KABALE – Kabale University has asked the United States Ambassador to Uganda to help connect it with U.S. universities that share its research and innovation priorities for technical and financial support.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The request was made to U.S. Ambassador Mikael (Mika) Cleverley during his visit to the institution located in Kabale District, South Western Uganda.
The visit was part of an outreach program through which the embassy seeks to learn more about opportunities to expand partnerships between the United States and Uganda.
Kabale University Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Jonny Mugisha told the ambassador that despite a number of remarkable breakthroughs and progress in research and innovation, the university faced challenges due to insufficient funding and a lack of appropriate partnerships.
He said establishing academic partnerships with U.S. universities could help address these challenges.“We seek connections to universities that share our priority goals, especially in areas of research and innovation,” Mugisha said.
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In response, Ambassador Cleverley said his office was open to providing assistance within its capacity, beginning with sharing resources available to students of Kabale University through the embassy.
He encouraged the university to contact the embassy’s technical personnel for guidance on establishing research partnerships in the United States.
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The ambassador also advised Kabale University to consider partnering with the private sector to commercialize innovations in science and other fields.
“For example, in the United States, we have extensive relationships with the private sector. These help universities not only commercialize their innovations, but also finance further innovation,” he said.
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Kabale Resident District Commissioner Godfrey Katamba thanked the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. government for their continued support for higher education in Uganda.
He highlighted the Fulbright Program, which sends between five and 12 Ugandan students and scholars to the United States each year for postgraduate studies, advanced research and professional development. More than 400 Ugandans have directly benefited from the program since it was introduced in Uganda in the 1950s.
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Ambassador Cleverley said his tour of the country was part of his duties at the embassy. He said the delegation was visiting not only academic institutions but also other areas of socioeconomic development, including cultural sites and health institutions.
Under the theme “From Kigezi to America: Internationalization, American Partnerships, and Industry Innovation in the Spirit of Freedom250,” the ambassador also met with Kabale University student representatives, who shared their interest in partnerships with U.S. universities.
“For example, given the opportunity, we would like to make a benchmarking trip to one or more universities in the United States and learn one or two ways to make student governance more effective and productive,” said Guild Speaker of Council Elias Nabaasa.
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