I am exceptionally humbled and ecstatic to be speaking to you at the 6th UTAMU Graduation ceremony today.
To the Chancellor Dr. Patrick Bitature, on behalf of the entire UTAMU family, I most sincerely welcome you, and all distinguished guests, the Keynote Speaker, the Board of Directors, the University council and committee members, guardians, parents the student body and their representatives, the management and staff to this 6th graduation ceremony of Uganda technology and management university ( UTAMU).
I do congratulate all graduands of the this year 2021 who are present here today and those attending virtually for the commitment to study amidst a very challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. You have made us proud!
Mr. Chancellor sir, before I proceed with my speech allow me to introduce to you highly dedicated and professional bodies that have unwaveringly stood firm to serve in the most honourable industry of education to dispense knowledge that is making a difference in the world today.
I introduce to you the UTAMU Board of Directors which is comprised of 5 members chaired by Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba. The Board of Directors is a membership of highly committed, dedicated and are very practical in offering strategic direction to the University. Mr Chancellor Sir, I have known you to be a very practical citizen of Uganda and beyond, today you meet another practical team and together we shall drive UTAMU to the promise of becoming the MIT of Africa.
The university council is composed of 12 members and is chaired by a very highly intelligent, knowledgeable, skilled and inspirational lady, Dr. Annet K. Nabatanzi Muyimba. This Council is entrusted with directing the academic affairs of the University.
The University structure comprises of other committees entrusted with offering direction and guidance to specific affairs of the institution and all have membership on the University Council. These include; the Senate Committee, Appointments Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Finance, Administration and General purpose Committee. This is a clear indication of a holistic approach, the participation and utilisation of intellectual minds in directing the affairs of the institution.
The Management body which is comprised of 10 members under the headship of I, Prof Johnnie Wycliffe Frank Muwanga-Zake, the Vice Chancellor of this great and mighty UTAMU. We are the body that is entrusted to manage the day to day affairs of the University. We are a highly intelligent, skilled, professional and focused team which is mindful of the strategic direction of UTAMU embedded in the vision of becoming a Global Educational Institution in Technology, Management, Science, Innovation and Research.
UTAMU as well, has a Guild council under the leadership of H.E Patrick Kayizzi. A very active and involving council.
Mr. Chancellor Sir, this Mighty institution through which we commit to transform communities, the great UTAMU was accredited by the National council for Higher Education on the 11th of March 2013 under license No.UIPL022 to operate as a private university in Uganda.
Today UTAMU has five schools; school of Computing and Engineering, UTAMU Business School, school of Humanities and Social Sciences, UTAMU Graduate School of Education Vocational and Technical Education. Additionally we have a directorate of ICT e-learning platform which is the pillar to our successful e-learning.
Because of our exceptional e-learning platform we have been able to attract student from all over Africa some of which countries include; Nigeria, South Africa, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania among others. We have endeavoured to embrace the digital space and it has become our greatest strength and attraction in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UTAMU currently runs 45 academic programs accredited by the National Council for Higher Education at all levels of the higher education system of Certificates, Bachelors, Masters, Postgraduates and PHD levels.
At this 6th UTAMU Graduation ceremony, UTAMU has a total of 219 graduands who shall be conferred upon Masters degrees, bachelor’s degrees and Postgraduate degrees today.
Mr. Chancellor sir, I want to affirm to you that the graduands that we are ushering into the world today have been trained and mentored and are knowledgeable, skilled to contribute to the world needs. Here at UTAMU even before our students graduate, they are already servicing communities because of our mode of teaching which is community engaging, practical, encourages creative thinking and Innovations. UTAMU is involved in national, regional and continental projects in the areas of innovation and one of these is the Africa Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence Challenge 2021 which is on-going. The school of Computing and Engineering are the National Coordinators of this Challenge. As UTAMU…we are committed to changing to changing this world through the greatest weapon of knowledge growth, enhancement, strengthening and sharing.
To the graduates, congratulations to you! You have now joined the alumni club and I urge you to keep active and to be ambassadors of UTAMU in holding the UTAMU flag high. I wish success in your future endeavors.
To the UTAMU fraternity, your efforts have not been in vain. As the saying goes “you reap what you saw” our efforts, commitments, determination and dedication have yielded valuable outputs, envious skills and unmatched success.
Congratulations!
