On Tuesday, 24 June 2025, the Church of Uganda Higher Education Leaders Association (COUHELA), an umbrella body that brings together Vice Chancellors, Principals, and Directors of higher education institutions in the Anglican Church of Uganda, met at Ankole Western University in Sheema District, Uganda, and launched a joint endowment fund to which all COUHELA member universities will contribute annually. These funds will be used to develop infrastructure and finance research and innovation within the consortium’s institutions.

The fund was launched with an initial contribution of Shs. 150 million, with the vision of growing it annually to about UGX 100 billion over the medium term. Member institutions will easily access the fund to finance infrastructure development and other priority activities.

The education leaders are adopting a model used by universities particularly in the USA, where endowment funds are established for this purpose. They drew inspiration from Harvard University which has the world’s largest endowment fund totaling $53.2 billion as of June 2024.

At the meeting, they established a Trust Deed, an investment framework that outlines the memorandum of articles governing the endowment’s operations. The institutions will present the Trust Deed to their Councils for ratification.

In his remarks, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU) and Chairman of COUHELA, said: “This is a landmark achievement because we are making history. Today marks a new trajectory in the transformation of these institutions. A time has come for African institutions to take charge of their development agenda. We congratulate COUHELA members for this great vision.”

Attendees included Dr. Nathan Karema, Chairperson of Ankole Western University Council; Rev. Canon William Ongeng, Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda; and Rev. Canon Dr. Paul Kakooza, the Provincial Director of Education. The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, sent a message of support for the initiative.

Universities and institutions that signed the Trust Deed include:
– Uganda Christian University
– ⁠Ankole Western University
– Bishop Stuart University
– All Saints University
– Mengo Hospital Training Institute
– Kagando Rural Development Centre
– Uganda Bible Institute
– ⁠COU Directorate of Education

Other COUHELA member institutions will join the Endowment Fund in due course.

Dr. Karema and Rev. Canon Ongeng praised member universities and institutions for this visionary idea, which will transform their institutions and the church.