Chairperson Council’s Speech At The 27th Graduation Ceremony of Kampala International University

17th June 2023

The Chief Guest, Her Excellency, Hon. Jesca Alupo, The Vice President of the Republic of Uganda,
The Chancellor, Prof. Yunus Mgaya,
Honorable Cabinet Ministers,
Your Excellences Ambassadors & High Commissioners
Honorable Members of Parliament,
Chairman and Members of the Board of Trustees,
Chairperson and Members of the University Council,
Vice Chancellors and Representatives of Vice Chancellors of other Universities
Deputy Vice Chancellors, Principals, Deans, Directors, HoDs and all Members of KIU Management.
KIU Academic, Administrative and Support Staff of MC, WC 
Distinguished Guests, including Dr. Umar Iddrissu, the Regional Director and Resident Representative for the Islamic Development Bank Region Group,
Other Specially Invited Guests,
H.E The Guild President and the Guild Union Leadership 
Alumni of Kampala International University (KIU)
Continuing students of KIU;
The Graduands
Ladies and Gentlemen; in your various capacities;

 

Dear Esteemed Guest of Honour, 
With great pleasure and thankfulness to God, we welcome you heartily to Kampala International University (KIU) on this great day of 17th June 2023 for our 27th graduation ceremony of our celebrated Graduands and their parents, guardians, and families. You are our reason for today's milestone achieved and success story broadcasted in Uganda and the Diaspora. Today, as the new Council Chairperson of this esteemed institution, my family, and I are immensely privileged to address this gathering on such a momentous occasion, celebrating the remarkable achievements of our Graduands.

To our Guest of Honour, allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for being there for us. To KIU staff and students, today, we gather here to honour your hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to academic excellence! Bravo! You met and overcame countless challenges, sacrificed sleep, leisure, and pleasure, and displayed an insatiable thirst for knowledge and skills needed for the industry. Our Graduands, please be encouraged that graduation is not the zenith of your academic journey; it is the stepping stone to a vast world of opportunities ahead of you. Face the future with zeal, determination, and resilience ready to succeed! You are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to profoundly impact society. Embrace this moment and seize the possibilities that lie ahead. The KIU Alumni are known to perform well in the world and work globally, we are sure you will follow suit!

In the face of uncertainty, remember that your education has equipped you with more than just facts and figures. It has instilled in you the power of critical thinking, the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and the confidence to navigate unchartered territories. As you embark on this new chapter, believe in your abilities, trust in your instincts, and never shy away from pushing the boundaries of what is possible by God's Grace. We live in a world that is facing numerous challenges, both on a global and individual level. As graduates of this esteemed institution, it will be your duty to be the catalysts for positive change, excellence, and development. Embrace the values of hard work, integrity, empathy, compassion, and inclusivity as you work towards making a difference in your chosen fields. 

Dear parents, guardians, families, friends, mentors, and sponsors; we appreciate the unwavering support and encouragement you have provided to our Graduands in their academic path accomplishments. Your sacrifices, prayers, and belief in their potential have helped shape them into the responsible individuals they are today. We express our profound gratitude for standing by their side through the ups and downs of this incredible journey.

Graduands; as you venture forth into the world, remember that success has a multitude of friends. More so, success lies in living a life of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. Career your passions, and never lose sight of the values that define you. As you journey further on in your lives, don't forget to move with God in everything you do and ensure to put Him at the centre of your lives and careers.

Taking KIU to the Communities, Sponsorships have given KIU a wider network in Uganda to support vulnerable Ugandans to get higher education. Need to create model Communities in Uganda and KIU at its epicentre. Already KIU is leading healthcare through its model teaching hospital, extending services and technology to other regional hospitals like Lira, Fortportal, Jinja, and Hoima just to name a few. KIU recruits competent and qualified staff of international repute. Being second best in Uganda and the best in Private Sector by Webometrics rankings is a testimony of the increased visibility and high impact the university creates. 

As NCHE aligns our country to International standards, it is bringing a paradigm shift for educational institutions and universities from the traditional regulating processes of verifying certificates and degrees to regulating the input, the process, and the output of accredited courses. Education in this modern era has become an industry where you measure the input, the processes, and the output like any industrial unit. Having this understanding, KIU embraces this change under the leadership of NCHE, led by Minister of Education and Sports Maama Janet Kataha Museveni. KIU strives to live by the Motto of "Exploring the Heights"

KIU Council appreciates Management and Senate; well steered by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mpezamihigo; His deputies: DVC Academics Affairs (AA), Dr. Sophia Kazibwe; DVC F&A, Prof. Janice Desire Busingye; DVC (Western Campus) Prof. Frank Kaharuza; DVC Research Innovations Consultancy &Extension (RICE); Directors Deans; HODs and the entire staff of KIU for bring a formidable force and winning team. We shall also keep you in high esteem.

Allow me to thank the Chairman Board of Trustees (BOT), Al-Hajj Dr. Hassan BasajjaBalaba, for his enormous contribution to the promotion and growth of the higher education sector in Uganda. Key aspects to note that are outstanding, a big heart to help vulnerable people study through a scholarship fund; a great investment of enormous resources to ensure quality learning and teaching with state-of-the-art infrastructure and recruitment of well-qualified and competent staff, and with a zeal to deliver quality and structures.

As a council, we shall keep KIU vibrant and visible, keep a good image, functional policy, the strategic direction with clear deliverables, community empowerment and transformation through innovative research promotion, industrialization, and enabling environment that will promote learning, good networks, and collaborations for internationalization. We shall also foster partnerships with institutions, schools, and organizations where we get our learners and for talent development; as well as partnerships with individuals and organizations in health, nutrition, environmental protection, vocationalization, and Techno-preneurships, and society while enacting policies that produce graduates for the world of work relevant for the 21st Century. 

The KIU Alumni; we shall work together wherever you are to Explore the Heights. Today's Graduands have joined KIU Alumni's Books of History; be a well-lit candle and light the world wherever you are placed.

The KIU Council further appreciates all of you for coming to our function. We appreciate the Government for the enabling environment, partners, religious leaders, political leaders, development partners, friends of KIU, alumni and associates, well-wishers, and all our networks and partners, we acknowledge you. 

In conclusion, on behalf of the BOT, Council, and the entire university community of KIU, we extend our deepest congratulations to the graduating class of 2023. As you step out into the world, armed with knowledge and armed with determination, I do not doubt that you will leave an indelible mark on society. May your journey be filled with endless opportunities, remarkable achievements, and profound fulfillment, and may the blessings of the Lord be with you all the days of your lives.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:34

Congratulations, Go forth and make KIU proud! Bravo! Keep “Exploring the Heights”

Prof. Maud Kamatenesi Mugisha (PhD)
Chairperson University Council, KIU