By Agnes Kiconco

KIU, MAIN CAMPUS - Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammed Ngoma on 13th December 2024 met the Kampala International University (KIU) team from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies that won the 2024 National Newsroom Contest (NNC) organized by the Media Challenge Initiative (MCI).

During a brief meeting held ahead of MCI’s 2024 Media Challenge Award Night slated for 15th December, Prof. Ngoma applauded participants for their hard work and dedication to moving KIU to even greater heights by bagging top positions in both the English and Luganda bulletins at November 2024 MCI National Newsroom Contest.

In preparation for future MCI competitions, Prof. Ngoma promised that as usual, the university will offer its full support by beefing up the university studio by adding more equipment for more students to practice and get hands-on experience. He also noted that the university plans on signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with prominent Uganda Media Houses so that students can visit their studios for exposure.

“As a university, we are proud of our students. They did us so proud by winning these prizes and as a university, we are committed to supporting them by adding more equipment to our studio and signing MoUs with prominent media houses for our students to attain exposure when they visit,” he added.

Reflecting on his official visit to the University of Westminster in London, United Kingdom (UK) this year (2024), Prof. Ngoma noted that having visited one of the premier media training institutions in the UK, he has a clear picture in mind of what a very good studio should be like and the university’s is only a minute away from being one of the best studios in Uganda.

“So, during the visit, we invited Prof. Winston Mano, a member of the University of Westminster’s top-rated Communication and Media Research Institute who honored the invitation and visited our studio,” he said.

“During Prof. Mano’s visit to KIU, he said that compared to other university studios in Africa, we are doing well. He gave us advice on what equipment to add and we are going to get it,” Prof. Ngoma added.

Shawn Kimuli, KIU Public Relations Officer promised the students full support noting, “We are to make the studio better and you will be accessing it”.

Led by Jacob Junior Munghesi, the students commended the university for the support and the promise to add more equipment to the studio because this will not only give them enhanced hands-on-based training but will also prepare them for future MCI competitions.

Over the years, KIU has emerged victorious in various categories in the Media Challenge Initiative competitions. In 2023 KIU emerged as the best English Luganda team. In 2022, the university also claimed victory in eight distinct categories, standing out as the overall winner of the National Newsroom Contest.

Therefore, to KIU, the Media Challenge Awards are not just awards, they are a celebration of young talent, and hard work, and a platform for the future of journalism.