REPORT OF THE ICT UNIVERSITY 4th GRADUATION CEREMONY, 26th MAY 2017, MAKEREREUNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL, KAMPALA, UGANDA. The President, Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the ICT University, Cameroon Campus were present at the 4th graduation ceremony of the ICT University on 26th May 2017. This took place at the Makerere University Business School, main campus. Prior to the graduation proper, there was a dinner offered by the President of MUBS on the 25th May, 2017, to honour his guests and also launched the journal of MUBS. It was attended by partners of MUBS such as the Presidents and board of Trustees of the ICT and Mount Kenya universities, members of Parliament, mayors, staff and other dignitaries and students. It was graced by a cultural jamboree.

26th May 2017 The ceremony started at 9:00 am with a procession from the MUBS campus to the ceremonial grounds. The DVC of the ICT University, Prof Elizabeth Tamajong read the names of the grandaunts, the Provost, Rev. Prof. Anyambod conferred the degrees and diplomas while the President of the ICTU, Prof. Victor Mbarika hooded and put the caps of the graduants. This was followed by the address of the commencement speaker, the President and Founder of Mount Kenya University. After the commencement speech, meritorious graduants were awarded with gold plated plague and some with money. More than 100 students graduated from the ICT University (see graduation hand books, journal and commencement program) The provost and the DVC had to visit other ICT university campuses, so we had to leave Kampala on Friday 26th afternoon to Jinger, the second largest industrial town in Uganda. It is also the source of the river Nile. The most interesting aspect of this campus is the perseverance of the staff. We arrived the campus at 20h30 and still met some of them to give us a tour of the campus. There is a lot of renovation works going on. The have a student population of more than 500 students.

27th May 2017. We had to visit another ICT university campus in another town called Iganga, two hours’ drive from Jinger. The Provost had to sign the Master degree theses of the students who fulfilled all the academic requirements. We were then given a tour of the campus.

They have two hectres of land of which it is been used judiciously. They have a water catchment which they intend to build and connect pipes to serve the university and its environs. A lot of rehabilitation work was going, such as the expansion of the library and the classrooms. We were impressed with the following: - Guest rooms - Safe for the security of examinations papers - A conducive environment for studies

Meeting with some of the personnel of ICT University, Iganga campus: After the guided tour, the Principal, Dr. Musenze Ibrahim, PhD, convened a meeting between some of the personnel and the delegation of the ICT University, USA, Cameroon Campus. In his introductory speech, he welcomed us and highlighted the following point about the ICT university Iganga campus: -

Legally recognized by the educational authority of Uganda; Has 300 students : Bachelors, Masters and PhD, Diploma and certification program; Qualified staff : PhD, MA and B.A, he praised the staff for their commitment , especially the lecturers in charge of quality assurance and information technology management; Renovation of classrooms, library, and the determination to meet their vision.

Challenges: -

Limited funding; Need exchange program; Limited space; Old and insufficient ICT equipment vis a vis increasing number of students; Need virtual library; Need curricular in education and public administration at the Masters level ; eLearning equipment urgently needed.

Way forward: -

Engaged in entrepreneurship building students’ skills for self-employment; Needs the permission of the National Council to register for higher level; Needs the ICTU authorities to meet with the National Council Need trained staff; Pledged their commitment for the high performance of the ICT University; Have put in place a new strategy in the area of quality assurance, which is mock presentation of MA candidates before the final defense at the MUBS. This is to ensure their students’ performance.

The principal informed us that the presence of the ICT university high level delegation to the graduation commencement was a booster to the entire ICT University family, Iganga, Uganda.

The floor was given to the ICT delegation. The Director of the PhD program, Dr. Clive katiba, the DVC, Prof., Elizabeth Tamajong and The Provost, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Anyambod lauded their efforts , advised and encouraged them as regards to their output and challenges. We promised channeling their challenges to the Board of Trustees of the ICT University, USA, Cameroon Campus. This visit was concluded with a family photo with some members of staff and the ICT personalities. Prof WASWA showed us his hospitality by offering us lunch at their family house in Iganga ( see pictures attached) We finally left for Entebbe via Kampala at 15h30 and arrived Entebbe at 19h30 on 27 th May 2017. The President, Prof. Victor Mbarika had to meet with the PhD students without us due to the traffic congestion at Kampala. It was a very successful mission. We learnt a lot and they learnt a lot from us. We finally left Entebbe on 28 th May 2017 at 18h30 to Addis Ababa, then left Addis Ababa on 29 th May via Libreville to Yaoundé, Cameroon. Thank God for journey mercies.

Cultural jamboree at the eve of the graduation, Sheraton Hotel Kampala

Cultural display during graduation Ceremony

Cultural display during graduation Ceremony

Procession to the graduation ceremonial ground

Display of Ugandan culture

DVC of ICT-U presenting the list of graduating students

Graduates full of joy

Photo session of ICT-U delegations and graduates

Photo session of ICT-U delegations and graduates in front of the MUBS building

Entrance into ICT-U Iganga campus, Uganda

Partial view of Iganga campus, Uganda

Signing of the Master dissertation of students who have completed the academic requirements of ICT-U

Environmentally friendly campus Iganga, Uganda

Environmentally friendly campus Iganga, Uganda

New academic block under construction, Iganga

Ceiling innovation made of a mixture of cement and earth for sustainability purposes

Partial view of Iganga campus, Uganda

One of the Guest rooms for visiting lecturers, Iganga

The Provost of ICT-U admiring the safe for examination papers

The Principal

Family picture of the Provost and DVC of ICT-U with the staff of Iganga campus

At the family home of Prof. Waswa

Family members of Prof. Waswa, Iganga

At the banks of Lake Victoria, Entebbe Uganda