Cavendish University Uganda (CUU) has today announced major initiatives, including a partnership deal signed with leading telecommunications company Airtel Uganda as one way of supporting e-learning.
Launched at the institution’s main campus in Nsambya, Kampala, the new partnership with Airtel Uganda will make it possible for all students and academic staff at the leading private university to have zero-rated internet access to online learning platforms.
E-LEARNING LEADER
Speaking during the launch, David Mutabanura, the CUU Executive Director (ED), was glad to note that the institution has become a leader in technology-enabled teaching and learning in Uganda within the higher education space.
“We have a very advanced learning platform. Our staff and students are trained very well in using modern day teaching and learning techniques as well as technology,” said ED Mutabanura.
But CUU’s journey to the top in terms of technology-enabled learning has not been without challenges. Mutabanura listed the cost of internet bundles as one of the challenges faced by students across the country during the Covid19 pandemic. Students struggled to access study platforms because they could not afford internet nor could they buy gadgets.
For CUU, the university conducted a survey which revealed that 97 per cent of their students were largely able and willing like to continue studying remotely even during the pandemic. The university then announced initiatives to enable its students stay online. These initiatives included reducing tuition fees to enable students acquire devices to access internet.
The ED further revealed that the university further engaged partners such as Airtel Uganda to help with the issue of internet. It is out of such engagements with partners that the CUU-Airtel partnership has been born.
“All our students, all our staff can now access our learning platforms for free, thanks to a subsidy that the university has arranged with Airtel Uganda. We are happy to announce this partnership that facilitates this interface between our university’s learning platforms and the students, moreover free for our students,” added ED Mutabanura.
On her part, Sadiya Hussein, the Head of Corporate Sales at Airtel Uganda, noted that the telecom was the most innovative phone provider on the African continent, a milestone that has made Airtel come up with many firsts in line with its ‘connected people are inspired people’ vision.
Hussein revealed that when CUU approached Airtel to help solve the challenge of internet access during the Covid19 pandemic, the telecom saw this as an opportunity to execute its vision. Noting that students – just like all Ugandans – are dear to the telecom, the Head of Corporate Sales further noted that Airtel set out to do everything within its means to solve the challenge at hand and facilitate learning even during the pandemic times.
She went on to emphasize that Airtel Uganda now zero-rates internet use for all students that subscribe to Cavendish University Uganda.
“What this means is that as long as you are a student of Cavendish University and you have access to internet – it could be through your mobile phone, your computer – you will not be charged to access the learning platforms of your university. We have seen great reach from this and we are very happy to be in a partnership with the university and to know that we are making an impact in our society,” said Hussein.
She also reiterated Airtel’s commitment to “caring more” for the education sector “because we know that if we have a population of Ugandans that is greatly educated, they will be able to build our nation and we will benefit in the long run.”
11TH GRADUATION CEREMONY
Meanwhile, CUU is preparing for its 11th Graduation Ceremony that will happen next week. According to ED Mutabanura, the graduation ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
HE Goodluck Jonathan, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is also the CUU Chancellor, will officiate at the graduation ceremony. The Executive Director further revealed that Principal Judge Dr Flavia Zeija will be the chief guest. He went on to note that 1,050 graduands will be awarded certificates, and conferred diplomas, bachelor’s and master’s degrees at next Thursday’s graduation event.
“We believe these will be our new ambassadors in terms of being employable, being entrepreneurial, and being people who practice ethical leadership in the roles that they are given to perform,” a confident Mutabanura said.
He went on to note that Cavendish University Uganda was a unique higher learning institution which is student-centred in the manner in which learning and teaching are conducted, in terms of the technologies and techniques applied in teaching and learning as well as in the kind of lecturers and instructors employed.
“The kind of skills that we impart in our students, beyond the subject-specific skills that any university would offer them, are skills that enable these students to be employable, for instance the ability to work in teams, the ability to communicate effectively in every form – whether oral or written – the ability to utilize modern time technology – in other words being digitally literate – the ability to think critically, to analyze, to question, to demand evidence, the ability to be lifelong learners,” explained Mutabanura.
“All these are skills that are provided at our university to enable our students to be inspired to reach their full potential in employment, in entrepreneurship as well as in offering ethical leadership.”
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
On behalf of CUU, Dr Olive Sabiiti, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs (DVC-AA), announced the August 2022 scholarships. Dr Sabiiti revealed that a total of 25 scholarships have been awarded, 15 of which are academic merit scholarships; 05 for tutorial assistants who will support learning of undergraduate students; and five from the University Advisory Council.
For the entire academic year, Sabiiti, further noted, 60 scholarships have been given out.
ACADEMIC JOURNALS
Meanwhile, the university will launch two academic journals – one for law and the other for social sciences and management – during the 11th Graduation Ceremony.
DVC-AA Sabiiti explained that the Cavendish University Journal of Social Sciences and Management will target papers from business, social sciences, public health and other aspects of management. Its launch will be presided over by the commencement speaker, Prof Noah Midamba, a renowned Kenyan social science scholar.
She further noted that the other journal, which will also be launched next week, is the Cavendish University Journal of Law, which will only be for lawyers. This will be launched by Frank Nigel Othembi, the Director of the Law Development Centre.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor also said that the journals will be open to scholars from Uganda and the rest of the region, and that they will be released twice a year.
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