By Nasser Kasozi
The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has presented a charter certificate to the International Business Science and Technology (ISBAT) University — making it one of the private chartered universities in Uganda.
It was presented to the University Chancellor Fred Omachi by Prof Elly Katunguka, the chairperson of NCHE in Ntinda, Kampala.
The charter will be a guide to the establishment, control, management and administration of ISBAT, granting them the right to self-audit, benchmark, award PhD degrees and ensure that the university runs in perpetuity.
The charter, which is the highest license from the regulator of institutions of higher learning, is granted by Uganda’s head of state.
Prof Katunguka said that after NCHE ascertained that it fulfilled all the requirements, they forwarded the application to the Minister of Education, Ms Janet Museveni, who presented it to President Yoweri Museveni who granted the charter.
Executive Director of NCHE, Prof Mary Okwakol, said a charter is one of the accolades an institution should attain for provision of quality and competitive education services compared to what others institutions avail to students.
“The charter license will be renewed every after five years. I implore you to distinguish yourself from other teaching institutions, and offer distinguished education services,” she said.
“Uphold teaching standards and be steady fast to do what is required of you and observer all principals of good governance, improve on infrastructures, think strategically and lobby more resources for the thriving of the institution,” she said during the handing over of the charter document.
She called on the university to teach accredited programs using qualified staff and admit eligible students for training of competitive and qualified people.
Prof Katunguka, who is also the vice chancellor of Kyambogo University, called on the ISBAT University to invest in human resource and train its own staff to attain of PhDs.
“Work begins now to maintain the quality of education and change the way you do business. Providing poor quality education leads to unemployment,” he cautioned.