Makerere University College of computing boosted

EDUCATION|ICT|MAKERERE

KAMPALA - In an effort to promote Information Technology (IT), Makerere University College of Computing and Information Science has received equipment to boost IT.

The equipment was awarded to the College by Huawei with the aim of training and certifying 1000 students free of charge in the next two years.

During the handover of the equipment at the University College, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, said the university received a router and switches to support the Huawei ICT Academy program.

"We are excited about its potential in changing the IT landscape in Uganda and beyond as Huawei invests in research and development," Nawangwe said.

In partnership with the College, the ICT Academy in May 2019 launched the study program which will last for two years.

"The global ICT solutions provider, donated ICT study equipment to aid the students to have a hands-on study. They have also opened seven ICT academies in Ugandan Universities to fulfil its pledge," Nawangwe said.

Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, the executive Director of NITA-U expressed his passion for research and innovation and stressed that the donated equipment shall aid the college in this role.

"This is part of the commitment that Huawei undertook to train 1000 students and equip their learning institutions," Mugasa said.

Mugasa said collective participation is how we shall digitize Uganda. Research and innovation is the way to go and this donation shall aid in the same," he said.

Prof. Tonny Oyana, the Principal, College of Computing and Information Science, emphasized that the ICT academy initiative is right within the strategic plan of Makerere that is being implemented between 2020 and 2030.

Huawei's Managing Director, Gaofei said the donation comes as a fulfillment of the pledge Huawei made to Makerere of donating equipment to the University to aid in the hands-on study in the academy.

"We have donated the ICT academy equipment to aid students and give them hands-on training of the academy courses. This is a fulfillment of our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in May 2019. We shall also donate to three more academies in Uganda," said Gaofei.

He said, "With this donation, we believe that we shall trigger exploration which lights the way forward, furthermore we believe that this exploration begins with sharing wisdom, and exchange of ideas to open up exciting new possibilities in a digital world," he added.

The ICT Academy course combines both theories and practical operations which range from enterprise networks such as routing and switching, advanced network and network technology, information technology such as storage, cloud computing and big data among others.