EDUCATION | NCHE | OKWAKOL

KAMPALA - The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has joined forces with the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU) to infuse Information and Communication Technology (ICT), research and innovation in higher institutions.

Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at NCHE offices in Kyambogo last week, the Executive director, NCHE, Prof. Mary Okwakol said the MOU is aligned with the NCHE objectives under the current strategic plan, 2021-2025 which strives to promote research and innovation in higher education institutions.

It further targets the utilization of ICT which is very important to the education system nowadays as emphasised by the government.

"I would like to thank the RENU consortium which we as well know is owned and run by universities for providing connectivity and other technology services to support education and research networking,” she commented.

In a public notice published in the media, Okwakol appreciated the long way RENU has come since it was established in 2006 and looks forward to working towards improving the quality of access to higher education through optimal use of ICT.

The Chief Executive Officer, RENU, Nicholas Mbonimpa said the MOU is particularly important because it allows them to appreciate the challenges that are on NCHE’s side as a regulator for higher education.

He said he was optimistic that the two shall align their efforts to address those challenges through creating adequate infrastructure and services to support e-learning and enabling the exchange of research knowledge.

“NEHU is the regulator for higher education and RENU is owned by universities and other institutions of learning and research, so really, this is the best collaboration to implement our mandate in promoting research,” he added.

The director, ICT, research and Innovation, NCHE, Dr. Nora Mulira said the MOU is a formal recognition and endorsement of both NCHE and RENU ‘s achievement to promote research and networking.