As an educator at the University of Nairobi, I interact daily with young men and women stepping into the world of higher education. One glaring reality stands out every semester: academic brilliance alone is not enough to navigate the intense pressures of the modern world. True success requires a deeply anchored mindset.

As educators, we often measure impact by the grades our students achieve, the research papers we publish, and the lively debates that fill the lecture halls of the University of Nairobi. But true education—the kind that shifts a society—cannot be confined within stone walls. It must walk out into the streets, look people in the eye, and respond to their immediate realities.

As the threat of violent extremism continues to evolve, the strategies used to combat it must adapt. This week, policymakers, religious leaders, and security actors gathered at Ufungamano House for the National Interfaith PCVE Convention 2026. Under the theme, "Strengthening Interfaith Governance for a Resilient, Inclusive, and Gender-Responsive P/CVE in Kenya," the convention set out to redefine how communities and faith-based organizations protect themselves from radicalization.