GROWING STRONGER EACH DAY By: Michelle Akinyi

Once you mention Uganda, the one university that comes to the mind of many is Makerere University. Makerere has existed for decades and it has in turn paved way for other universities to come up.

Uganda Pentecostal University is quickly becoming a leading university with a promise of being the heaven of academics in Uganda. Prof .J. Ntambwireki, an experienced lawyer and a renowned educationists has been at the helm of UPU since inception.

Prof. John Ntambirweki addresses a students gathering after UPU was won the western Uganda University games Championship

Located in fort portal western Uganda, the university is endowed with tranquil and accommodative environment which is condusive for teaching and learning. It promotes interaction between students of different nationalities, ethnic and religious backgrounds which I turn brings harmonious environment in the campus where students exchange ideas and view each others as equals.

UPU has created a niche as a reliable institution of higher learning with marketable courses that assure graduants of jobs on completion. The university has also introduced employment opportunities for their students who perform exemplary, this ensures that the students work hard because they also stand a chance to do masters whose fee is catered for with the lecturing hours one accumulates. The teaching staff is a combination of both the young and the old who act as role models.

This is a show that the university is on the right track and its speed of growth is above average, in the next few years it will be a pillar of education in Uganda everybody will be making reference to.

MY UPU EXPERIENCE By: Ireri Joseph Mureithi LLB finalist

Monday morning October 26th, 2009. My first day at the university, having just transferred credits from another university to UPU, I still don’t know anybody. The morning is chilly, the fog is thick and the dew is still on the grasses. I seem the odd one out because surprisingly everybody I meet is in an upbeat mood and cares the less about the weather.

I walk into the academic registrar’s office and I find Mr. Noel Twinomujuni the deputy academic registrar who warmly welcomes me to the University and after the registration process hand me my admission letters and my class time table. The service offered to me is fast and efficient and leaves me wondering if I just met a good person or everybody is like Noel. Immediately I leave the registrar’s office, I bump into a gentleman who introduces himself to me as Charles, I ask him where the LLB class is and instead of just giving me directions to the lecture room, he walks me there and hand me over to someone he referred to as Norman. What a good student! I tell myself.

In our conversation with Norman, I am made to understand Charles is an administrator here at the University and Norman himself is the lecturer who is taking me in Law of taxation.

My first lecture goes fine. The interaction was great and I realise something, the mode of teaching is different from what I had earlier experienced at my former school. It’s now mid day and the sky’s are open. No heavy cloud cover and the sun is bright enough. Just ahead of me is a pair of ladies deeply involved in a conversation as I near them I realise they are talking in kikuyu – my mother tongue, without hesitation i join their conversation.

The day passes so fast that i don’t realise darkness has fallen in, As i lay on my bed that night i convince myself that coming to UPU was the best decision i ever made. The staff are welcoming, no bureaucracies in the offices and the people are friendly, most of it all is the fact that i found my fellow kikuyus on the first day,

Never have I felt at home in foreign land.

OCTOBER INTAKE INCREASES POPULATION AT UPU By: Edwin Murunga and Tiziana Gori

Almost three years down the line, UPU has had a steady intake every academic year with the number increasing gradually. This academic year, 2010-2011 that begun in October, the University has received more than seven Hundred and fifty students and the number is still rising. Despite this response from the interested students, the university is very keen on avoiding overcrowding which is a great threat to social amenities and infrastructure to the school. This has forced the school administration to halt new students’ admission. The university has also put into the consideration the lecturer-students ratio which must remain balanced for the good quality of education.

a lecture in session at the main campus in Fort Portal

With this increment in population which triples every academic year , the three main Uganda Pentecostal university branches (Kampala, Kamwenge and Kahungabunyonyi ) is experiencing congestion and therefore  the university is constructing the forth branch campus in Kasusu town center 7 km along Fort-portal-Kasese road. The construction is expected to be due in March 2011 with all facilities ready.

UGANDA PENTECOSTAL UNIVERSITY, A CENTER OF EXELLENCE By: Erastus Ang'ienda

The Uganda Pentecostal University originated from the Grotius School of Law and professional studies, which started in February 2001 when it admitted its first student in law at its campus in Mengo, Kampala. At that time it operated as an independent institution affiliated to another university but separate in its management. The institution continued to operate as such until July 2004, when the National Council for Higher Education directed it to register as a separate institution.

The management of the Grotius School of Law and professional studies, following the direction of the council, obliged by seeking by seeking suitable partners so as to fulfil the conditions set by the NCHE. The partner that was found was the United Pentecostal Churches International for Uganda (UPCIU).

This was a church to which most of the founders of the Grotius school of law and professional studies belong. UPCIU provided the university with land including buildings in Fort portal municipality, Mubende town council, Mbarara municipality and Masaka district. The university held its first graduation on Thursday June 8^th, 2006 at the main campus in Fort Portal.

Part  of the Uganda Pentecostal University  administration block  at the main campus in Fort Portal 

Uganda Pentecostal University offers demand driven courses and has produced grandaunts with very high demand. Some of the people who have passed through UPU are Mr. Reuben Magaya- Senior lecturer school of law, Moi University, Kenya. Mr. Robert Imalingat, magistrate at the Nakawa law courts, Republic of Uganda.

The university has also taken a keen interest in nurturing its own staff. So far a quarter of the teaching staff are former students of the University who graduated with honours. They include Mr. Fredrick Ojode of the department of journalism and Communication. Ms. Virginia Akumu of the department of social sciences and Mr. Ibrahim Baluku of the communication department and Mr. Aleta of the school of law among others.

Welcome to the official Uganda Pentecostal University Blog. The essence of this blog is for easy information sharing at the university. All are welcome to share stories and experiences here at this blog. To have your story published, please send your story to upublog@gmail.com and it will be posted. stories will be changed after every two days.

welcome and enjoy
Rasto

UPU SPORTS PICTORIAL By: Erastus Ang'ienda

Uganda Pentecostal University had the opportunity to host this years western Uganda inter guild games in Fort portal. The games which lasted 3 days saw UPU defend the trophy they won in Kabale last year to become the Western champions for the 2nd season in a row.

Below are just but a few pictures taken during the games

Prof. T. Psychs  up UPU supporters at the just concluded western region inter guild games

Mr. Christopher Banura and Mr. Muhozi celebrating a goal

'Omosh' as he is popularly known joins supporters of UPU in celebration

Prof. T. arrives at  the  Stadium in style

Mugaga Mukaidi dribbles the ball past the oponent