Uganda Christian University, Mbale University College is a regional constituent college of Uganda Christian University which was humbly established in 2003 with three staff and 48 students offering only two programs, that is; Business Administration and Social Science both at degree and diploma levels. The university College which by then called UCU Buwalasi/Mbale Study Centre functioned by using one room and two huts to provide library, offices and lecture room.
Buwalasi formerly a teachers training college had better infrastructure and was used to start the Education (Recess students) Programme.
In 2006, the college acquired a former Nabuyonga Primary school Premises with the help of the Mbale diocese (Anglican) in 2009, took advantage of its location in the heart of Mbale City to grow in academic stature by introducing evening programmes to cater for the working class as well as expanding the academic programmes on offer.
A leading academic institution in entire Eastern Uganda today, the college has previously been in the stewardship of Prof. Fabian Nabugomu being the first Coordinator, replaced by Mr. Mabonga Ivan Chris Kiwanukaas who was the Principal of the Study centre and later Rev. Canon Naphtali Opwata until 2009.The Study centre transitioned into a Campus with Rev. Michael Okwi Esakani as the first Director who is credited for putting the campus on a steady footing and implemented a number of changes that saw the raise in its profile and a growth in student numbers.
Rev. Okwi’s successor, Rev. Dr. Stephen Mung’oma was the first Principal of the college upon the accreditation by National Council of Higher Education, in 2019 after His retirement, Mrs. Manana Mary a former Academic Registrar of the college was enthroned as a principal.
Currently the college is under the stewardship of Dr. Higenyi Erisa as the Principal. He is focused on increasing the student enrolment, University College’s financial stand and improve on quality and welfare of the staff and college community. A role he holds to date.
With the support of its mother Campus Uganda Christian University (Mukono) the university college has significantly grown to over 3,000 students.The College offers a multidisciplinary platform for studies ranging from, Business, Computing and Technology, Theology, Education and Social Sciences. It is also emerging as the premier destination in research excellence especially in its graduate programmes in Business, Education and Social Sciences.
The College is situated in the heart of the Eastern City of Mbale, The iconic ranges of Mt. Elgon standing tall as the silent witnesses to its growth. The City commands a panoramic view of the cascading ranges of East Africa’s 3rd tallest volcanic mountain. It neighbours Teso Region from the north, Bugwere from the west and the beautiful Kapchorwa region (home to some of the best tourist destinations in Uganda) in the east. The University College is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic having a student population from all over east Africa and West Africa.
The University College envisions training and developing empowered graduates through a unique blend of academic rigour and the best infrastructural facilities to help build up a calibre of graduates capable of responding to the relentless challenges of modern workplaces effectively and efficiently.
The University College plans to move its infrastructure to one of the best in the region along with a highly qualified and market oriented faculty. The College just completed the construction of a modern Library and lecture block fully equipped with relevant books and connected to online educational resources. Students now spend a considerable amount of time referring to educational and research journals online.
The University College is also connected to Wi-Fi that accessible from any point of the college grounds. The internet is fast allowing live streaming, positively enhancing the learning environment.
Students are able to attend classes online, access reading materials, attempt assignments and also submit coursework/examinations. Likewise, lecturers are able to teach in real time, pre-record lectures, upload course materials (video, audio and text) and also administer examinations effectively.
With an over expanding network of alumni. The University Collegeboostsof a highly placed alumni in government, banking, NGOs, Accounting, Human Resources Management, Lecturing, Management, teaching and many more. These contribute to some of the most diverse concentration of talent and innovation in this part of the country. The alumni network in not only represented in reputable organisations but also in the small business and innovators and entrepreneurs that now grace the different fields