The journey from Kenya to Rockhampton has taken some time for Dr Michael Muchiri, having completed his masters at Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia and earning his PHD at the University of New England in Armidale last year.  

Returning for his graduation ceremony on March 31 was a chance to spread the good news of his latest venture, lecturing for the Faculty of Business and Informatics at Central Queensland University.

Introduced at the ceremony as an ‘exceptional' student, Dr Muchiri hopes one day to go back to Africa and contribute to the development there.

Dr Muchiri in his office

Currently teaching Leadership and Governance and Human Resource Development during Term 1, he is enjoying the experience of working with such a diverse range of students. 

Students in the Leadership and Governance class represent a wealth of experience, coming from areas such as the hotel industry, banking sector, government and education, with many influencing policy where they work.

Keen to offer their views and eager to discuss and analyse current practices he is finding them a pleasure to teach.

Dr Muchiri is receiving excellent feedback indicating the unit is very relevant to his students' day to day jobs and feels the FBI was wise in choosing to offer it.

Teaching Leadership and Governance allows him the opportunity to link his PhD research findings to theory and practice, while teaching Human Resource Development further allows him to draw on his experiences while working as Chief Human Resource Deveopment Officer with the Directorate of Personnel Management in Kenya.

Having a good rapport with mentor Daryl Alcock, a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty, and having easy access to his Head of School, Professor Evelyn Hovenga has helped him settle in well at the University, but the Rocky heat is proving to be a challenge and his air-conditioned office is a welcome refuge.

His PHD thesis examined the separate and combined effects of transformational leadership behaviour and social processes of leadership within the context of substitutes for leadership as predictors of key individual and organisational outcomes in Australian local councils. 

Dr Muchiri has set his sights on becoming a professor and plans to continue his research specialising in leadership while he is with CQU, drawing on the inspiration of his students and colleagues along the way.