By Victor Turinawe.
Year Three students from the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology (FEDT) at Uganda Christian University (UCU) have won the UCU Engineering Association (UCUEA) Engineering Colloquium quiz.
The UCUEA Engineering Colloquium was held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Nkoyoyo Hall, UCU Mukono Campus, under the theme, “Unlocking Engineering Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Professional Excellence.”
The Year Three team was represented by Joshua Phillip Kivunike, Tracy Teddy Murungi and Walter Rubangakene, while Year One was represented by Dan Kalengera, Victor Akanyijuka and Innocent Foch.
The quiz was conducted in two rounds, with students from all four years participating in the first round. Year Three and Year One emerged as the top two teams and advanced to the final after scoring 160 and 110 points respectively.
In the final round, Year Three emerged victorious with 80 points, defeating Year One by a margin of 10 points, who scored 70 points.
Speaking after the final, Year Three team leader Joshua Phillip Kivunike acknowledged the strength of their opponents, particularly Year One contestant Dan Kalengera.
“Yes, we have won, but Dan Kalengera from Year One was brilliant,” Kivunike said.
The colloquium also featured discussions on engineering innovation, entrepreneurship and professional development, with speakers encouraging students to develop practical skills that can make them competitive in the job market.
Addressing the engineering students as a keynote speaker, Eng Brian Buhanda from National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) challenged them to focus on developing solutions rather than relying solely on their academic qualifications.
He noted that employers and clients are increasingly interested in the value engineers can create through innovative, efficient and cost-effective solutions.
“Companies are looking for solutions. When you talk to engineers on a project, they understand how much concrete has been used and how many kilograms of steel have been installed. But the client is not simply paying you because you have a degree or because you spent many hours working. The client is paying for an output. How innovative are you in delivering that output? How quickly can you deliver it? How efficiently can you do it? And how cost-effectively can you do it?” Buhanda said.
Eng Ephrance Nshemerirwe from the Ministry of Works and Transport urged students to understand their strengths and interests when choosing their areas of specialisation in engineering.
He encouraged students to identify their individual abilities, whether in public speaking, reading and research, or solving particular types of problems, and use them to determine the engineering field that best suits them.
“Engineering is broad. If you understand who you are, know your strengths and understand yourself, it becomes easier to decide which field you want to pursue,” Nshemerirwe said.
The colloquium provided students with an opportunity to test their technical knowledge while also engaging with professionals on issues of innovation, entrepreneurship and career development.
The event was attended by members of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE), led by Engineer Patrick Birime, as well as the Dean of FEDT, Dr Miria Frances Agunyo, and other faculty members.
