King Ceasor University (KCU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU) to strengthen training and capacity building for students pursuing health-related programs.
The agreement will enable KCU to use the Union’s facilities for teaching and practical sessions, giving nursing and midwifery students access to real clinical settings. University officials said the partnership is designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the professional healthcare environment.
During the signing, representatives from both institutions emphasized the critical role of partnerships in improving health education and service delivery in Uganda. They noted that the collaboration will provide students with hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional exposure, equipping them with the skills needed to serve effectively in Uganda’s health sector.
The MoU also marks a step forward in building stronger academic and professional linkages. KCU reaffirmed its commitment to producing graduates with the skills, values, and knowledge necessary to make meaningful contributions to healthcare delivery.
Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has once again stamped its mark on Uganda’s innovation landscape, winning the 2025 National AYuTe Africa Challenge for the third consecutive year.
At a colorful ceremony held at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday, MUST student Aaron Etyang, pursuing a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, emerged as the overall grand winner with his Grain Guard Monitor, an innovation designed to reduce post-harvest losses among farmers.
His colleague, Frank Magyezi Rubandamayonza, a MUST alumnus, took first runner-up with his Afri-Milk Check Kit, a tool that tests and manages milk quality.
Etyang credited his success to the mentorship and resources provided at the university’s Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CITT). “Any student who finishes university without going to the CITT innovation space will be doing themselves a dis-service,” he said. “CITT has given me the best mentorship I can get and I feel inspired to go miles.”
The winners received part of a total UGX 222 million in funding, with Etyang walking away with UGX 50 million to scale his innovation.
The challenge, organized by Heifer International Uganda in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, CURAD, EzyAgric, Makerere University, and the Government of Uganda, seeks to empower young innovators transforming agriculture through technology.
William Matovu, Country Director of Heifer International Uganda, emphasized the importance of supporting youth-driven agritech innovations. “The AYuTe Challenge is a platform where we not only discover groundbreaking ideas but also provide the resources and networks to transform them into real businesses that create jobs, strengthen food systems, and build resilient communities,” Matovu said.
While officiating at the event, Hon. Dr. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Youth and Children Affairs, reaffirmed government’s support for youth innovation. “Uganda is committed to creating an enabling environment for youth in innovation and agribusiness—through improved access to land and credit, investment in infrastructure, and Public-Private Partnerships,” he said.
Dr. Medard Twinamatsiko Katonera, Director of Innovation and Technology Transfer at MUST, praised the institutionalized innovation ecosystem at the university. “MUST has developed a clear Innovation Pathway framework that starts with pressing societal problems and leads to solutions,” he explained. “This multidisciplinary approach is critical for creating a knowledge-based economy.”
This year’s victory extends MUST’s winning streak at the AYuTe Challenge. In 2023, the university triumphed with the Smart Kuku Brooder System, and in 2024 with the Egg Incubator System, both tackling poultry mortality.
With this third consecutive win, MUST has reinforced its position as a powerhouse of innovation, nurturing talent that is shaping Uganda’s agribusiness future.
