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IUIU AMONG FOUR UNIVERSITIES SELECTED TO OFFER CULTURAL HERITAGE COURSE.

• 08th April, 2019 12:00am
• 2 minutes read

Islamic university in Uganda(IUIU) is among the Four universities in Uganda   expected to start a Cultural heritage program by September this year if they are given an accreditation by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).

This was revealed by Dr, Elizabeth Kyazike; a renown Cultural Heritage specialist and Archaeologist during a public lecture at IUIU on 4^th April under the theme: "The politics of Heritage conservation".

The event organized by the Islamic University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) in conjunction with the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) was aimed at creating awareness among member institutions including IUIU, Uganda Martyrs (UMU), Kabale University and Kyambongo University on the need to preserve and promote the country’s rich cultures.

This follows a UNESCO funded joint research that was conducted by a number of lecturers from the four universities in 2017. The research indicated that Uganda is still deficient in cultural issues and heritage conservation compared to countries like Kenya and there fore UNESCO came up with an idea of selecting and bringing together four universities to champion the move to strengthen the cultural heritage of Uganda.

The research was conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Kyazike, Dr. Robert Ojambo and Ms. Stella Wadiru (Kyambongo), Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo and Estellian Namutebi (Uganda Martyrs), Dr. Benjamin Ajal and Mr. Ayub Namigugu (IUIU), Dr. Allen Babagura, Prof Celeb Tanwesigire, and Ms. Lillian Tindyeba (Kabale university)

According to Dr. Kyazike this program is expected to have students taking a bachelor’s degree in cultural heritage.

“Currently in Uganda there are many institution offering cultural heritage within their curriculum but not as a stand-alone program; so, it is expected that if this program starts in the four selected universities, other institutions of higher learning will adopt it” Dr. Kyazike stated.

Dr. Benjamin Ajal, a lecturer at IUIU in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and also a lead organizer of the event noted that the success of this programme will not only create a ground for further research but also promote national unity, peace and employment which are important factors to a country’s development.

Meanwhile the IUIU Vice Rector in charge of Academic affairs Professor Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda while presenting during the Public lecture called upon students to come up with proposals on Islamic culture so that studies aimed at transforming the Muslim society can be conducted.