By Irene Best Nyapendi and Jimmy Siyasa
Uganda Christian University (UCU) Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi’s recent visit to the United States focused on partnerships, strengthening ties with prominent academic and other institutions, and exploring collaborative opportunities. During the same period of the trip (November 29 to December 9, 2023), Prof. Mushengyezi attended the African Studies Association Conference in San Francisco, Calif., among other high-level interactions.
Bethel University
Prof. Mushengyezi visited Bethel University in St, Paul, Minnesota, where he met President Ross Allen, professor of nursing emerita Karen Drake and Dr. Dave Muhovic, who helped to start and elevate UCU’s nursing program. The alumni of the program are now top leaders in the healthcare sector across Uganda.
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Prof. Mushengyezi had productive meetings with Dr. Daniel Johnson, President of Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) in Milwaukee. The discussions centered on fostering cooperation in student and staff academic exchanges, as well as collaborative research. WLC, renowned for its strength in biological sciences, biotechnology and nursing, expressed a keen interest in partnering with UCU. The Vice Chancellor extended an invitation to President Johnson to visit UCU in future.
African Studies Association Conference
From November 30 to December 2, the Vice Chancellor attended the African Studies Association (ASA) conference in San Francisco, California, where he presented a paper titled: Re-imagining the university’s pedagogical mission in the pandemic era. Prof. Mushengyezi showcased UCU’s digital innovations that have helped the university to successfully adapt to challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Anglican Diocese of New England
At the invitation of Rt. Rev. Andrew Williams, the Vice Chancellor visited the Anglican Diocese of New England (ADNE) in Boston, Massachusetts. The bishop committed to hosting theology scholars and graduate students in ADNE to foster cross-cultural ministry formation between UCU’s Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology (BTSDT) and the Diocese. A short-term ministry exchange programme is planned for 2024, where the Dean of BTSDT and a theology graduate student will visit the Diocese.
University of Connecticut Reunion
The Vice Chancellor also visited his alma mater, the University of Connecticut (UConn), where he obtained his doctorate in 2007. The Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), Prof. Kate Kapshaw-Smith, and Prof. Tom Deans hosted Mushengyezi along with the Head of the English Department, Prof. Claire Costley King’oo. As a visiting Fulbright scholar at UCU in 2021, Deans helped to start UCU’s Writing Centre in the Department of Literature and Languages. The English Department and the Writing Centre at UConn are willing to send staff on short visits to support and mentor the Writing Centre and writing programmes at UCU. The Associate Dean and Department Head also encouraged UCU early-career staff to apply to UConn for graduate studies.
The UConn team congratulated their former student and now Vice Chancellor on his immense contribution to scholarship and to higher education leadership in Africa. The visits marked another milestone in UCU’s commitment to global academic collaboration and excellence. The institution is optimistic about the fruitful outcomes of the partnerships.
