing kit
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) has received a digital psychological testing kit from Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Kenya, becoming the first Catholic University to receive such a device in Eastern Africa.
The psychological testing kit will be used mostly by student learning psychometrics in the university and will help in the differentiated identification of cognitive dysfunctions to help provide a sound basis for therapy planning.
According to the Ambassador Dr. Christian Fellner while addressing hundreds of guests during the ceremony of Austrian national day to commemorate Austria’s Declaration of Neutrality on Wednesday, October 26, in Nairobi, “The Austrian Company donated the testing equipment to the Catholic University of Eastern Africa as we believe in cooperation, especially between universities.”
Dr. Fellner promised continued partnership with the University saying, “Kenya and Austria have excellent relations and we will work hard to maintain and improve these standards, for example, through university collaboration.”
In an interview with AMECEA online about the testing kit, the Vice Chancellor of CUEA Prof. Fr. Stephen Ngari Mbugua appreciated the device which they have received, noting how significant it is to the University.
“We are very grateful to the Ambassador of Austria for his thoughtfulness and for making our University the first one in Eastern Africa to receive this testing kit,” Fr. Mbugua expressed, adding that since the University teaches psychometrics, the equipment is very essential since it is highly friendly, intrusive and innovative in testing “psychopathology, psychological conditions, aptitude, personality types, career fitness, personality disorders and other psychological conditions.”
“After receiving the testing kit,” the VC said, “We will have to set it and do training before we begin using it officially.”
In his address which brought together Austria citizens in Kenya and other government, Church and civil servants’ representatives on October 26, the Ambassador emphasized strengthening the relationship between Austria and Kenya by offering support to various organizations.
“Supporting initiatives on gender issues is one of my Embassy’s top priorities,” the diplomat said and further narrated, “As a result, we made a donation to the Samburu Girls Foundation, which assists girls who have fled FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). Besides, Austria supports a number of other anti-FGM initiatives.
The Ambassador highlighted other organization they have supported in Kenya including, “Auma Obama’s Sauti Kuu Foundation, which “trains young people in environmentally friendly techniques while providing gender-specific education as children are fostered through training opportunities, as well as athletic and creative activities.”
Additionally, he continued, “We built a counselling room in Shimo La Tewa Women Prison so that paralegals who receive special training can have a space to talk to their clients, who in many cases are not aware of their rights and legal options.”
In conclusion the Ambassador disclosed their support to a non-governmental organization that fights human trafficking in Kenya known as Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART) which is currently caring for all survivors of human trafficking “through a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation and reintegration.”
Speaking during the same event, Amb. Josphat Maikara the Secretary Foreign Service Administration shared that there is a “strong bond of friendship that exist between Austria and Kenya.”
“These friendly ties have continued to be strengthened over the years through enhanced partnership in economic, cultural and many other sectors of mutual priority, notably, trade and investment, education, healthcare, tourism and agri-business value chain, just to mention a few,” the Secretary Foreign Service Administration disclosed and assured the Austria Ambassador that Kenya will “remain steadfast to deepen commercial ties with Austria and increase the volume of trade and investment between the two countries since there are many untapped opportunities that can be explored together.”
