The College of Biological & Physical Sciences is a leading institution in teaching & research in science, technology and innovations. It was established as a college in 1983 and remains a leading training and research centre in science, technology and innovations. It is located at Chiromo Campus. The mandate of the CBPS emanates from that of the University of Nairobi. This includes training, research, income generation and consultancy in the areas of Biological and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science and Informatics
The college offers a diverse range of academic programmes in several academic units namely; School of Biological Sciences, School of Computing and Informatics, School of Mathematics, School of Physical Sciences, Institute of Climate Change and Adaptation (ICCA) and Centre for Biotechnology & Bioinformatics (CEBIB). The School of Physical Sciences comprises the Departments of Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology and Physics.
The student enrollment has increased from few hundred in 1983 to the current 6500 students
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (SBS)
2006 – Establishment of The School of Biological Sciences (SBS) through merger of the two of the oldest and well-known departments of this University - Botany and zoology
The school is structured into the following nine thematic areas each with a thematic head: Ethno-biology and Taxonomy; Biological Natural Products; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Fresh Water and Marine; Genetics and Biotechnology; Insect Science; Microbiology; Physiology and Biochemistry, and Parasitology and Immunology.
School of computing and informatics (SCI)
1977 - Establishment of The School of Computing and Informatics (SCI) formally the Institute of Computer Science (ICS) whose mandate included academic as well as university ICT services. The School is a regional leader in research, research and development (R&D) and advanced education in computing. It was the first to offer Bachelors and Postgraduate degrees in Computer Science in the region.
SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS
2005 - Establishment of the School of Mathematics. This was done during the restructuring from the then Departments of Mathematics at CBPS and CEES. The School takes pride as the current overall coordinating centre for EAUMP and the linkages with International Science Programme (ISP), International Mathematical Union (IMU), Mathematics Association of Kenya (MAK), among other organizations
School of physical sciences
The school is part of the former Faculty of Science which was one of the oldest institutions in the University of Nairobi prior to the major restructuring of the university in the early part of 2006. It is composed of the following departments of Chemistry, Geography and Environmental Studies, Geology, Meteorology and Physics.
Department of Geology
1956 – Establishment of the Department of Geology. It is one of the oldest in the School of Physical Sciences and was started in 1956 when the University of Nairobi was then the Royal Technical College of East Africa
Department of Meteorology
1963 – Establishment of the Department of Meteorology. Ever since its inception, the Department of Meteorology has continued to play a major role in training highly skilled meteorological personnel, most of whom are currently manning National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of most countries in Africa.
Department of Physics
1956 - Establishment of the Department of Physics and it is one of the oldest departments of the University of Nairobi. It was established in 1956 when the Royal Technical College of East Africa started offering an A-level course in Physics
Department of Chemistry
1961 - Establishment of The Department of Chemistry is located in Chiromo Campus, Off-Riverside Drive. It is part of School of Physical Sciences, College of Biological and Physical Sciences.
Institute for climate change and adaptation (ICCA)
2011 - Institute for climate change and adaptation is approved by senate on 3rd Sec 2011. The ICCA academic programmes build climate change and adaptation capacity at the university for national, regional and international candidates who seek to enrich their studies using transdiscplinary approaches to learning and solving the modern challenges posed by climate change.
The Centre for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (CEBIB)
2005 – Establishment of The Centre for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics as a virtual centre for Research and Postgraduate Training at MSc and PhD levels in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics to increase capacity and develop manpower for health; agriculture; industry, environmental management and related fields.
