Mbarara, Uganda: Uganda Registration Services Bureau has launched Uganda’s 41st Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) at Bishop Stuart University in Mbarara, further expanding the country’s innovation ecosystem and strengthening support for research, technology development and intellectual property protection within academic institutions.
The launch ceremony, officiated by URSB Board Chairperson, Hon Francis K. Butagira as chief guest, attracted innovators, students, researchers, academia, government officials and development partners.
Officials described the centre as a major boost to Uganda’s growing efforts to transform research and innovation into practical solutions for national development.
Speaking during the event, Ambassador Butagira emphasized the importance of supporting innovation among young people through structured research and intellectual property systems.
“The future of Africa will depend greatly on how well we support innovation, research and creativity among our young people. Universities are becoming powerful centres for solutions that can transform communities, industries and economies,” Butagira said.
“The launch of this TISC is therefore an investment in Uganda’s future,” he added.
The Technology and Innovation Support Centre programme is implemented by URSB in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization to provide innovators, researchers, startups and students with access to patent databases, intellectual property information and innovation support services.
Ms Mercy Kainobwisho, the Registrar General of URSB, said the growing TISC network is helping Uganda build a stronger culture of innovation, research commercialisation and entrepreneurship.
“Technology and Innovation Support Centres are creating pathways for students, researchers and innovators to transform ideas into commercially viable solutions,” Kainobwisho said.
“Through the TISC network and the IP in Schools initiative, URSB is supporting the Government of Uganda’s vision of building a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation, research and creativity,” she added.
Innovation and Sustainability
The establishment of the innovation hub comes at a time when Bishop Stuart University is increasingly gaining recognition for sustainability-focused innovations and agribusiness research.
Among the university’s notable projects is the BANATHERM initiative, a 2026 innovation developed in partnership with Scale-Up Research Centre Ltd aimed at transforming banana stem waste into thermal insulation materials for vehicles and buildings.
Through its Agribusiness Incubation Hub, the university is also producing environmentally friendly banana fibre products including paper bags, table mats and decorative materials as alternatives to polythene bags.
The institution further collaborates with Mbarara University of Science and Technology and National Agricultural Research Organisation on projects involving biogas and bio-fertilizer production from organic waste.
Other innovations supported at the university include mushroom farming and processing, fruit juice production, tomato ketchup manufacturing, dairy value-chain solutions and digital systems designed to improve student enrollment and administration.
John F. Mugisha, the Vice Chancellor of Bishop Stuart University, said the launch strengthens the institution’s commitment to practical research and entrepreneurship.
“This TISC will provide our students and researchers with access to valuable intellectual property resources and innovation support systems that will help move research from classrooms and laboratories into communities and markets where it can create real impact,” Mugisha said.
The launch also complements URSB’s ongoing IP in Schools initiative aimed at increasing awareness and appreciation of intellectual property rights among learners and researchers across Uganda.
Stakeholders believe the expanding TISC network will strengthen Uganda’s innovation competitiveness, improve commercialisation of research and positively contribute to regional and global innovation rankings.
Officials said the launch at Bishop Stuart University reflects Uganda’s growing confidence in innovation as a driver of industrialisation, sustainable development and economic transformation.
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