Growing up: St. Lawrence from Secondary to University
Apr 01, 2007
IF all goes well, St. Lawrence University will open in September this year. Adverts are going around inviting qualified candidates to apply for various academic and administrative posts at the university. <br>
By Stephen Ssenkaaba
IF all goes well, St. Lawrence University will open in September this year. Adverts are going around inviting qualified candidates to apply for various academic and administrative posts at the university.
“Soon, we will be admitting students,†says Lawrence Mukiibi, the Chairman St. Lawrence University Board of Trustees.
But how prepared is St. Lawrence University, to take on the highly demanding mantle of university education in Uganda?
“We have already received a letter of Interim Authority from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).
This is authorisation to set up infrastructure, and other academic and administrative programmes. We have established the necessary infrastructure, academic programmes and academic and administrative structures. We have also begun public sensitisation through the media,†says Mukiibi.
Physical facilities
According to Mukiibi, St Lawrence University will be located on 11 acres of land in Mengo, next to Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral.
It will replace one of the five St. Lawrence Schools and colleges — Kabaka’s Lake campus, which will be moved to Crown City campus in Katende along Masaka Road.
The university will take up most of the facilities that belonged to the secondary school. Some will be demolished while others will be upgraded to the required standards.
There will be two halls of residence, one for girls and the other for boys, each with a capacity of 300 to 400 students. “We are constructing a modern five-storeyed building to accommodate the administration block, faculties, a computer laboratory and a library,†says Mukiibi.
Academic Programmes
The university will operate on a semester system. “The academic year will have two semesters, each comprising 15 teaching weeks, two weeks of examinations and a recess term, says Frank Kakinda, the Academic Registrar.
The first semester will start in September and the second in March. In the beginning, the university will offer degrees and diplomas in six disciplines.
These include: Business Technology, Computer and Information Technology, Continuing and Distance Education, Education, Humanities and Science.
This will soon be followed by Law, Hotel Management, Medicine and Technology. Mukiibi says that each of the disciplines at the university will have an element of Entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Admission
The university shall have five entry schemes including: Direct entry, where eligible students will be required to have at least two principal passes at one sitting of Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent.
Diploma Entry, where eligible candidates will be required to have at least a second class diploma from a recognised institution of higher learning.
A degree entry scheme where candidates will be required to have a degree from a recognised institution of higher learning. An intermediary/access programme for students (from other countries) who lack the equivalent of UACE.
The professional qualification schemes will consider students who have professional qualifications such as ACCA, ACP among others.
Enrollment
For the start, St. Lawrence University will admit about 500 to 600 students.
Academic and Administrative structure
About 60 to 70 lecturers will be recruited. The minimum qualification being a PhD for Senior lecturers, Associate professors and Professors, at least a masters degree for lecturers and an upper second degree for assistant lecturers.
The administrative structure will comprise a Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, University Secretary and Administrative Secretary. Others include The Academic Registrar, University Bursar, Librarian and Dean.
But before it can officially start, St. Lawrence University will first receive NCHE approval after a thorough verification process by the Council.
An Interim Letter is the fist step to a very long accreditation process. The NCHE says it take at least six months to get the letter and St Lawrence University say they will be ready.
“In the first week of April, we should have ironed out a few issues concerning staff. The rest is in place. September will find us ready,†Kakinda says.
Steps to accreditation of universities by NCHE
Registration with NCHE
Issuance of a letter of interim authority (This is authorisation to set up infrastructure; design academic programmes, recruit staff but not to admit students)
The university fills an application form detailing its facilities, academic programmes and qualification of its staff
If approved, the university pays a recovery fee to the council to facilitate verification.
The verification team presents its findings to the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee.
On approval, the committee recommends issuance of a provisional license. Admission can now start.
After three years of operation, the university must apply for a charter.
After the issuance of a charter, a university will be granted five more years to upgrade its standards.
IF all goes well, St. Lawrence University will open in September this year. Adverts are going around inviting qualified candidates to apply for various academic and administrative posts at the university.
“Soon, we will be admitting students,†says Lawrence Mukiibi, the Chairman St. Lawrence University Board of Trustees.
But how prepared is St. Lawrence University, to take on the highly demanding mantle of university education in Uganda?
“We have already received a letter of Interim Authority from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).
This is authorisation to set up infrastructure, and other academic and administrative programmes. We have established the necessary infrastructure, academic programmes and academic and administrative structures. We have also begun public sensitisation through the media,†says Mukiibi.
Physical facilities
According to Mukiibi, St Lawrence University will be located on 11 acres of land in Mengo, next to Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral.
It will replace one of the five St. Lawrence Schools and colleges — Kabaka’s Lake campus, which will be moved to Crown City campus in Katende along Masaka Road.
The university will take up most of the facilities that belonged to the secondary school. Some will be demolished while others will be upgraded to the required standards.
There will be two halls of residence, one for girls and the other for boys, each with a capacity of 300 to 400 students. “We are constructing a modern five-storeyed building to accommodate the administration block, faculties, a computer laboratory and a library,†says Mukiibi.
Academic Programmes
The university will operate on a semester system. “The academic year will have two semesters, each comprising 15 teaching weeks, two weeks of examinations and a recess term, says Frank Kakinda, the Academic Registrar.
The first semester will start in September and the second in March. In the beginning, the university will offer degrees and diplomas in six disciplines.
These include: Business Technology, Computer and Information Technology, Continuing and Distance Education, Education, Humanities and Science.
This will soon be followed by Law, Hotel Management, Medicine and Technology. Mukiibi says that each of the disciplines at the university will have an element of Entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Admission
The university shall have five entry schemes including: Direct entry, where eligible students will be required to have at least two principal passes at one sitting of Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent.
Diploma Entry, where eligible candidates will be required to have at least a second class diploma from a recognised institution of higher learning.
A degree entry scheme where candidates will be required to have a degree from a recognised institution of higher learning. An intermediary/access programme for students (from other countries) who lack the equivalent of UACE.
The professional qualification schemes will consider students who have professional qualifications such as ACCA, ACP among others.
Enrollment
For the start, St. Lawrence University will admit about 500 to 600 students.
Academic and Administrative structure
About 60 to 70 lecturers will be recruited. The minimum qualification being a PhD for Senior lecturers, Associate professors and Professors, at least a masters degree for lecturers and an upper second degree for assistant lecturers.
The administrative structure will comprise a Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, University Secretary and Administrative Secretary. Others include The Academic Registrar, University Bursar, Librarian and Dean.
But before it can officially start, St. Lawrence University will first receive NCHE approval after a thorough verification process by the Council.
An Interim Letter is the fist step to a very long accreditation process. The NCHE says it take at least six months to get the letter and St Lawrence University say they will be ready.
“In the first week of April, we should have ironed out a few issues concerning staff. The rest is in place. September will find us ready,†Kakinda says.
Steps to accreditation of universities by NCHE
Registration with NCHE
Issuance of a letter of interim authority (This is authorisation to set up infrastructure; design academic programmes, recruit staff but not to admit students)
The university fills an application form detailing its facilities, academic programmes and qualification of its staff
If approved, the university pays a recovery fee to the council to facilitate verification.
The verification team presents its findings to the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee.
On approval, the committee recommends issuance of a provisional license. Admission can now start.
After three years of operation, the university must apply for a charter.
After the issuance of a charter, a university will be granted five more years to upgrade its standards.