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June 12, 2023

Day

June 12, 2023By

Rev. Assoc. Prof. Kitayimbwa Appointed Chairperson of RENU

By Irene Best Nyapendi

Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, has been appointed Chairperson of the Research and Education Network Uganda (RENU). This happened during the recent Board of Directors strategic planning retreat, where a new era was ushered in for RENU.

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About RENU

RENU establishes collaboration among Uganda’s research and education institutions for knowledge creation, sharing, and utilization, through the provision of advanced networking and other advanced technical services.

According to Kitayimbwa, RENU was established to address through it the provision of reliable and affordable connectivity of research and education institutions in Uganda, which is being achieved.

The connectivity through RENU has afforded member institutions access to vast information and resources, facilitated communication and collaboration, enabled use of online education and research tools, allowed sharing of education and research infrastructure across Ugandan institutions, and facilitated easier dissemination of education materials  and research findings,”

Assoc. Prof. Kitayimbwa

He adds that RENU has surely become the engine that is helping many research and education institutions achieve the connectivity that they need at an affordable rate.

 “RENU now offers a broad range of services to research and education such as Learning Management System, web conferencing, eduroam, cloud hosting, and identity federation among others,” Kitayimbwa said.

Kitayimbwa in a special way appreciates Prof. Stephen Noll and other previous chairpersons explaining that it’s on their shoulders he is now to stand. He replaces Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello whose service ended in April of this year.

He has served on RENU the Board of Directors, first as a member, then as the Deputy Chairperson, as Chairperson of RENU’s Finance, Administration and Human Resource Committee and now as the Chairperson Board of Directors.

Kitayimbwa is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Uganda Christian University (UCU).  He is also a priest within the Church Of Uganda.

He is a highly qualified Ugandan PhD Fellow in Computational Biology at UCU and an astute educationist, with a track record of raising $8 million in research funding from many diverse, international academic sources.

Prof. Janice Busingye the appointed Deputy Chairperson, congratulates Kitayimbwa for taking upon such a crucial responsibility. According to her, joining RENU is an opportunity to learn, and be part of the organization’s growth.

RENU is Uganda’s National Research and Education Network. It is a member–based organization, founded in 2006 and incorporated in 2008 as a non-profit organization and company limited by guarantee, to uplift the quality of education of research in the country, through the provision of reliable and affordable connectivity and other related ICT solutions tailored for education and research.

June 12, 2023By

UCU welcomes over 2000 first-year students for Trinity Semester

By Irene Best Nyapendi

Uganda Christian University (UCU) welcomed over 2000 first-year students to its main campus in Mukono and its Kampala campuses in the Trinity (May 2023). The students were officially welcomed at induction ceremonies held at both campuses.

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Main Campus

At the Mukono campus, Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi welcomed the students and urged them to uphold the university’s core values of Christ-Centeredness, diligence, integrity, servanthood, and stewardship. He also encouraged them to be committed to their studies and to strive for excellence.

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Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi leading the induction ceremony in Nkoyoyo Hall.

“Our goal here is to train you to be complete human beings, so you don’t just leave with the head knowledge but with the soft skills and values that make us truly human,” Mushengyezi said.

He was, however, quick to caution students about the existence of intellectuals whose knowledge has made them dangerous to the world, and who promote an ideology that can harm other human beings.

Furthermore, Prof. Mushengyezi noted that misuse of firearms is becoming rampant in the country and students should be careful to not fall victim.

Kampala Campus

Anita and Colleagues

The Kampala campus induction ceremony was held by UCU Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Mr. David Mugawe. He urged the students to be “people of integrity with strong moral principles guided by the ideals of honesty and authenticity.”

In addition to the induction ceremonies, the students also attended a weekly community worship service at Nkoyoyo Hall. The service was themed “Guarding the Treasure of your Soul.”

The students come from a variety of backgrounds and represent a wide range of academic interests. They are excited to begin their studies at UCU and to be a part of the university’s vibrant community.

“I’m glad my parents brought me here because I have seen it’s a cool university, the people in it are decent and love God,” said Jovia Kisakye, a first-year student pursuing Higher Education Certificate in Biological.

Students at induction

First-year students from the various schools and faculties including; Business, Education, Law, Agricultural sciences, Journalism, Media and Communication, Public Health, Engineering, Design and Technology attended the induction ceremony at the main campus.

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Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi leading the induction ceremony in Nkoyoyo Hall.

The induction ceremonies are one of the two special services for the students at UCU, with the second one being the commissioning ceremony. The commissioning ceremony is held at the end of the student’s studies and marks their transition into the workforce.