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Busitema University has embarked on the hunt for educationists to fill two deputy vice-chancellor positions. (Photo by Wifred Sanya)

The positions are deputy vice-chancellor of finance and administration and deputy vice-chancellor of academic affairs and research.

These positions are set to fall vacant next month after the expiry of the term of holders. Now, the institution has installed a five-member committee to spearhead the search.

The university has now called on interested nationals to seek to fill these vacancies with both slots strictly reserved for Ugandans.

According to university council chairperson Rosemary Iwani Mutyabule, the committee is expected to find the two desired persons in a period of two months, starting this month.

“As stipulated in accordance with section 31 of Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 as amended, the composition of the search committee is two members from the council and three from the senate,” Mutyabule said.

She added: “We are launching a five-person committee to support the university in finding the desired members”.

Mutyabule was addressing journalists on Monday, August 7, 2023, at Busitema University’s liaison office at Makerere University in Kampala.

The committee, chaired by Prof. William Bazeyo, will also include Gideon Obbo from the university council and Prof. Maria Musoke, Dr Annabella Habbinka and Prof. Julius Wandabwa from the Senate.

According to Mutyabule, the committee is charged with duties to advertise, interview and examine documents and then, the final approvals shall be done by the university senate.

About the university

Busitema University is a multi-campus model public university located in the eastern Uganda.

The main campus is at Busitema and other campuses at Nagongera in Tororo district, Namasagali in Kamuli, Arapai, Mbale, Pallisa and Kaliro. Established by statutory instrument in 2007, the university focuses on relevant and critical study programmes in engineering, science education, health sciences, natural resources and environmental sciences, agriculture and animal sciences, management sciences and vocational education.

At the time of establishment, it was envisaged that the university would improve equitable access to university education in the country, since the region did not have a public university. The university opened its doors to the first cohort of students on October 3, 2007.

Initially, Busitema University started with two operational campuses: Busitema campus focusing on engineering and technology disciplines and Nagongera campus with a focus on science and education.

To date, the university has six operational campuses and one study centre in Tororo town focusing on short and skill-based training courses. It has also grown from two faculties and three academic programmes to six faculties and 40 academic programmes across various specialisations.