Hon. Anita Among Annet will grace the November graduation celebration for this year, 2022. A total of 2486 students are set to graduate tomorrow Saturday 12th with PhDs, Masters, Bachelor’s degrees and diplomas in different academic disciplines. Out of these 1475 (59.3%) are males and 1011 (40.6%) are females.  

The chief guest who is also the Women Member of Parliament for Bukedea is currently the most prominent alumni of Kampala International University.

Dignitaries who have officiated at KIU graduations in the past

The Speaker of the 11th Parliament follows other high-profile dignitaries who have officiated or attended KIU graduation celebrations. In 2018, the President of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was Chief Guest. In 2015 the then-Speaker of Parliament Hon. Rebecca Kadaga was the chief guest along with the former President of Tanzania, Hon. Ali Hassan Mwinyi who was awarded an honorary doctorate at the 11th graduation ceremony.  

Several other personalities and cabinet ministers have officiated at KIU’s graduation ceremonies such as the Omukama of Toro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, Hon. Jessica Alupo, as minister of Education (2015), Hon. Elioda Tumwesigye as Minister of ICT, Hon. Betty Kamya, Minister of Kampala (2017), to mention but a few.

Highlights of the 26th Graduation

•    The 26th graduation ceremony will be streamed live on NBS television and on KIU Social Media platforms.
•    Transcripts and certificates of students who have cleared shall be ready on graduation day.
•    1017 students will graduate with science courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
•    184 will graduate as medical doctors.
•    06 students will be graduating with PhDs.

With the NCHE approval of new PhD programs, KIU now runs 27 PhD programs in a range of academic areas which include the following: Health sciences, Physical sciences, Management sciences, Arts, Humanities and Social sciences.
Employability of graduands

Kampala International University (KIU) has been producing reliable human resource since 2004 by equipping students with practical skills.

“We expose them through internships, school practice and other forms of industrial training. We also give them soft skills such as communication skills, people skills and teach them values and ideals which give them the character to succeed,” says Prof. Mouhammad Mpezamihigo, the Vice Chancellor.  

Health science students are trained at KIU’s teaching hospital and many more are attached to government referral hospitals all over the country for practical training. These students become useful to the community by providing health services even before formal employment. Consequentially, thousands of competent health workers can be found in Uganda’s referral hospitals, health centres and other health facilities in all regions of Uganda and elsewhere in East Africa. The law students excel in the moot courts both internally and at inter-University level competitions and perform well at the postgraduate bar course. 

Recently, Kampala International University established a center of excellence in entrepreneurship and innovation to address issues that affect society. The Vice-Chancellor emphasizes the importance of innovation. “We are conscious of the fact that we must address the needs of industry and employers, that’s why we are working to come up with innovations that solve problems or meet real needs.” He says the University will soon launch a grants management unit to attract funding.

KIU’s 26th graduation falls in the wake of the National Science Week where government showcases what the country is doing in science, technology and innovation. KIU participated in the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) exhibition during the National Science Week and showcased some innovations made by students. Some of the innovations included the following: The Robotic Arm prototype, the Smart Home Automation System, The Breast Cancer Machine, The Botanical Garden among others. 

“We are not an island, we must be connected to national programs for instance, Uganda’s vision 2040.” KIU is on track playing its role to contribute to the realization of vision 2040.

Technology based solutions 

A KIU student is involved with online processes from application to graduation. For instance, the Application and registration of students are done online. A blended approach to learning and teaching has been streamlined both in structure and policy. Clearance for graduation is also done online.

According to the Vice Chancellor, the University successfully conducted virtual graduations during the COVID-19 lockdown on schools.

“We were able to deliver three graduations virtually. The first one took place in August 2020, the second happened in April 2021 and the third one took place in November 2021.”

There is no turning back on technology usage and application for the 21st century University and society at large. Not to embrace technology is to risk being left behind or even becoming irrelevant. KIU is marching forward, always pushing to the front.

Incentives for aspiring students 

Earlier this year, the Vice-chancellor who announced a 50% discount on all Postgraduate courses explained that the University leadership had decided to introduce the discount owing to the unfavorable financial situation caused by COVID-19. This means the discount will not be permanent but will run up to the January In-take, 2023. Teachers, being one of the groups severely affected by COVID-19 effects also benefit from a 20% discount on all In-service courses.