Today, Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Uganda Christian University (UCU) has signed a partnership agreement with Universite Chretienne Bilingue du Congo (UCBC).

UCBC is a private, non-denominational Christian university chartered in 2010 under the Higher Education Ministry Act 078. The university office premises are located at Kasali Hope Campus, Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In this partnership agreement, both universities aim to enrich their teaching, learning, research, and innovation. They also seek to provide various collaborative opportunities for faculty and students.

This Agreement commemorates the parties’ intent to engage in short and long-term faculty exchange, undergraduate and graduate student exchange, collaborative research and discovery, learning and teaching, and other mutually beneficial projects and mutually agreed educational or research programs.

The MOU was signed by Prof. Honore Bunduki KWWANY, the UCBC Rector, and Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the UCU Vice Chancellor, who hosted the Congolese delegation at the UCU Main Campus ahead of the second partner of the 25th UCU graduation ceremony on Friday, October 25, 2024.

The guest of honour at the graduation will be Mr. Graham Yoko, CEO of Accelerated Education Enterprises Group.

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Earlier today, Uganda Christian University (UCU) held its freshmen induction service, with Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi emphasizing the university’s commitment to both academic excellence and personal conduct.

Addressing the new students, he reminded them of UCU’s high standing in the country, saying, “UCU students are known for academic excellence, so we want you to balance your grades with your conduct. Ours is a highly respected university because of how we conduct ourselves and do things here.”

Mr. David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration, further reechoed this message, highlighting the university’s deliberate efforts to ensure a holistic and enjoyable university experience.

“A graduate from UCU is highly sought after in the job market because of the character we model in our students, besides academic excellence,” he said, reinforcing the importance of nurturing both skills and values.

The induction service at Uganda Christian University (UCU) is special ceremony that welcomes new students to the university community. It’s one of two key services for new students, the other being the commissioning ceremony, where graduating students are officially bid farewell to, “blessed” and “sent into the world” by the Chancellor, who also is Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda. 

The induction service is an opportunity for new students to learn about the university’s values and expectations, and to begin their academic journey. During the ceremony, students from different faculties swear to abide by the university’s rules and regulations. 

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The supreme governing council of the Church of Uganda, the Provincial Assembly, has convened once again at Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Main Campus in Mukono. According to a statement from the Provincial Secretariat, the assembly aims “to deliberate on critical matters concerning the church and to strategize for its development and sustainability.”

A delegation of 39 bishops from all dioceses of the Church of Uganda began arriving at UCU on the evening of Monday, August 19, 2024, in preparation for the opening ceremony of the assembly, scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, August 21, 2024. The Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Mr. John Musinguzi Rujoki, will grace the gathering as the Chief Guest.

Day One: Engagement of Bishops with UCU Management

Today, August 20, 2024, bishops of the Church of Uganda, who also serve as trustees of UCU, engaged in a strategic meeting with the university’s management. During the gathering, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, Vice Chancellor of UCU, presented a status report reflecting the continuous and multifaceted development at the university. “We are committed to championing the vision of making UCU a true centre of excellence in the heart of Africa, in line with the original vision of the founders,” Mushengyezi said.

“To achieve this, the management has launched a seven-year Campus Transformation Initiative,” he added, outlining a 5-Point Plan to be achieved by 2030. The plan includes renovating buildings and constructing new ones, digitising campus services to improve efficiency and service delivery, paving roads and walkways, beautifying and landscaping the campus environment, and training and re-tooling UCU staff while improving their welfare to ensure they can deliver excellent services to key UCU stakeholders.

Additionally, the Vice Chancellor applauded the bishops for their support through their dioceses toward the “UCU Sunday 2023,” where UGX 297,224,648 was raised to support various causes at UCU, including infrastructural development, clergy training, and tuition support for students in need.

UCU Sunday is an annual Thanksgiving Day, established in 2017 when the House of Bishops resolved to deliberately support UCU by designating the last Sunday of September for churches to pray for and fundraise for “the provincial university”—UCU. This year, the celebration will take place on September 29, 2024.

Remarks from the Chairperson of the Governing Council

The Bishop of Lango Diocese, Rt. Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa, who also serves as Chairperson of the UCU Governing Council, applauded UCU’s management for ensuring the university maintains a competitive edge among institutions in the country, noting that it even outclasses many. He urged them to stay the course.

“Our graduates are competitive in the job market, our student discipline is commendable, our diligent and committed staff members are remarkable, and the advancement in infrastructural development across all our campuses is commendable,” noted Professor Olwa.

“UCU is now graduating an increasing number of PhDs. Indeed, UCU is on the path to becoming a ‘centre of excellence in the heart of Africa,’” he added.

Remarks from the Archbishop/ UCU Chancellor

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, who also doubles as Chancellor of UCU, His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba, called upon the university management and staff to mentor younger leaders, noting that young people are eager to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to society. His Grace’s remarks come in the wake of the national census conducted in May 2024, which once again established Uganda as one of the countries with the youngest population in the world, with 22.7% youth and over 50% of the population under 17 years old, according to statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

“One of the greatest legacies we can leave is the nurturing and mentoring of the next generation of scholars and leaders,” Archbishop Kaziimba said, challenging university management to identify, retain, and support excellent-performing students.

“Many of our promising students and young lecturers face financial challenges that hinder them from pursuing further studies. As leaders in academia, I encourage you to help identify these individuals and assist them in finding scholarships or other opportunities for further education.”

The official opening of the assembly will be broadcast on Family TV, and updates about the occasion will be published on the digital platforms of both UCU and the Church of Uganda.

of admitted students to the Advent (September) Intake 2024 of Uganda Christian University (UCU). This list is issued regularly toward the end of an application window during the year. The list indicates a student’s name, application number, and the academic programme they were admitted to.

For any inquiries regarding application, admission or other related issues, contact us via:

Email: admissions@ucu.ac.ug

Call: 0312350880

The Advent (September) Intake 2024 begins on August 28, 2024. Therefore, all new students are expected to report for registration then.

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO: At the 5th All Africa Horticultural Congress (AAHC) held in Marrakech, Morocco, from February 28 to March 1, 2024, Uganda has been voted to host the 6th All Africa Horticultural Congress in 2028. Uganda Christian University (UCU) will serve as a lead convener, representing Uganda on the global stage. The UCU team to Morocco was led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi.

Prof. Mushengyezi said, “This is a big win for Uganda, which has become one of the top destinations for international visitors including investors and tourists. Hosting AAHC 2028 also indicates growing confidence in UCU as a reputable university in Uganda and the region. We pledge to continue diligently serving humanity as a Centre of Excellence in the heart of Africa”.

The AAHC attracts over 500 delegates, scientists, researchers, companies and private sector investors in the agricultural value chain from Africa and all over the world. The theme for this year is Unlocking the potential of a resilient Horticulture in Africa.

UCU will be the key convener, and is working in conjunction with Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement (MaRCCI), represented by the Director, Dr. Richard Edema; and National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).

Another Win for UCU

At the AAHC 2024 congress in Morocco, Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito of UCU was elected as the new President of the All Africa Horticultural Congress, taking over from Prof. Abdelhaq Hanafi of Mohamed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco.

The election of Uganda was announced by the President of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), Prof. Francois Laurens from France.

Uganda is a top destination for large international events because of its stability, hospitable people, beautiful weather, a great variety of foods, and numerous tourism attractions. In January and February 2024, Uganda hosted large international events, including the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the G77+China Summit, and the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth held at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. Over 124 countries and 1,700 delegates attended.

Uganda also hosted the International Conference on Food Safety Management Systems and Quality in Food Science (ICFSMSQFS) in February 2024, and the Renewable Energy Conference and EXPO (REC23 & EXPO) in November 2023.

Previous AAH congresses were held in Kenya in 2009, South Africa in 2012, Nigeria in 2016, Senegal in 2020, and now Morocco in 2024.

By Jimmy Siyasa

For the 5th edition of the All Africa Horticultural Congress, a delegation from Uganda Christian University (UCU), led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, has convened in Marrakech, Morocco. Notably, they are not only participating in the event but also actively bidding for UCU to host the next Congress in Uganda in 2028.
This prestigious conference typically draws over 500 delegates, scientists, and researchers from various corners of the globe. UCU is collaboratively working on this with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, the Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement, and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO).

Delegates gathered during one of the sessions. Courtesy picture.
The UCU delegation comprises, notably, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Mr. David Mugawe, and Director of Research, Partnerships, and Innovation, Assoc. Prof. Elizabeth B. Kizito, among others, who are actively involved in advancing the university’s initiatives.

The conference themed “Unlocking the potential of a resilient Horticulture in Africa” started on February 26, 2024, at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Benguerir. It will end on March 1, 2024.

About All-Africa Horticultural Congress (AAHC)

The All-Africa Horticultural Congress (AAHC) is the most important scientific event organized every four years in the fields of Horticulture in Africa under the auspices of ISHS. Morocco was assigned the organization of the fifth edition of this Congress, and this will be the first time such event will be held in North Africa.

The previous four AAHC took place in Kenya in 2009, South Africa in 2012, Nigeria in 2016 and Senegal in 2020, corresponding to East Africa, South Africa, Central Africa and Western Africa, respectively.

The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) is the largest global horticulture network comprising over 6,000 members. Its aim is to promote and foster research and education in horticultural science, support industry and to facilitate cooperation and knowledge transfer on a global scale through events and publications.

The development of Horticulture in Africa is one of the main tools that can help ensure food security by increasing agricultural productivity and improve the competitiveness of its products. It can also strengthen its contribution to the overall wellbeing of the population, improve dietary and nutritional behavior, create wealth, alleviate hunger, and reduce dependency on food imports.  

The African population is essentially rural and contributes significantly to agricultural production which in turn contributes to nutrition, food security and socio-economic development of these populations.

In Morocco, Agriculture contributes, on average, 13% to Morocco’s GDP and employs about 40% of the nation’s workforce. The country has several agroclimatic regions including Mediterranean in the North, semi-arid in the Middle and arid-to-desert in the South with somewhat mild/cold in the higher altitudes and, thus, produces a great diversity of agricultural products including horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic species, flowers, and ornamental plants.

Production is mostly in open field but crops such as tomatoes, pepper, berries, banana, and flowers are also produced under plastic-covered greenhouses. Most of the production is for the domestic market but a significant percentage, particularly fruits, vegetables and flowers go to export markets including Africa, Europe, and North America. Operators of the sector are all private.  Many small-scale growers are organized in cooperatives and associations to ease their production, marketing and export.

In recent years, the horticultural sector in Africa has been facing several constraints and worldwide challenges including climate change with global warming, outbreaks of new pests and diseases, pandemics such as Covid-19, low precipitations and water shortage for irrigation, heat stress and scarcity of investment and funding of new development projects.

“Unlocking the potential of a resilient Horticulture in Africa” is the theme of the fifth AAHC, with the objective to discuss and promote the huge potential of African Horticulture. The event will provide a platform for professionals of horticulture, researchers, young scientists, and entrepreneurs, where they can share their research results, experiences and latest innovations. It will be an occasion to consolidate and expand a network of technical cooperation between professionals of horticulture throughout Africa and the rest of the world. Young and more experienced scientists will have ample opportunities to interact and explore scientific and technical exchanges and partnerships for research and development initiatives. In addition, the Congress will raise and discuss aspects related to the impact of climate change, invasive diseases and pests and other biotic and abiotic stresses on current and future horticulture.

Furthermore, socio-economic, and financial aspects related to food security, market issues, best use and management of natural resources in the fields of horticulture will be tackled.  Issues such as contribution of horticulture to wealth creation, alleviating poverty, empowering youth, and women will also be discussed.

The organizing committee is deploying all means possible to make the Marrakech edition of the AAHC Congress (AAHC2024) a successful and an exceptional one. The meeting will focus on hosting an outstanding scientific and technical event, reinforcing the links between research and development, education, industry, public and private and non-government organizations and enhancing the links between African countries as well as between Africa and the rest of the World.