Vice Chancellor Forum

I was selected to attend the Vice Chancellor Forum on behalf of Dr. Fr. Maximiano Ngabirano, Vice Chancellor of St. Ignatius University Kabale. The Forum was held in Entebbe, Uganda.

The two day forum, where every higher education institution in Uganda was invited, had about 50 attendees during the event. The first day began with a history of the forum and then went into details for improving higher education in Uganda based upon the National Development Policy that was signed in 2016. It also went into detail, by the leadership of National Council of Higher Education, of what has improved this past year and what must improve in the future. The big areas in need of improvement are undergraduate student enrollment, doctoral programs, types of programs that will improve the quality of life of Ugandians such as technology, engineering, neuroscience, natural energy, and most of all stop the brain drain by increasing wages. Another point of discussion was to develop student entrepreneurial skills to create businesses that can become mid-size to become producers for and by the Ugandan people and reduce the import of goods and services and increase employment.

The second day was focused on strategies of improving the quality of education from primary school to eventually improve the quality and caliber of students that enter higher education institutions. In order to do this task, grant writing at the national and local level is necessary. It is also necessary to form partnerships with international organizations to enhance higher education institutions and search for funding to support students and programs.

Many examples were shared by different universities of partnerships developed with businesses and international higher education institutions for program accreditation and faculty development.

I look forward to the good work that develops from the ideas generated during the forum.

Here is a picture of a few of the leaders of the Forum and National Council of Higher Education.

Iguka

The meaning of Iguka in the local language is Welcome.

Today we celebrated with faculty, staff and students the end of the first session of classes and a welcome to St. Ignatius University Kabale. The celebration created an opportunity for all attendees to get to know one another and grow in unity. A wonderful addition to this celebration, was that it was held on my birthday. Here a picture of most attendants.

 

The day began, at the St. Ignatius Chapel with mass, presided by Fr. Zeno. After mass, we walked to the main campus for an opportunity for every attendee to introduce themselves and share thoughts about their university experience thus far and what their future aspirations for themselves and of the university. You will find a picture of Fr. Zeno and attendees in front of the chapel. 

 

I was able to learn a lot about Ugandan culture and the different tribes during the event. I was also able to know how sometimes you can recognize people from the different tribes due to their features, how they dance and the villages that they are from.

I hope this will be the first of many celebrations to come of the launch of St. Ignatius University Kabale!