EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES & Higher Education Inter-University Council for East Africa DIRECTORY 2016/2017.

Transcription

1 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES & Higher Education Inter-University Council for East Africa 1 DIRECTORY 2016/2017

2 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY 95 Uganda Section

3 96 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY Na onal Council for Higher Educa on At a me when higher educa on is being transformed from the monopoly of the elite to the right of the masses and when global forces are transforming the way higher educa on is being delivered, the role of a regulatory agency becomes very crucial. To regulate higher educa on, and to guide the establishment of ins tu ons of higher learning as well as ensure that quality and relevant educa on is delivered, the Na onal Council for Higher Educa on was established by an Act of Parliament. Corporate Governance of NCHE The na onal Council is a semi-autonomous and self-accoun ng body with a secretariat headed by the Execu ve Director. The day to day opera ons of the secretariat are vested in the Execu ve Director who reports to the Na onal Council. In the execu on of the policies of the NCHE, the Heads of Departments, who cons tute the Management Team, assist the Execu ve Director Vision The provision of relevant, broad based technology driven, dynamic, sustainable and quality higher educa on accessible to all quali ed Ugandans. Mission To set standards and regula ons to ensure that all public and private ter ary educa on ins tu ons in Uganda create, sustain and provide relevant and quality higher educa on for all quali ed Ugandans and to meet the local, na onal and global higher educa on challenges of the future. Func ons Func ons of the Na onal Council under the, Universi es and Other Ter ary Ins tu ons Act, 2001 a) To implement the objects of this Act; b) To promote and develop the processing and dissemina on of informa on on Higher Educa on for the bene t of the people. c) To advise the Minister on the establishment and accredita on of public and private ins tu ons of Higher Educa on. d) To receive, consider and process applica ons for the establishment and accredita on of public and private ins tu ons of Higher Educa on and the accredita on of the academic and professional programmes of those ins tu ons in consulta on with Professional Associa ons and Regulatory Bodies e) To register all ins tu ons of Higher Educa on established under this Act. f) To receive and inves gate complaints rela ng to ins tu ons of Higher Educa on and take appropriate ac on. g) To monitor, evaluate and regulate ins tu ons of Higher Learning; h) In co-opera on with the relevant government departments, private sector, or the different ins tu ons of Higher Educa on, to evaluate the overall na onal manpower requirement and recommend solu ons to the requirements. i) To ensure minimum standards for courses of study and equa ng of degrees, diplomas and cer cates awarded by the different public and private ins tu ons of Higher Educa on. j) To set and co-ordinate na onal standards for admission of students to the different ins tu ons of Higher Educa on. (ja) to require and ensure that all universi es, whether private or public, adhere to minimum criteria set by the Na onal Council for admission to under-graduate and higher degree programmes. k) To determine the equivalence of all types of academic and professional quali ca ons of degrees, diplomas and cer cates obtained elsewhere with those awarded by Uganda ins tu ons of Higher Educa on for recogni on in Uganda. l) To cer fy that an ins tu on of Higher Educa on has adequate and accessible physical structures and staff for the courses to be offered by it. m) To promote na onal interests in courses of study and professional quali ca ons among the different types of ins tu ons of Higher Educa on. n) To ensure the ins tu ons of Higher Educa on provide that adequate facili es and opportuni es for career guidance and counselling. k) To collect, examine and publish informa on rela ng to the different ins tu ons of Higher Educa on. l) To generally advise the government on policy and other ma ers rela ng to ins tu ons of Higher Educa on. m) To perform any other func on incidental to the objects of this Act or rela ng to Higher Educa on in Uganda or that may be conferred upon it by the Minister or any other law. Plot 34 Cavers Crescent P.O.Box 76 Kyambogo-Kampala Tel: /4 Fax: info@unche.or.ug Website: << CONTACT US

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5 98 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY INTERVIEW WITH THE VC Introduction Stafford University was licensed by the National council for Higher Education in 2015 and officially opened its doors to the public in January The university currently has three faculties, Business and Management, Humanities and Social Sciences and Science and Technology. The university was formed to supplement to what other existing academic institutions are already doing in terms of ridding the region of low development using higher education as a weapon. Vision: To be the Powerhouse of Knowledge and Discovery. Mission: To provide the Highest Standards of Professional Education Services through Research and Training. Core values: Diversity, Professionalism, Mutual benefit, Integrity Enhance the Global Village STAFFORD UNIVERSITY Our Philosophy: We do not just open books, we transform minds. What sustainable options do have to solve this? A number of factors may be attributed to the major decline in investments for university education or higher education at large: - The main cause of the decline is the limited resources available to private investors who must do so much to meet the high barriers set by the regulators to provide quality higher education, this can further be looked at from the government side of things where budgetary allocations to higher education do not meet the requirements that are involved to sustain higher education at the standards that have been created by universal circumstances that the world finds itself. - Further to be given consideration, is the inflation which does not rhyme with the little changes or no changes at all, to the; tuition fees charged, similar resource allocations towards university operations which do not meet the changes in economic environments where these institutions operate. Inflation has increased the cost of living implying that even with constant investment, the actual value of the available resources cannot meet the demands which include retaining quality faculty and also enable society afford the tuition and other charges that are involved to facilitate the operations. What is the level of involvement of your university in shaping research to inform both policies and governance decisions taken by government? Stafford University initiation was premised on sorting the current gaps in society for which the academic programmes and their contents have connotations inclined to creating awareness about these societal issues. It is on this basis that the university s strategic objectives are inclined to ensuring that students and faculty get involved in identifying means of establishing what the root causes of these issues through equipping research skills; combining the skills with the class theories to investigate whether the right policies are in place; identifying shortfalls in these policies; and as the students advance in acquiring more of these skills and theories, papers suggesting changes in the current policy status quo will be published with aim of contributing to knowledge and also causing influence to the direction governance decisions have to take. Why is there a major decline in investments for university education yet it is the cornerstone of human development in every society? - There is also limited or no research done on the relevant areas of higher education which require investment. This has ended up having resources invested inappropriately where no returns have been realized something that has frustrated the actual investors and the prospective investors in the education industry. Among the sustainable options that can be put into consideration to ensure that investment in higher education improves include yet not limited to the following: - Today the government of Uganda has been able to provide and promote student loan schemes which are also a central financial underpinning for higher education. Efforts are being made by the University management to ensure that some students who are needy at Stafford University may as well benefit from this arrangement. - Competition has always been an element of academic life for prestige, for the best students world over, and for donations, among other things and since competition has become one of the central driving forces in higher education. Stafford University intends to promote Competition for the best fac-

6 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY 99 INTERVIEW WITH THE VC ulty, for students and research grants so as to ensure important rankings among Ugandan and African Universities at large. - Increased continuous research into society dynamics to identify needs which any proposed education investment should be directed avoid frustrations which will hamper any future investments. - Through carrying out other activities beyond teaching, for example consultancy with a good policy which should be motivating to the staff who will be carrying out these consultancies. Universities have been accused of not attracting and retaining some of their best students as research and teaching staff. Why is this so? - This largely stems from the fact that there is usually no room to accommodate these former students as staff at the time when they have just graduated. However, at Stafford we have a policy where every best student in a given faculty of study should be retained to either get involved in the teaching and/or become a research assistant. To this management is ensuring that the quality assurance in delivery so that the students that go through Stafford University meet the needs of handling academic tasks whether at Stafford University Uganda, or anywhere else. - In addition to the above submission, Stafford University is now creating a number of new programs which requires additional labor force in future on top of the existing staff. Retaining our very own students would be a great move as a way of motivating those students within the pipeline to compete favorably and it is also one of the University s strategy to form and promote both the emotional and social ties with the student community. How well is your university prepared to build local knowledge and capacity for conflict prevention? The university has designed its curriculum in such a way that there are universal course units that if well handled with activities to achieve the learning outcomes involved are carried out, these students will develop the art of tolerance and team work that will enable them to be involved in as many fields in society where they are expected to act as role models or to practically pass on the skills as may be required. Some of the course units expected to instill skills of conflict prevention include; Action research to enable them identify issues, analyse and also suggest possible solutions with organisations or society, organisational behavior, communication skills among others. In addition, Stafford University has initiated programmes such as International Relations and Diplomacy (IRD) with courses such as Peace and Conflict Management. Such programmes intend to give students tools by which they can resolve conflict by reframing issues in a more manageable, neutral and perhaps a less emotional way. The University is further seeking academic partnerships that will provide opportunities for cultural exchanges and dialogues between student groups so as to promote this cause. Is there still need to reform East African education system as compared to the content to suit the 21st C global economy requirements? There is continuous need to research, establish causes of current problems and anticipate future problems to be in position to continuously fix these problems. As the world evolves, new ideas and best practices will come up and will affect East Africa as they will the rest of the world. There is a lot of information that is continuously required to adapt to the rather volatile state of affairs that the region and the rest of Africa and/or the world at large always find itself in. So reforming east African Education system should not be a one off, it should continuously be supplemented with better angles to address new challenges. Innovation is an all-time ingredient for improving quality. In what ways is your institution innovating at the market place for the benefit of industry and commerce? The institution is innovating in terms designing academic programmes whose contents address the current needs in society but also are providing firm ground as basis for the students to keep on anticipating and identifying areas that tickle their brains to put to use the wisdom they have acquired. The university in its strategic plan has a research agenda aimed at creating as much innovative skills as possible that including empowering the academic staff, students research agenda aimed at promoting discovering and innovation and also creating partnerships both locally and internationally for which we can put together a number of projects aimed at addressing needs in society at a time. What is the scale of educational crisis at the universities if any? It may not be termed as a crisis as such but it can be looked at in various angles of which all are inclined towards insufficient resources. Universities are unable to attract and retain good staff both academic and otherwise; universities are unable to engage into constructive research that will lead to the required level of innovation and discovery that society oughts to have; limited resources have in many cases led to the closure of higher education institutions through their inability to meet regulatory demands or failing to meet their operational costs. What role do universities have in improving the quality of governance in our East African Region? Universities being the centre of research hence adding to the existing body of knowledge, have a big role in terms of suggesting new theories can be put in practice to change the current status which stems from the mindsets of every individual in society. It is the universities that should publish about the best practices in governance and also come up with frameworks that should guide the implementation of these best practices modified to suit the governance demands of the region. The universities also have a role to empower young leaders whose skills can be polished through well-structured students leadership activities like the students guild, students council committees, students associations whose leaders should go through clear democratic processes.

7 100 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY INTERVIEW WITH THE VC A huge chunk of the African Renaissance is pegged on intellectual transformation of the people. How has your institution supported and advanced democratization from below? The institution has students leaders who have gone through free and fair elections with a framework designed by University management where the election of leaders is 90% manned by students themselves. This way, the university is empowering leaders and also people who can contribute to the organisation of free and fair elections. Do you have any Public-Private Partnerships for advancing research? Any other form of Public-Private partnerships? This being the first year Stafford has been in existence since its licensing last year in September 2015 by NCHE, no public partnerships have been created either for the research or otherwise. However it is well embedded in the Stafford University Strategic plan on how the Public-Private partnerships will take be embraced and efforts towards this cause are expected to start in its second year of operations. How is the growth of higher education and knowledge management turning out in an integrated East Africa? Across all East African countries, there is movement of students and academic staff moving across the various borders to acquire education of offer education services respectively. There are no sufficient statistics to support movement of either parties but more movement should result into faster development for the region and to the East African leaders need to strategically lay a strong foundation to create a more grounded future for the region in terms of innovation and discovery. What is your institution doing to help solve some of the deep seated problems like food insecurity, rural poverty, and graduate unemployment? The institution has partial scholarship and full scholarship policy to those who are academically capable but financially incapacitated. This reaches out to the rural and urban poor who wouldn t have acquired higher education which will eventually improve their wellbeing. On the part of contributing towards graduate unemployment, the university has designed its programme learning outcomes to cater for deficiencies in society and the mode of delivering on these programmes requires problem identification skills instilled through having direct connections with society and coming up with solutions using the theories acquired while in class. This goes a long way in transforming the way a graduate approaches society as it develops their innovative skills to become hands on in line with their professions. Do you have any MOUs with corporates/industry? How are they performing? We have MoUs with some cultural institutions such as the Buganda Kingdom where we have offered some partial scholarships to a number of disadvantaged students. Efforts are being made to sign more MOU s with both cultural and corporate institutions for the benefit of the student community What student exchange programs and credit transfer do you have? The institution being young in the industry has not yet started student exchange programmes. It should be noted that these plans are in place but most likely to start after 3-5 years after the institution has stabilized and adapted. Stafford is blessed to have a committed board that has great plans which will not only benefit the student community at Stafford University but, will have a positive economic and social contribution to the global village. Regarding the credit transfer policy at Stafford University (SU), the Higher Institutions of Learning from which credits are being transferred must be fully accredited by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for Universities in Uganda and/or recognized by body/ministry responsible for Higher Education for all foreign institutions. SU will only allow course credit transfer for courses which meet the Stafford minimum entry requirements as per the time of admission from the previous institution and only students whose Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is 3.0 and above for Ugandan Higher Educational Institutions or equivalent for foreign higher education institutions. Each course is considered for transfer of credits individually. Stafford University Uganda will consider only courses that have a minimum grade of C or 60%. No block transfer of credit based upon grade averages will be accepted. The maximum of credits do not exceed 60% of the minimum graduation load of the academic programme applied for. Finally the Applicants holding Higher National Diplomas from recognized institutions can be admitted to second year with a provision to take some courses from the first year that the Faculty Academic Board will have identified and deemed mandatory Do you offer scholarships, bursaries for needy students? Yes Stafford University as an institution has a scholarship policy that is managed and guided by an independent scholarship awarding committee that assesses admissions of the applicants and identifies unique student cases such as the needy, academically and athletically talented in line with the scholarship provisions and resources available. The University however is still pushing for more MoUs with other education institutions such as secondary schools that will focus on awarding more scholarships to the talented and needy students.

8 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY 101 UGANDA MARTYRS UNIVERSITY The African Centre of Agro-Ecology and Livelihood Systems (ACALISE): A World Bank Project at UGANDA MARTYRS UNIVERSITY Background to the Centre of Excellence Africa in general and East African region in particular is marred with problems of underdevelopment. The African community is locked up in a vicious poverty cycle characterised by poor nutrition, high disease prevalence, environmental inequity as well as moral decadence. This could be seen through the light of low production and unsustainable food systems and value chains all of which have generally led to poor livelihoods. This problem has of late been further compounded by effects of climate change that has further affected production and productivity in the region. The implication is the deepening of the poverty gap, vulnerability of the population to climate change and further livelihood deterioration. Scarce resources, deepening poverty, unfair competition and state of helplessness has brought about corruption and moral decadence which further has worsened the situation. The overarching problem facing Eastern Africa is, therefore, that of poor livelihoods consequent to the combination of the factors above that need mitigation. There is therefore a need to make a scientific livelihood analysis in order to develop and design mitigation technologies to contribute to its improvement. This improvement will be seen in the lenses of developed food systems and value chains, improved nutrition and environmental health but also improved ethics and integrity among stakeholders. Motivation for Establishing ACALISE ACALISE provides integrated systems mitigation of national and international livelihood problems especially in rural agricultural areas. The World Bank (2015) states that 62% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa live in rural areas where the agricultural sector employs over 70% of them. In Uganda alone 84% of the rural people, particularly the women and the youth, depend on Agriculture for their livelihood (World Bank, 2015). Yet, the average contribution of agriculture to the GDP is just 15-25%. These problems are compounded by debilitating effects of climate change that has shrivelled production and productivity with Africa generally lagging in finding lasting solutions to these problems. The effects will deepen the poverty gap, vulnerability of the African population to climate change and a further livelihood deterioration. Scarce resources, unfair global competition and the state of helplessness has brought about corruption and moral decadence which further degenerate the situation. With a population growth rate of 3.3 % and youth unemployment of 70 %, the agricultural sector in Uganda has to play a major role in uplifting livelihoods. Moreover, the poor value addition has led to unsustainable value chains, rudimental farming methods/ tools, moral decadence at various levels, and climate-change related effects. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007), if the current trend is not reversed, Climate Change alone could lead to the fall of yields from rain-fed agriculture by up to 50% in many Sub Saharan countries by 2020, and crop net revenue could reduce by as much as 90% by ACALISE will graduate top-notch and morally responsible scientists, researchers, Agroecologists, and community change agents, who can champion the transformation of the sector and, in the long run, pave way to improving the standards of living of many. ACALISE activities cover the East and South African region to mitigate underdevelopment and poverty. ACALISE will contribute to Agro-ecological and sustainable livelihood systems research and technological innovations in order to: 1)advance agriculture/sustainable livelihood systems, 2) formulate mitigation measures and technologies against discordant value chains, 3) enhance a systems thinking approach to livelihoods improvement, 4) advance sustainable climate-smart agriculture coupled with appropriate mitigation measures to the existent effects of climate change, and 5) form the character of scientists and the community through ethics and integrity. Synergy with other programmes ACALISE s actions will be complementary to other local and international initiatives like Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063, Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2024), Ecological Organic Agriculture initiative (EOAI) of the African Union, Skilling Uganda and Vision 2040 to promote sustainable Agricultural production, Smart environmental initiatives leading to better livelihoods. ACALISE fits well in the overall framework of the National Development Program (NDP), which promotes and emphasises the fundamental importance of agriculture to the Ugandan economy and the central role agriculture plays in economic growth and poverty reduction. Agriculture is now being defined within the Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP). The DSIP is a comprehensive sector wide program being prepared in line with the objectives and aspirations of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) endorsed by the African governments. ACALISE is in line with DSIP s focus on four main intervention and investment areas: (i) enhancing agricultural production and productivity, (ii) improving access to and sustainability of markets, (iii) creating an enabling environment for the agricultural sector, and (iv) agricultural sector institutional reforms and development ACALISE and Uganda Martyrs University The ACALISE serves the UMU s current 10-year strategic plan including providing quality higher education, training and research for the betterment of society guided by ethical values. ACALISE supports UMU s Strategic Plan of forging strategic partnerships between UMU and other institutions, government, NGOs, and the private sector, as well as the need to diversify income to reduce UMU s dependency on students tuition from 90% to 50% (Strategic goal no.4). ACALISE promotes research and publication (Goal no. 2), significantly improves ICT resources and facilities to match the increasing demands (goal no. 3), and creates an education environment that will deliver specific programmes to meet local and international standards (goal no.5). Moreover, ACALISE will enable the University raise its PhD ratio among academic staff from the current 25% to better ratios as envisaged in by the Strategic plan. While housed by the Faculty of Agriculture, ACALISE will serve the whole University by hosting and funding programmes from other academic departments for complementarity of the systems thinking approach but also building an all round person in accordance to the Mission of the University. ACALISE Objectives and Results Based on the issues outlined above, the objectives of ACALISE are listed below together with the anticipated results. Main Objective: ACALISE s main objective is to be an intervention that will better streamline the production of a high level and well-motivated, ethically oriented critical mass of Agro-ecology and livelihood systems experts to impact on prevailing agricultural, nutritional, and environmental challenges in the region.

9 102 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY Specific objectives are: Producing an all-round scientist who is not only academically excellent but also ethically sound and morally mindful of both his/her needs and the needs of others and of the environment, thereby enhancing sustainable development for all. Popularizing of sustainable and climate smart agricultural systems like Agro-ecology and food value chains Collaborating with research institutions, academic institutions, Government agencies, industry, and the Private sector, for development Creating partnerships for research, internship, and value addition Establishing demonstration farms to provide hands on skills to the communities on the relevant better technologies, techniques, and practices to improve production and productivity, and foster sustainable livelihood systems for the poor people in the surrounding communities. Reviewing and upgrading Curricula for relevant training and research outputs in line with National and Regional strategic plans for development. Up-grading of research and training infrastructure like laboratories, Video-Conferencing facilities, demonstration farm and value addition enterprise Capacitating Faculty and partners Improving visibility and ranking of the University in order to attract more partnerships, more funding, more experts, and more students for the sustainability of the ACE beyond the five-year timeframe. Enhancing the adoption of research outcomes through outreach programmes in the host and partner institutions It is estimated that by the end of the first five-year phase, 36 PhDs, 300 M.Sc. (in five programmes) and 500 other experts through short courses will have been trained, in addition to members of the community, including rural women and the youth, who will have acquired hands-on skills and innovations, including value addition, to improve their livelihoods and standards of living. Sustainability efforts will inter alia include agri-business enhancement at the University farm, partnerships with industry/private sector to initiate, promote and commercialize marketable innovations, and fundraising for the ACE given the visibility and impact ACALISE will make in the region. Based on the activities to be undertaken the following outcomes are envisaged: I. Development of (new) excellent postgraduate academic programmes (4) that meet national and regional needs: PhD in Business Administration, MSc Livelihood Systems, MSc Micro-Finance, M.Sc. Bio & Environmental Ethics, as well as development of relevant short courses (11) and community-skilling short courses (9) to enhance sustainable development among people in the surrounding community. II. Training of a new breed of MSc and PhDs envisioned to carry out relevant research in Agro-ecology and livelihood systems for innovation in the region, as well as provide short-course training to impart employable skills. ACALISE will train a) 30 PhDs in PhD in Agro ecology and Food Systems; PhD in Business Administration; b) 240 MScs in Agro-ecology, M/Business Administration, M.Sc. Development Economics, M.Sc. Livelihood Systems, M.Sc. Bio &Environmental Ethics, M.Sc. in Monitoring & Evaluation; c) 500 Certificates in short courses, and d) 1500 people in the communities will get hands-on skills and extension services provision to enhance development. III. Integration of systems thinking (value chain and addition, livelihood systems, environment as a system with interdependent sub-systems) in Agro-ecology and related disciplines to stimulate sustainable development and livelihoods to improve people s standards of living. IV. Initiation of critical regional Scientific collaborations for strengthening multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral research for development. V. Promotion of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) for innovation dissemination and impact enhancement in Agro-ecology for better livelihood strategies through high level consultative workshops with industry/private sector, Government, and academia. VI. Promotion of action research, student-centred learning techniques such as problem solving, experiential research but also experimental methods to foster innovations in the field. Research conferences (2) will be conducted and academic papers (180) published in peer-reviewed journals. VII. Creation of demonstration farms to facilitate the provision of hands-on skills and sustainable agricultural methods and technologies to the communities, especially to the rural women, the youth, and the disadvantaged, to advance sustainable livelihoods and improve standards of living and quality of life. VIII. Equipping of the teaching and research facilities including the new agricultural laboratory, improving the research facilities, enhancing ICT facilities, renovation of the dissemination centre, and improving the University Farm, all aimed at guaranteeing efficiency and effectiveness in teaching, research, publication, and dissemination of innovations to enhance development in the region. Implementation of the ACALISE A system thinking approach at ACALISE will include working with stakeholders along the value chains using modern technologies with training in ethics and integrity in order to form an all-round person that is preferred by communities. The approach will inter alia target enhancing moral integrity, social accountability, and responsible handling of the environment for sustainability. ACALISE has planned to generate innovations that will be disseminated and adopted in communities to solve the poor livelihood challenge through the following: Training of a new breed of M.Sc. and PhDs envisioned to carry out relevant research in Agro-ecology and livelihood systems for innovation in the region and beyond Integration of ecological approaches in Agriculture and related disciplines in the region to stimulate sustainable development and better livelihoods Initiation of critical regional collaborations for strengthening multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral research for development Promotion of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) for innovation dissemination and impact enhancement in Agro-ecology for better livelihood strategies. ACALISE will promote student centred research and learning techniques including problem solving, experiential research but also experimental methods to foster innovations in the field. Enhancing moral-ethical consciousness and accountability by the trainees to ensure sustainable development at local, national, and regional levels Establishment of state of the art demonstration farms accessible to the local farmers to provide the relevant skills, technologies, agricultural services, and ethical consciousness, to the communities to enhance sustainable development of all. ACALISE has carefully chosen strategic partners both at local/national (9) and regional/international levels, (7), as well as Associate partners (6) to complement her activities. The partners will be involved in: a) pooling/exchange of expertise and facilities for first class teaching and research (Universities, Centres of Excellence, Research Institutions); b) developing relevant regional curricula (Education institutions, Government, Community, Industry); c) creating rich internship placements and sharing of hands on experience (industry, experts, community); d) enhancing value addition and commercialization of innovations particularly through industry and private sector; and e) carrying out action-research in the community (research institutions, community, experts). Torching the future ACALISE shall be funded by the World Bank for five years a five years. Within five years, the project expects to make a significant difference in terms of human resource development in the region but also to bring about general transformation in terms of research, livelihood outlook as well as health status. ACALISE is envisaged to stand on her own as a self-sustaining regional Centre of Excellence after the five years support from World Bank. In order to make a remarkable difference in the region, there is need to change the mindset not only of the project staff but also of the project beneficiaries. The way training and research is executed must point to the envisaged success of the project. For example, action research must be promoted and student-centred training ought to be encouraged to make students think for themselves. Research without innovation and innovation without dissemination (publication) and action must be discouraged. References Ashley, C. and Carney, D Sustainable livelihoods: Lessons from early experience. DFID, London. Chambers, R. and Conway, G Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Practical concepts for the 21st Century. IDS Discussion Paper 296, IDS, Brighton, UK, February Damaine, H A Livelihood Systems Approach to the Sustainable Development of Upland Farming Systems. Accessed from on the 20th September Francis, C., Rickerl, D., Lieblein, G., Salvador Agroecology: The ecology of food systems. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 22 (3): Scoones, I Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: A framework for analysis. IDS Working Paper 72, IDS, Brighton, UK.

10 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY $!.&!-#$!L$3!Q*'-+$'8!&.'!%,%5;71!,*-$/.'3S-3Q$!.&!Q*'-+$'8#(Q! (+8-(-N-(.+8!! A'(6*-$!8$)-.'! +*-(.+*2! H$/(.+*2!! H$8$*')#! ;+8-(-N-(.+8! A$$'! C+(6$'8(-($8! H$/(.+*2! J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/(K%8(;'%1#/1+$(g*)#/%25(`(=(.$1)(( E'"+/(G+1?"%#1/3(( Ag"3(J$%/+"%C( ;*+/$&/`(J%*-8(J$/%1&M(b$+0$.."(=(.$1)`( 5$/%1&M8?$+0$.."h2,"+/86"(!GFa!GL(AM"3(5$%/+"%C8(;*+/$&/`(J%*-8(=8( :015$)$(=(.$1)`("8$015$)$h%2-*%2.8*%,( c$/1*+$)(a%,$+1&(:,%1&2)/2%$)(l*?"."+/(*-( G,$+0$(AcaE:LGC( AJ$%/+"%C( ;*+/$&/`(L%8(L*#"#(L2D$+,$(=(.$1)`(.M.2D$+,$h+*,$.28*%,82,( Q1*(-%"#'(AG,$+0$()/0C( NGDC;:$C1$OC;:'<09:0;29$D;CH0<:.$ AJ$%/+"%C( ;*+/$&/`(#*+1$.h61*-%"#')/08&*.$!2%$)(;*..2+1/3(1+(K"?")*5."+/(A!G;BKC( #$.2")RSSU+3$+d1h3$'**8&*.( ;"+/%"(-*%(B+01,"+*2#(K"?")*5."+/(=--*%/#( AJ$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`(K%8(:/'$+$#12#(L261%2(".$1)`( $#.261%2h,.$1)8&*.( ;*..2+1&$/1*+#(!"#"$%&'($+0(B++*?$/1*+#( 6$.23$$,$h,.$1)8&*.( gg>bg:(ag,$+0$c( MC880(':"$8C/'9'P2:'C($2(H$9'B)9'JCCH$.".:)8.$ AJ$%/+"%C(;*+/$&/`(K%8(;'%1#/*5'"%(a.*+,*(=(.$1)`(&'%1#*.*+,*h3$'**8&*.( B!>B(AQ1*/"&C( Ag"3(J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`(K%8(O"))1+,/*+(:M$3$(=(.$1)`(O8=M$3$h&,1$%8*%,( c")#*+(l$+0")$(g+1?"%#1/3( Ag"3(J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`(K%8(j$+#(;8(g*.$M"&'( ".$1)`(j$+#8g*.$M"&'h+.<$1#/8$&8/d( G+1?"%#1/3(*-(c$1%*61(<(( O$+,$%1(L$/'$1(B+#/1/2/"(-*%(J"$&"($+0( =+?1%*+."+/$)(#/201"#( Ag"3(J$%/+"%C( L$M"%"%"(G+1?"%#1/3(( Ag"3(J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`(J%*-8L$7$)1D$(4(=(.$1)`(.$7$)1D$.h'*/.$1)8&*.( H.2$8! "&*)*,3($+0()1?")1'**0(#3#/".#](#3#/".#(/'1+M1+,( =I&'$+,"(*-(-$&2)/3($+0(#/20"+/#( L"+/*%#'15( >$6*%$/*%3("N215."+/( ;*</"$&'1+,($+0(#25"%?1#1*+(1+(F**0(b$)2"(&'$1+(.$+$,"."+/( i*1+/(#*2%&1+,(*-(-2+0#( L"+/*%#'15(!"#"$%&'($+0(>$6*%$/*%1"#(-$&1)1/1"#(( i*1+/(%"#*2%&"(.*61)1d$/1*+( ;2%%1&2)2.(%"?1"D($+0(0"?")*5."+/( J%*,%$.."($&&%"01/$/1*+( i*1+/(/%$1+1+,( a2/%"$&'(a$&&"##(/*(-$%."%#(5%$&/1&1+,(*%,$+1&(-$%.1+,(a*?"%(vs( -$%."%(,%*25#(/'%*2,'*2/(G,$+0$C( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/#( i*1+/(#*2%&1+,(*-(-2+0#( b$)2"(&'$1+(/%$1+1+,( b$)2"($001/1*+(-*%(*%,$+1&(-**0#/2--#( L$%M"/1+,(1+(*%,$+1&(-$%.1+,( B+/"%+#'15((!2%$)(&*..2+1/3("I/"+#1*+($+0(-$%."%(,%*25(.*61)1d$/1*+f( 9%$1+1+,(1+(?$)2"($001/1*+( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/#(!2%$)(K"?")*5."+/( B+01,"+*2#("&*)*,1&$)($,%1&2)/2%$)(5%$&/1&"#( a2/%"$&'($+0("i/"+#1*+(( B+/"%+#'15#(( Q$#")1+"(#/201"#( 9"&'+*)*,1&$)(01##".1+$/1*+($+0(&*..2+1&$/1*+#( ( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/#( 7*1+/(#*2%&1+,(*-(-2+0#( ;*..2+1/3(.*61)1d$/1*+($+0("I/"+#1*+(!"#"$%&'(*+(-**0(#3#/".#( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/#( i*1+/(-2+0(.*61)1d$/1*+(( G#"(*-()$6*%$/*%3("N215."+/( ;*+#2)/$/1*+(1+(61*/"&'+*)*,3(1##2"#( =N21551+,($+0(#"%?1&1+,(Q1*/"&'+*)*,3()$6(*-(GLG( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/#(( ;*</"$&'1+,(1+(1%%1,$/1*+(#3#/".#( F$&2)/3("I&'$+,"((( 9%$1+1+,(1+(=+?1%*+."+/$)]&)1.$/"<#.$%/($,%1&2)/2%"(( 9%$1+1+,(1+()1?")1'**0(#3#/".#( B+/"%+#'15( 9"$&'1+,4(!"#"$%&'4($+0(L"+/*%#'15( L"+/*%#'15`(;*+/$&/`( ;*<#25"%?1#1*+( H$8$*')#! (+8-(-N-(.+8!0! +*-(.+*2!! 5(+$! G(+(8-'($8!*+4! 4$Q*'-9$+-8!! c$/1*+$)(!"#"$%&'(>$6*%$/*%1"#(g$d$+0$( A:##*&1$/"(J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/(K%892#'"."%"1%D"( B+/"%+$/1*+$)(J*/$/*(;"+/%"( A:##*&1$/"(J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`(@$%$'(L$3$+7$(=(.$1)`(#8.$3$+7$h&,1$%8*%,( c:e!b;(( AJ$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`(K%8L261%2(i$&M#*+(=(.$1)`.261%2k-%$+&*h3$'**8&*.( L1+1#/%3(*-(:,%1&2)/2%"( A:##*&1$/"(J$%/+"%C;*+/$&/`K%8aM$$#$1a5*)*/(=(.$1)`(0&%h$,%1&2)/2%"8,*82,( a--1&"(*-(j%1."(l1+1#/"%(e*?"%+."+/(*-(g,< K1%"&/*%$/"(*-(B+-*%.$/1*+($+0(c$/1*+$)( E210$+&"( AJ$%/+"%C(;*+/$&/`(K%8F%10$'@#"+,**6$(=(.$1)`( -#"+,**6$h,.$1)8&*.4( -#"+,**6$h3$'**8&*.(! J%*?1#1*+(*-(#*1)($+$)3#1#(-$&1)1/3(!"#"$%&'(."+/*%#'15( B+/"%+#'15( i*6(5)$&"."+/#`((!"#"$%&'(*+(-**0(#3#/".#( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/#( i*1+/(-2+0(.*61)1d$/1*+(( (!"#"$%&'(*+(J*2)/%3(%")$/"0(#267"&/( J%*&2%"."+/(*-(:+1.$)#(-*%(:;:>B@=( B+/"%+#'15(5)$&"."+/( J*)1&3(,210$+&"( i*6(5)$&"."+/#( ;*<-1+$+&1+,(( K1##".1+$/1+,($+0(01--2#1*+(*-(1+-*%.$/1*+(/*(&*..2+1/1"#( J26)1&1/3($+0(?1#161)1/3( F2+0%$1#1+,((( (

11 104 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY UGANDA MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Uganda management Institute (UMI) is a National Centre for Training, Research and Consultancy in the field of Administration, Leadership and Management. Officially opened on 7th October 1969 as the Institute Public Administration (IPA), the Institute was mandated to conduct intensive in-service training to quickly develop management capacity in the public service. Whereas IPA opened from inception as a department of the Ministry of Public Service, this changed with the enactment of the Uganda Management Institute Statue of 1992, under which it acquired its present name and changed its status to a semi autonomous body corporate under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act Vision To be a World Class Management Development Institute. Mission To Excel in Developing Practical and Sustainable Administration, Leadership and Management Capacity. THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA COURSES ON OFFER UMI-KAMPALA. DAY AND EVENING COURSES - Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (Day, Evening, weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management (Day, Evening, weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management (Evening, Weekend, Distance Learning) - Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management (Evening, Weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management (Evening) - Postgraduate Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management (Evening, Weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Evening) - Postgraduate Diploma in Information Systems Management (Evening) - Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy and Governance (Evening) - Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Management and Leadership (Evening) - Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation (Day, Evening, Weekend, Distance learning) - Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics and Transport Management (Weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Governance and Management (Weekend)

12 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY Postgraduate Diploma in Organisational Development (Weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (Weekend) - Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital and Health Care Management (Weekend) WEEK-END COURSES ON OFFER IN OUTREACH CENTRES - Postgraduate Diploma in Public administration and Management - Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management - Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management - Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management - Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation MASTERS PROGRAMMES ON OFFER - Masters In Management Studies (Mms) - Masters in Public Administration (MPA) - Masters in Institutional Management and Leadership (MIML) - Masters in Higher Education Management and Administration (MHEMA) - Masters in Public Procurement (MPP) - Masters In Business Administration (Mba) Training (In-house and tailor made) Research (Policy papers, public dialogues, Customer surveys, Baseline Surveys) Project Management Short courses (General Management, Human Resource, Procurement, ICT, Public Administration) OTHER FACILITIES/ SERVICES Distance learning courses on both local and international levels using e-learning, blended face-to-face, video conference and correspondence courses. Video conferencing & Teleconferencing. Conference suite for seminars, conferences, workshops and meetings. Multimedia computer labs with high speed internet connection. Skype and other modern IT based communication. Collaboration with other training institutions to provide demand driven courses. Well stocked Library and a National documentation centre with a collection of conference papers, speeches, parliamentary debates and other government debates Accommodation and catering: the Institute has 150 single study bedrooms, a canteen and a bar. Private catering service pro PHD PROGRAMME Administration and Management (Day) specializing in: Public administration Business Administration Higher Education management Public procurement Institutional management and leadership ORDINARY DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES (DAY) - Diploma in Records and Information management - Diploma in Public Procurement and Contract Management PROFESSIONAL COURSES Enquiries / applications Application forms can be picked from the umi reception and returned with Copies of academic certificates and transcripts, and the application fee receipt of UShs. 40,000 TO BE submitted at the UMI reception UMI facilitates students pursuing studies on the following professional programmes; CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) CAM (Diploma in Communication, Advertising and Marketing) CONSULTANCY SERVICES The Institute Registrar Uganda Management Institute Plot Jinja Road P.O. Box 20131, Kampala Tel: /346620/ /29, Fax: admin@umi.ac.ug Website:

13 106 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY Bishop Stuart University A cross section of students during the 12th graduation. October 14th Bishop Stuart University is a not-for-profit Chartered educational institution established by Ankole Diocese of the Province of the Anglican Church of Uganda to provide Christian based higher Education, training and research for the expansion of God s kingdom, human Knowledge and betterment of society. The University has its main campus at Kakoba, Mbarara Municipality, Mbarara District in Uganda and another Campus at Ruharo, near St. James Cathedral, the headquarters of Ankole Diocese. ACADEMICS: The Academic Registrar Bishop Stuart University invites applications for the under listed ourses for January 2016/2017 Academic Year.Applications can be obtained from: The University main Campus, Kakoba, Ruharo Campus, Kampala Liaison Office St. Francis Chapel Makerere University. Buddu FM in Masaka, Step by Step Media-Lyantonde, All Dioceses in Western Uganda, Kazo Archdeaconry, Kanoni Archdeaconry, Rwenzori FM-Kamwengye, Hits Fortpotal, Bishop Balya theoretical college Fortpotal, Bumadu parish, Bundiibujo. Bwera archdeaconry Kasese, Blessed Artist Printers &designers Kasese, Mitooma Archdeaconry, Kitagata Archdeaconry. Rupin FM, Rira FM, Arua One FM, Continental FM, Radio wa, Bunyoro Broadcasting services. Voice of Bundibujjo, UBC West, Education office Kamwenge district, Voice of Kamwenge, Down town Stationary Kamwenge, Rock Mambo Tororo,Toro Girls, Maama Junior P/s Busia, Jogo FM Busia, Busia Intergrated P/S, Open Get FM Mbare, Malina Terraces (Hotel) Sironko, Sebbei Diocese, Kapchorwa Trinity Radio 94.1FM, EL- HAI BUSSINESS CENTRE Kapchorwa, Mutukura Radio, Chamwania High school Kweni, NBS radio Jinja, Hunter FM-Bushenyi, Maendeleo Co Ltd-Rukungiri, South Ankole Doicese Ntungamo, Ankole Radio-Ntungamo, Voice of Kigezi-Kabale, & all Archdeaconries in Ankole Diocese, Ren Artists Kabale. Vision A University for recreating society with Academic Excellence, entrepreneurship and Christian Values. Mission Producing multi-sectoral leaders/operators, who know the way, show the way and go the way.

14 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY 107 Bishop Stuart University The Vice Chancellor Prof. Maud Kamatenesi Mugisha ( L-R) BSU VC Chancellor Prof. Maud Kamatenesi Mugisha, Hon Janet Museveni, Prof. Emanuel Mutebile and wife, the Chancellor The Rt. Rev. Dr. Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa posing for a photo at the 12th graduation ceremony of BSU October 14th Hon Janet Officiated as the Guest of Honor and Prof. Mutebile was awarded with Honorary Doctor of Law. FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES Doctor of Philosophy in Agriculture and Community Innovations (PhD-ACI) Master of Agriculture & Rural innovations (MARI) Master of Public Health (MPH) Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture and Rural Innovations (PGDARI) Bachelor of Agribusiness Management & Community Development (BAMD)* Bachelor of Agriculture & Community Development (BACD)* Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS)* Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT)* Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNS)* Bachelor of Public Health (BPH)* Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and Resource Management (BSA- ERM)* Bachelor of Animal Health and Production (BAHP)* Bachelor of Sports Science (BSS) Diploma in Midwifery (DMW) Advanced Certificate in Appropriate and Sustainable Technologies (ACAST) FACULTY OF BUSINESS & DEVELOPMENT STUDIES Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies (PhD-DS) Doctor of Philosophy in Development Management (PhD-DM) Master of Arts in Development Studies (MADS) Master of Social Economics & Community Management (MSECM) Master of Business Administration (MBA) Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling (PGDC) Postgraduate Diploma in Office Management & Secretarial Studies (PG- DOMSS) Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies (PGDDS) Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)* Bachelor of Cooperative Management & Development (BCOMD) Bachelor of Arts in Development Economics (BADE) Bachelor of Development Studies (BDS) * Bachelor of Economics and Management (BEAM) Bachelor of Environmental Management (BEM) Bachelor of Guidance and Counseling (BGC)* Bachelor of Human Resource Management (BHRM)* Bachelor of Office Management & Secretarial Studies (BOMSS)* Bachelor of Social Work & Social Administration (BSWSA)* Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) * Bachelor of Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management (BESBM) Bachelor of Banking and Investment Management (BBIM) Bachelor of Project Planning and Management (BPPM) * Bachelor of Procurement and Supply Chain Management (BPSCM) * Bachelor of Community Psychology (BCP) * Bachelor of Records Management and Information Science (BRMIS) * Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management (BTHM) Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences (BSc.ES) Bachelor of Arts in Development Management (BADM) * Bachelor of Arts in Theology (BAT) Bachelor of Arts in Ethics and Human Rights (BEHR)* FACULTY OF EDUCATION Doctor of Philosophy in Language, Culture and Society (PhD-LCS) Master of Arts in Literature and Communication (MALC) Masters of Education in Administration & Planning (MEAP) Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Postgraduate Diploma in Education Management (PGDEM) Bachelor of Arts with Education (Fine Art double main) Bachelor of Arts with Education (BAED) Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary) (BED) Bachelor of Science & Technology Education (BSTE) * Bachelor of Science with Education (BSED) Bachelor of Commercial Industrial Fine Art and Design (BCIFAD) * Diploma in Early Childhood Education (DECE) Diploma in Primary Education (DIPE) FACULTY OF LAW Bachelor of Laws* Diploma in Law SHORT COURSES: - Certificate in Computer Applications (CCA) - Certificate in Computerized Accounting (CCA) - Certificate in Computerized Data Analysis (CCDA) - Certificate in Information Technology Essentials (CISCO Academy) - Certificate in Project Planning and Management (CPPM) - Certificate in Project Monitoring and Evaluation (CPM&E) - Certif icate in Management of NGOs - Certificate in Education Management (CEM) NOTE 1. All programs with a star have corresponding Diploma programs 2. Applications are invited for January intake for above Programs For more information call: , ar@bsu.ac.ug

15 108 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY INTERVIEW WITH THE VC Kampala International University Nurturing a vibrant research culture What is the level of involvement of the University in shaping research to inform both policies and governance decisions taken by thegovernment? Over the past 15 years of its existence, KIU has mostly focused on putting in place the requisite infrastructure for effective learning and research. Although this is an on-going pursuit, much has been achieved to this end. Effective 2015, the University has now turned its attention to developing a vibrant research culture guided by the thematic areas of the sustainable development goals agreed upon by the UN member states. For example, the KIU Institute of Biomedical Research more other initiatives will focus on the 3rdSDG on health and well-being. The Institution has also taken keen interest in research initiatives that address SDGs 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 11, among others. To achieve this research ambition, the University has already set out to forge linkages with communities and industry. Such partnerships will see the University s research agenda tailored to addressing existing and future knowledge and information needs of communities and industry through research.to this effect, the University has already appointed a designated Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Extension whose core role is to champion this aggressiveresearch impetus. With the emphasis on sustainable development goal number 3, the University has also embarked on an expanded Ph.D. program in health sciences. This will go a long way in boosting the institution s research capacity in this area that is in dire need across the East African region. In this endeavor, the University will look to collaborative research undertakings with institutions in the region and elsewhere. Research is one of the three mandates that universities are expected to address. To carry out this mandate, universities must have in place quality staff, a supporting environment with appropriate research infrastructure. Kampala International University (KIU) is a rapidly growing entrepreneurial institution of an international character and continues to develop its research base to supportimpactful research that is of relevance to society in line with its vision and mission. The university ensures that research whether by postgraduate students or staff is aligned to development frameworks at a national, regional and international level to impact policy and decisions by government. The University has embarked on an expanded Ph.D. program in the areas of health sciences and humanities and is a member of several policies and governance bodies as strategies to drive its involvement in priority-informed research. Why is there a major decline in investments for University education yet it is the cornerstone of human development in every society? What sustainable options do you have to solve this? To the contrary, investment in university education within the East African region has tremendously increased over the past twenty years. In Uganda scase, for example, this is evidenced by the expansion of universities from only one in 1990 to over 40 in Of course, this growth in supply is a response to the growing demand for university education. Therefore, both governments and households are investing more in university education. Perhaps now the question is about which strategic investments need to be made to consolidate these achievements towards sustainability. Governments need to take more responsibility for what goes on in both public and private universities. Both types of universities are equally engaged in human capital development for the nation. Graduates from private universitiesare equally absorbed into all sectors as those from public universities. It is, therefore, imperative that governments find a way to invest in developing the capacity of both public and private universities alike. In principle, it is governments obligation to educate their citizens. The private sector comes in to support. Therefore, innovative and pragmatic public-private-partnership frameworks could be explored to ensure access to quality higher education that satisfies the growing demand. It is good that Government of Uganda has finally borrowed a leaf from its neighboring counterparts to provide study loans to eligible students in both public and private universi-

16 EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES DIRECTORY 109 ties. However, the coverage needs to be expanded to cover more students. KIU like other chartered private universities in Uganda hosts some of such students. However, in addition to these existing windows, the private sector, being the main employer of university graduates, could be provided with incentives to contribute to university funding. Private investors can be invited to fund an agreed number of positions per year in universities. They can also have endowments through which universities can extend scholarships to deserving students not able to get funding elsewhere. Since 2004 the Board of Trustees at KIU has been doing this, and the results are very inspiring. There is also a serious concern that university education within the East African region is underpriced at the expense of quality. This issue needs to be debated, concluded and translated into guiding policies. Universities have been accused of not attracting and retaining some of their best students as research and teaching staff, why is this so? Attraction and retention of thequality human resource is a challenge to many universities, especially in the low-income countries. This is largely due to the type of incentives offered. Identifying and recruiting the best graduates and growing own staff is one way of ensuring retention. However, holding on the best students is challenging given the myriad of opportunities available including job opportunities with government and private sector outside the university setting. Also, there has been a tradition of having all faculties as full-time salaried employees. This practice denies universities the opportunity of getting the services of brilliant alumni who wish to take on other aspirations in addition to university service. Only a few universities have embraced the appointment of honorary faculty. One way that KIU has addressed this issue is through recruiting and awarding scholarships to outstanding graduates to undertake Masters and PhD studies. Most staff who benefit from this support normally stay longer and work with the institution as academics. How well is your University prepared to build local knowledge and capacity for conflict prevention? Education, as Mandela once observed is the key to empowerment. This is even truer for university education. Empowerment is the critical pillar in conflict management. KIU prides in being at the forefrontof providing university education to thousands of influential people from high conflict and post-conflict areas like Somalia, South Sudan, Congo, and Rwanda. These are in turn helping to shape the development trajectories of their countries. By embarking on the new initiative, Connecting University Education to Community Needs the University hopes to consolidate its role in this area. The community/industry-orientation approach will ensure that the University s research agenda and educational programmes in this field are informed and shaped by the needs of communities. This will entail working closely with organizations and agencies in the area of sustainable development goal number 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. KIU runs a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Peace Building. We are now actively scouting for partners in the form of practitioner institutions and agencies who can collaborate with the University to strengthen these academic programmes as well as coming up with innovative interventions. Is there still need to reform East African Education system as compared to the content to suit the 21st C global economy requirements? Indeed trends in the 21stcentury global economy pose a significant challenge for educational systems around the world. Societies whose education systems are unable to adapt to rapid economic changes swiftly, risk lagging behind. Other regional blocks elsewhere in the world, like the European Commission, for example, are keenly studying the peculiar 21st-century trends and trying to understand the implications for their education systems. They are now talking about, and actually realigning their education to what has come to be commonly referred to as the 21st-century skills. Is East Africa too doing its homework? Are we changing fast enough and in the right direction? For East African countries to survive and thrive, their education system needs to be quickly reformed, both in content and approach. The emerging technological trends have to inform course content and pedagogical approaches in all disciplines.there is aneed to adopt a learner-centered educational philosophy supported by experiential teaching and learning methods that translate into the vital 21stcentury skills. Inevitably, this will be enabled by a well-harmonized framework that integrates university-industry (community)linkages into the pedagogical strategies. This paradigm shift is more vital and more urgent than ever before. Innovation is an all-time ingredient for improving quality. In what ways is your institution innovating at the marketplace for the benefit of industry and commerce? In January 2015, KIU embarked on an institutional transformation process. Our ultimate goal is to take KIU to the leading edge in higher education. We have keenly learned from our past and benchmarked with the world s greatest in higher education and deliberately decided to become a client-focused operation. We have already embarked on some innovations that will translate into premium value for our students and their subsequent employers. To achieve this, we are resolved to transforming KIU into an entrepreneurial universitywhere the resourcefulness of every staff, students and interested members of the general public are identified, nurtured and translated into innovative solutions to societal problems. Our new educational paradigm is all bent on grooming graduates who are highly entrepreneurial and coveted in the labour market for being highly productive. The Connecting University Education to Community Needs initiative will be the linchpin of this new approach supported by a combination of other innovations. These include (i) mainstreaming of e-learning for both on-campus and distance learning students; (ii) incubation spaces equippedwith tools with resource persons to provide mentorship and technical support helping to translate people s ideas into viable enterprises/products; (iii) a staff learning academy with both online and face-to-face short courses for continuous capacity development; (iv) staff and student exchange programmes; (v) automating academic management and general administrative processes all across the university to guarantee customer convenience, efficiency and transparent communication; (v) review of all curricula to align them with KIU s new pedagogical paradigm and the emerging needs of industry. What is the scale of educational crisis at the Universities if any? The University is not faced with any educational crisis; only challenges, which are in any case of industry-wide nature just to mention the three major ones. First, is the burdensome reliance on expatriate academic staff due to scarcity of specialists locally. To meet the quality demands of academic activity, KIU has had to source for specialists where they are readily available. This is especially the case in the health sciences where we have had to resort to highly qualified academic staff from Cuba, Korea, Nigeria, Spain, and Kenya. This comes at a very high cost. Moreover, the institution also pays hefty sums for their work permits. Governments in the region need to consider awaiver for work permits of specialists who are not readily available locally. Secondly, increasing student dropout rate due failure to pay fees. Increasingly, families seem to be unable to complete their fees obligations. Thirdly, limited resources for research. Research is a very costly undertaking yet, not linked to immediate returns for the institution. Although there are more private universities INTERVIEW WITH THE VC