The Role of Crisis Communication Channels on Student Engagement During Lecturers’ Industrial Strikes: Evidence from the University of Nairobi

Effective crisis communication is essential for sustaining stakeholder engagement during periods of institutional disruption such as lecturers’ industrial strikes. However, despite the recurring nature of industrial strikes in Kenyan public universities and the associated crisis communication shortcomings, limited empirical research has examined how crisis communication channels influence student engagement during such crises. This study sought to establish the influence of crisis communication channels on student engagement during lecturers’ industrial strikes at the University of Nairobi. The study was guided by the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and adopted an explanatory mixed-methods research design. Quantitative data were collected from 391 undergraduate students using structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through interviews with 12 key informants comprising student leaders, academic staff, and non-academic staff. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings established that crisis communication channels have a positive and statistically significant influence on student engagement. Communication channels emerged as a key determinant of students’ willingness to remain informed, participate in university processes, and maintain confidence in the institution during industrial strikes. The study concludes that effective crisis communication depends not merely on disseminating information but on providing communication channels that are timely, accessible, interactive, transparent, and responsive to students’ informational needs during industrial disputes. The study recommends that public universities strengthen student-centred communication by institutionalising intercative, two-way communication channels that keep students informed through the crisis cycle, maintain trust, and allow them to seek clarifications and relay feedback.