Opening its gates to a handful of students in 2011, Victoria University Uganda has thrived amidst adversity to become one of the most reputable institutions of higher learning in East Africa.
Determined to triumph against all odds, the university held its first graduation ceremony at Kabira Country Club in 2014, during which twenty-two graduates were awarded degrees and diplomas, hitting a marvellous milestone in its expeditious drive to achieve prominence.
After meeting certain precedents, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in July 2022 granted this institution a university charter which was duly signed by the President of Uganda H.E. Gen. Yoweri Museveni, hence joining a league of chartered Universities.
This institution of higher learning is run by the smartest brains possessed by highly experienced and intelligent academicians who have skillfully crafted unique and inclusive strategies which have taken the elites fraternity in Uganda by surprise.
We take a quick primer of what qualifies Victoria University a model institution of higher learning in East Africa.
Students without two principal passes at A’level can now join the university
Since time in memorial, the education system in Uganda had automatically disqualified learners who miserably fail to attain two principal passes at A’level from joining university. However, with Victoria University under the pragmatic leadership of Vice Chancellor Dr. Lawrence Muganga, all this has changed. These learners can gain admission to the university, parading a never seen inclusivity in the provision of quality higher education.
Dr. Muganga supplied a ray of hope to several learners in Uganda who had given up on their dreams of joining the university after failure to attain two principal passes at A’ level in secondary school. He made it clear that the campus he leads has a unique initiative that facilitates their admission.
In that regard, students with the Higher Educational Certificate (HEC) that is supplied by NCHE are skillfully worked on and thoroughly prepared in a period of just eight months by this institution after which they are ready to join the university.
Offering hands-on learning
Worth noting, the institution offers a unique kind of education that fits anyone who lives today in this world driven by technology, and this gives it a trump card that other universities simply can’t match.
This means that the university empowers all learners with digital competencies that are required for them to thrive in this digital economy, through availing them with unique online teaching platforms that are convinient to allow learners enjoy education wherever they are situated, a strategy populary known as the V-class.
This, in addition to the practical learning that continues be to rolled out at the institution is tailored towards getting students get exposed to the real world, where they are the drivers, and not the passengers, the world where these learners are not the led, but leaders in every right. The university makes sure every learner gets a laptop, which is vital in this kind of learning.
“We are trying to build a different type of education that fits anyone who lives today and today is dominated by a worry driven by technology……that means we have to empower all of you to have those vital competences, digital literacies that are required for you to thrive,” said Dr. Muganga while delivering his speech during the launch of the students loan scheme initiative at the university board room on September 29th.
Offering the most affordable Education
Victoria University was the first institution of higher learning in Uganda to slash tuition by 50%, in a carefully conceived strategy aimed at enabling learners access quality, but affordable education.
This bold move was announced at the height of Covid-19 outbreak in Uganda, when the university council chairman Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia said it was intended to enable students and learners withstand economic shocks caused by the outbreak of Covid-19.
Besides, through the Ruparelia Foundation, the university provides an opportunity to all applicants seeking to join, a scholarship of up to 30% across all study programs and this is open to all applicants from all countries. It recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Higher Education Students Financing Board (HESFB) to provide loans to financially struggling students.
Giving back to the community
Beyond the academic realm, Victoria University has taken important strides in spearheading research for solutions to some of the societal challenges, for instance in agriculture and public health.
In terms of community engagement, the university is surrounded by the community of people along Jinja road, creating an ecosystem in which the two predate on each other. The campus has supported the private sector in a way that its stakeholders use services provided by sorrounding private businesses like shops, students hostels, food kiosks and restaurants.
New study programs
For the first time ever, according to Dr. Muganga, the University will be teaching a masters degree in Block Chain and Financial Technologies, the first to be offered in any universities in East Africa.
Important still, the University willl also be teaching masters of Laws in six categorizations, namely; Natural Resources Law, Construction and Engineering Law, Criminology, Penology and Criminal Justice, Mass Communication and Journalism Law, Sports and Entertainment law, LLM General, in addition to Masters of Science in Health Safety and Environmental Management.
Other new study programs unveiled for this September intake include; Bachelor of Science in International Oil and Gas Management, Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Master of Science in Health Informatics, Masters of Science in Computer Science, and Masters of Science in Cyber Security.
Credible and transparent online guild elections.
As a carefully conceived strategy to circumvent the spread of Covid-19, Victoria University surprised the whole world in January 2022, when it successfully conducted its first ever online guild election, something that left political analysts in Uganda contemplating and urging the state’s Electoral Commission (EC) to learn from this institution.
It was a live system, the first of its kind in Ugandan public and private institutions of higher learning, setting a forever precedent for all universities in East Africa.
In the first place, candidates were not allowed to stand under political party affiliations which pre-empted partisanship leaving no room for violence. Besides, candidates and their supporters were also able to follow and watch their votes and tentative results in real-time from wherever they were situated. It was meticulously planned.
In an interview with this Website, the University assistant academic registrar Ms. Aturinda Precious underlined the fact that the university is revolutionalizing guild elections in Ugandan universities.
“It is live, we have live updates, everyone is seeing what is happening from wherever they are. According to how the system was built, once you do the voting, you are able to see what is happening. Like everyone in their student account, they are able to see what is happening,” Ms Aturinda remarked.
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