Over 1200 students from the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) will this weekend be confirmed as graduates after completing their academic studies in different fields from the University.
This is the second batch of graduands after the first batch got their degrees in December 2020.
The group was supposed to graduate on March 27 but the ceremony was postponed to April 10, 2021.
While officiating at his last graduation as the IUIU Rector at Kabojja Females Campus last year, Dr. Ahmed Kaweesa Ssengendo, the former rector informed the congregation that the University had prepared two graduation ceremonies for this specific batch due to COVID-19 pandemic which made it difficult for some students to complete their courses in time.
“I want to inform you that we are preparing another graduation ceremony for the remaining 1200 students, which will take place in 2021. I therefore call upon all the remaining students to clear with the University so that they graduate when the time comes,” he said
Some of the students by that time were still doing their internship and among these were; students of Mass Communication and Advanced Diploma in Health Sciences, Education, law among others across all Campuses.
Dr. Halima Wakabi Akbar, the University Academic Registrar in a Memo, informed the aspiring graduants that their graduation ceremony would take place at the Females Campus in Kabojja, Kampala.
“Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, the graduation ceremony will be held virtually (online) for all students except those who will receive invitation cards who should go to the Females’ Campus for the Graduation Ceremony. A link for the graduation ceremony will be available on the IUIU website, The ceremony will be also be streamed live on social media,” Dr. Wakabi noted.
She added: “Grandaunts who shall have paid all their university dues including graduation fees before the deadline shall appear in the graduation booklet and attend the graduation ceremony.”
Annually, IUIU graduates between 2000 and 2500 students who excel in different disciplines and award them with different qualifications including; Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees, Masters and Post-graduate Diplomas.
The 851 out of the 872 graduands who graduated in December are among the over 2000 students who were supposed to graduate this year but others failed because they had not fulfilled all the requirement including academic requirement and fees requirements, by the time of graduation.
Of those who graduated, 306 were from the Main Campus in Mbale, 296 from Kampala Campus at Kibuli, 128 from Females Campus Kabojja and 142 from Arua Campus in Arua.
A total of 14 Masters Degrees, 28 got Post-graduate Diplomas, 54 Certificates, 102 Undergraduate Diplomas and 674 Under-graduate Degrees were awarded to graduands.
Rehema Kantono, the University Public Relations Officer said that students who excelled better than others shall receive different awards during this graduation ceremony
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“The Examination Committee sat on Tuesday to approve how many students qualify academically and they will present that list to the Executive Committee, where it will be approved before being released. It is in that list that the Awards Committee shall select the students who excelled better than the others” she said.
Kantono noted that while choosing the winners, the Committee shall consider students who graduated in December “and if one of them qualifies for the awards, we shall definitely call them to pick their prize,”
Every year, IUIU gives out four (04) awards to their best students which are;
The Prince Badru Kankungulu award, which is given to the overall best student, the Alumnae award to the second best, the International Charitable Organization (IICO) award which is given to the overall female student and the Rector’s award, that is given to the best innovative and creative student.
The winners are selected by a committee that comprises; the Academic Registrar, Faculty Deans, Directors of Campuses and the Vice Rector in Charge of Academic Affairs (AR-AA), who asses the competitors based on their; moral uprightness, academic performance, extra curricula activities and leadership skills.
Prof. Gyagenda to Officiate maiden Graduation ceremony
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda, the former Deputy Rector Academic Affairs, who replaced Dr. Ssengendo as the University Rector will officiate his maiden graduation ceremony.
Rector Dr. Ssengendo officially handed over to Gyagenda in January 2021 in order for him (Ssengendo) to start his work as the Assistant Secretary General for Economic Corporations at the Organization of Islamic Corporation (OIC).
Since inception in February 1988, IUIU has produced over 30,000 graduands in various disciplines. Currently the University has about 10,245 active students from 21 different countries with 87 different academic programs in seven (07) different faculties
