Kyambogo University's 14th graduation

Dec 13, 2017

13th to 15th December 2017

A NEW PATH WITH THE NEW VICE CHANCELLOR

Kyambogo University is this week holding its 14th graduation ceremony. Billy Rwothungeyo interviewed Prof Eli Katunguka, the Vice Chancellor of Kyambogo University on his vision for the university.

1) Congratulations on your appointment as substantive Vice Chancellor of Kyambogo University. What is your vision for the university?

I assumed offi ce of the Vice Chancellor on May 15th, 2017 having been in the offi ce in acting capacity since February 2014. So I know the university quite well. My vision for this university is to transform it into a truly international institution which is research active, with sufficient infrastructure both physical and ICT and suffi cient human resource and funds to run the university. I want this university to produce graduates who are relevant to the job market.

rof li atunguka ice hancellorProf. Eli Katunguka, Vice Chancellor

 

2) How is Kyambogo University positioning itself to be a centre of innovation and knowledge creation in Uganda?

When this university was formed in 2003, research was not one of the pre-existing institutions, Uganda Polytechnic was producing technicians, Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (ITEK) was producing teachers, and Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE) was producing materials for help people with disabilities to access education.

After formation of the university, it was given a mandate to research and create knowledge. We have been building this capacity through in-house workshops, sending staff to conferences and supporting research through our own internally generated funds. We are going to provide sh2b as a competitive research fund.

In addition, we are creating an innovation hub in Kyambogo University, in partnership with a university in Germany; we are trying to create a cadre of innovative people, especially in the fi eld of entrepreneurship.

Many of our students are already innovative, they have small projects, through this programme, and they will be mentored. We also have a business incubation centre created with the support of the ADB. In this centre, we are focusing mainly on food science. CLICK HERE  FOR MORE ON THIS STORY

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AT KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

The students graduating from Kyambogo University's 14 graduation ceremony this week are experiencing something their predecessors never experienced before. For the fi rst time in the history of the university, graduates will be able to go home both with transcript and certifi cate.

This is one of the major turnarounds happening at the university on the academic front. Under the tutelage of Prof. Eli Katunguka, the now substantive vice chancellor of the university, Kyambogo is experiencing a remarkable renaissance.

Building capacity

Kyambogo University was formed after three institutions; the Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK), the Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (ITEK), and the Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE) were merged.

The rich history of the institutions that led to the formation of Kyambogo University has set a perfect pedestal for growth of the institution.

r yprian en dupa g ean aculty of rts and ocial ciencesDr. Cyprian Ben Adupa, Ag Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

 

UPK started in 1928 as a small technical school on the Makerere Hill before being transferred to Kyambogo Hill in 1958 as Kampala Technical Institute. It later became the Uganda Technical College and fi nally UPK.

ITEK on the other hand, started as a Government Teacher Training College in 1948 in Nyakasura, Fort Portal and transferred to Ruharo and then Ntare Hill all in Mbarara, western Uganda.

It transformed into a National Teachers College and later ITEK. UNISE started out as Department of Special Education at ITEK in 1988 before becoming autonomous later on. Prof. Eli Katunguka, the vice chancellor of Kyambogo University says the institution is ready to continue with the history of transformation as evidenced by the preceding institutions.

Katunguka wants to transform Kyambogo University into a world class university that is big on research. "We are going to review the structure of the university. When the university was formed in 2003, there were about 6000 students.

We now have close to 24,000 students on campus and another 35,000 in the National Teachers' Colleges, Primary Teachers' Colleges and Early Childhood Development training institutions," he says. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY 

KYAMBOGO LEADING THE WAY IN ICT INNOVATION

When many big institutions in Uganda want a custom Information Communication Technology (ICT) solution for their operations, they simply turn to providers from foreign countries.

Kyambogo University chose a different route though. Dubbed ‘e-Kampus,' what was started in 2009 by a team of innovators at the university led by Dr. John Okuonzi, director of ICT and services has since grown to be the most intricate and integrated solution of any university in the country to date. e-Kampus supports both academic and administrative business processes at the university.

From the moment a student is admitted to the university, to registration, continuous assessment and examination and fi nally to graduation, the system captures all these details.

"We have developed a system that manages all the business processes of the university. Kyambogo is the only university in Uganda that has come out with such an innovation. All activities in the university use this system," explains Okuonzi.

The system is powered by 12 kilometres of fi bre optic cables spread all-over the campus. 

 tudentsICT Students

 

Keeping track of students record

Kyambogo University has a student population of over 20,000. That is on campus alone. The university also assesses a further 30,000 students and more in the National Teachers' Colleges, Primary Teachers' Colleges and Early Childhood Development teaching centres.

Managing the records of all these students simply by moving paper around is too tedious, and this is where e-Kampus comes in handy. Through the system, one can register online to study at the university.

When lecturers assess these students, their coursework and tests marks are uploaded on the system, so at any one given time, it is possible for one to track the performance of a student by simply clicking away on a computer or a mobile device. No one can change marks in the system, unless they get an approval from a higher office.

For example, for a lecturer to change marks, the head of department needs to approve, similarly, if the head of department wants to change anything, they will need an approval from a dean.

The interface of the system shows exactly how many students have fully registered at any given time. In fact, the big data system has the details and even passport photos of each and every one of the students at the university. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY 

KYAMBOGO'S AMBITIOUS REVENUE GENERATION PLAN

Universities world over are thinking of innovative approaches of resource mobilization. Depending solely on one or two sources of funding is increasingly becoming unreliable, and for public universities, even more cause for worry are the competing realities of governments.

Kyambogo University has budget of sh108b this fi nancial year. Despite being a public university, the biggest percentage of the monies to fund this budget is from internally generated funds, mostly university fees collected from private students.

Internally generated account for sh59b of this budget. Government funding is at sh48b, while sh1.6b is from donor funding.

Charles Okello, the university secretary says for the university to ably perform on the strategic areas of focus of the university; teaching and learning, research, infrastructural developments, students' welfare , there is need for more funds. "This money is still little.

r harles kello niversity ecretaryMr. Charles Okello, University Secretary

 

We are unable to employ enough lecturers to teach our expanding programmes. We will need this wage to double in the next few years. There is an urgent need for government to increase this subvention so that we are able to recruit more teachers," he says.

From the sh108b budget of the university, the wage bill of the staff alone is at sh42b. The Recurrent expenditure that caters for daily running of the university, money used to buy materials for training students at the university is at sh59b. Capital development is at sh7b.

"As you can see, we do not have enough to carry out capital development projects such as new buildings, roads, halls among others. Yet for the university to grow from one level to another, we need more infrastructure," he says.

"We are cognisant of the fact that government has so many competing priorities such as building roads, hospitals among others. So as Kyambogo University, we need to look at other ways of getting money to run this university." CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY 

NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AT KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

If the last time you were at Kyambogo University was two years ago, you will be excused when your jaws drop in marvel at the new infrastructure at the institution. Kyambogo University and ailing infrastructure have been synonymous with each other since the university was founded.

The university inherited old infrastructure from Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK), Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE) and Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK)— the three institutions that were merged to form the university in 2003.

Thanks to the Higher Education Science and Technology (HEST) funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Government of Uganda, the university is undergoing a remarkable transformation.

he odern irtual ibraryThe Modern Virtual Library

 

The new infrastructure constructed at the university are the Central Library with Virtual Capabilities, New block Engineering Laboratories and Workshops comprising 18 workshops and laboratories, Central Teaching Facilities with a sitting capacity of 3000 students, Technical Teacher Education (TTE) and Capacity improvement Facility and a Central Multipurpose Science Laboratory.

"The new central lecture block which can accommodate 3800 students, and this makes our university looks good," says Charles Okello, the university secretary. Okello reveals that the new library cost $2.49m, engineering laboratories and workshops cost $6.5m, central teaching facilities cost $5.1m, technical teacher education block's cost was $7.9m.

The central multipurpose science laboratory was costed at $2m. These projects were part of $25.4m project extended to the university and is being managed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports in collaboration. Equipment for Laboratories, workshops, and lecture and incubation centre blocks valued at about USD 5.32 million have also been purchased. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY

KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY RETAINS THE EAST AFRICA UNIVERSITY DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP - 2017 TROPTHY

Kyambogo University has yet again proven to be the best University in the debate sphere across East Africa. Annually, an East African debate championship is organized to debate on the progress of the East African Community.

This year's Championship was hosted by Kigali University between from 26th August to 2nd September, 2017 under the theme, "Home grown solutions- a catalyst for sustainable development of the East African partner states."

The tournament attracted 24 Universities from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Kyambogo University presented three teams of Segawa Ivan Sebastian and Ojambo Shabil Wabwire, Kishemeire Patricia and Walaka John victor and Kansiime Onesmus with Ayebare Dalton Joseph.

yambogo niversity students receive the ropthy for the best performing niversityKyambogo University students receive the Tropthy for the best performing University.

 

It should be noted that the British Parliamentary format of debate was used where a team comprises of two debaters. All the Kyambogo University debate teams reached the semifinal and two qualified for the fi nal where they debated with Makerere University on the motion, "Media is to blame for the proliferation of terrorism in East Africa." Kyambogo University team (Segawa Ivan Sebastian and Ojambo Shabil Wabwire) emerged winner by sunset. 

After the tournament, Kyambogo University was given a special invitation to the next Kenyan national human rights debate championship to be held in October this year and a slot to participate in the Zanzibar open; a regional debate championship that seeks to test the relevance of the education system in Africa.

This victory also gave the team the buildup experience required to compete in the Pan African debate Challenge to be hosted by the University of Buea, Cameroon from 7th to 15th December 2017. CLICK HERE  FOR MORE ON THIS STORY 
 

MORE INNOVATIONS

Kyambogo University is proud to be part of the higher education in science and technology (HEST) project. HEST is implemented by government of Uganda, through Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports (MoESTS) with funding from African Development Bank (AfDB).

This five (5) year project ending in June 2018 is being implemented in eight (8) public Universities and aims to contribute to building Uganda's human capital skills particularly in Higher Education, Science and Technology(HEST) and to respond to labor market demands and spur national productivity. Kyambogo University is grateful to Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) for providing facilitation and technical support to the project.

At Kyambogo University, the project is worth USD 24 million and has profoundly supported construction, rehabilitation and external works of:

• Central Library with Virtual Capabilities

• Renovation of eight (8) blocks of Engineering Laboratories & Workshops

• New block Engineering Laboratories & Workshops comprising 18 workshops/ laboratories

• Central Teaching Facilities with a sitting capacity of 3000 students

• Technical Teacher Education (TTE) & Capacity improvement Facility

• Central Multipurpose Science Laboratory

Part of this project includes enhancement of Research and Industrial Linkages for Science & Technology (Business Incubation Centre, BIC). The BIC comprises of a specialized bakery, research laboratory and a state-of-the-art business incubation center.

The facility will support young persons and the general public to promote skills and entrepreneurship development and aims to contribute to income generation for the University.

The Center will enhance academic and nonacademic partnerships for the University at national, regional and international levels through research and innovations, promote technology development and demonstration, as well as provide solutions to common challenges affecting the baking industry in Uganda, more especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY

 

LIST OF FIRST CLASS DEGREES 

CLICK HERE TO SEE LIST OF GRADUANDS WHO HAVE ATTAINED FIRST CLASS DEGREES

 

 

 

 

 

 

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