President Museveni and His Highness the Aga Khan will tomorrow Friday officially inaugurate the new Aga Khan University (AKU) campus in Kampala, marking a historic milestone for the university’s presence in Uganda and the broader East African region.
The event will also feature the ground breaking ceremony for the Aga Khan University Hospital, Kampala, a 101-bed facility set to transform healthcare delivery in the country. The hospital is expected to be completed by 2027.
In a press statement, AKU president Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin described the occasion as “a powerful and meaningful step forward in our shared mission.”
Dr Shahabuddin emphasised that the campus’s location in Nakawa will enable AKU to collaborate closely with local communities, conduct joint research, and deliver academic and healthcare services in partnership with Ugandan institutions.
At full capacity, the university will accommodate 700 students and 100 faculty members, with 164 students residing on campus. The first cohort of the new four-year Bachelor of Nursing Science programme is expected to arrive later this month.
The upcoming hospital will offer advanced medical care, including specialist services that will reduce the need for Ugandans to seek treatment abroad.
He also highlighted Uganda’s strong network of AKU alumni, many of whom hold leadership roles in healthcare, media, education, and government. To date, over 7,000 Ugandan educators have benefited from AKU’s short courses and certificate programs.
The inauguration ceremony will be presided over by President Museveni and His Highness the Aga Khan V, the University’s Chancellor. First Lady Janet Museveni, Princess Zahra Aga Khan (AKU’s Pro-Chancellor), and Prince Aly Muhammad will also attend.
Speaking to journalists at the new Nakawa campus, Dr Joseph Mwizerwa, the associate vice provost for Uganda, confirmed that the university completed its relocation from the Gaddafi Road campus in Old Kampala in July, following the fulfilment of all statutory and regulatory requirements.
Regarding the former campus, he explained that the facilities have been handed over to the Aga Khan Foundation-Uganda, which is working with Aga Khan Education Services to repurpose the site.
Dr Nicholas Kitende, the university’s academic registrar, said AKU currently offers four academic programmes: a Diploma in General nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery, and the newly approved Bachelor of Nursing Science, which will admit students directly from Senior Six.
Dr Mwizerwa also announced that AKU’s Graduate School of Media and Communications, based in Nairobi, is preparing to launch its programmes in Uganda. This will enable Ugandan students to study locally rather than travel to Kenya.
Once chartered, the university plans to introduce new programs next year, including a Bachelor of Education, Executive Master’s in Media Leadership and Innovation, Master of Education, Master of Science in Advanced Practice Midwifery, and Master of Arts in Digital Journalism.
