Nairobi, Kenya: Victoria University Vice Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Muganga has praised the quality of academic leadership across East Africa, saying the region possesses visionary university leaders capable of transforming higher education through collaboration, innovation and people-centred leadership.
Dr Muganga made the remarks on Wednesday while attending the 17th Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Annual Meeting and Conference in Nairobi, where more than 400 policymakers, vice chancellors, university leaders, higher education regulators, researchers, students, industry representatives and development partners gathered to discuss the future of higher education in the region.
The three-day conference, jointly organised by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and Kenya’s Ministry of Education, is being held under the theme, “Powering the Future of Higher Education in East Africa through Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations.”
Sharing his experience from the opening day, Muganga said one of the conference’s highlights was interacting with two Ugandan vice chancellors whom he described as exceptional academic leaders.
He applauded Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) Vice Chancellor Prof. Pauline Byakika Kibwika for her outstanding leadership and distinguished scientific career after she chaired one of the conference sessions.
“My sister, Prof. Pauline Byakika Kibwika, Vice Chancellor of Mbarara University of Science and Technology, is an outstanding leader and a world-class scientist. Watching her chair today’s session was a real pleasure. She brought clarity, confidence and calm to the discussion. MUST is fortunate to have her, and Uganda should be proud,” Muganga said.
The VU Vice Chancellor also commended Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) Vice Chancellor Prof. Patrick Kyamanywa, describing him as one of the region’s finest educators.
“My brother, Prof. Patrick Kyamanywa, Vice Chancellor of Uganda Martyrs University, is one of the finest educators I know. He is thoughtful, humble and incredibly sharp. Every opportunity to work with him reminds me how much our universities benefit from leaders who put people, ideas and service first. UMU is blessed to have him,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader significance of the conference, Muganga said Africa is home to many accomplished academic leaders who continue to steer universities with integrity, excellence and a shared vision for the continent’s future.
“Moments like these remind me that Africa is not short of great academic leaders. We have them. They are leading our universities with integrity, vision and excellence.”
He added that regional collaboration among universities remains essential in improving research, innovation, academic mobility and institutional development.
The conference opened on July 29 with renewed calls for universities to strengthen partnerships with governments, industry and development partners to ensure higher education responds to the region’s evolving social and economic needs.
Representing Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala challenged universities to become centres of innovation and practical problem-solving.
“Our universities should become living laboratories where students work alongside industry to solve real problems. We must build stronger bridges between knowledge and enterprise, discovery and deployment, and research and revenue,” she said.
The Acting Chairperson of the IUCEA Executive Committee, Prof. Rose Clarke Nanyonga, urged delegates to use the conference to forge stronger partnerships and make bold commitments that will advance higher education across East Africa.
Similarly, IUCEA Acting Executive Secretary Prof. Idris A. Rai said universities must embrace collaboration rather than operate in isolation.
“The question before us is no longer whether higher education should transform. The question is how we transform it, together. The universities that will shape tomorrow’s East Africa are not those that work in isolation, but those that collaborate across disciplines, sectors and national borders,” he said.
During the conference, IUCEA officially launched its Strategic Plan 2026–2031, developed through extensive consultations with governments, universities, students, regulators, industry and development partners across the East African Community.
The plan seeks to strengthen quality assurance, research, innovation, academic mobility and regional cooperation while ensuring higher education contributes directly to economic transformation.
East African Community Deputy Secretary General Annette Semuwemba urged stakeholders to ensure the strategy delivers measurable benefits to citizens.
“The strategic plan must deliver tangible benefits to the people of East Africa. It should not remain a document that we merely discuss. It must become a practical blueprint demonstrating how IUCEA contributes to the wellbeing and prosperity of the region’s citizens,” she said.
A major highlight of the opening day was the launch of the Regional AI Network of Universities, an initiative designed to connect universities involved in artificial intelligence education, research and innovation, facilitate sharing of expertise and infrastructure, and promote the responsible use of AI in higher education.
The conference is also expected to formalise new international partnerships with the Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence (CIMEA) of Italy, the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES) of France, and the Christian Television System (CTS) of the Republic of Korea.
Established as a specialised institution of the East African Community (EAC), the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) coordinates higher education and research across the region by promoting quality assurance, academic mobility, qualifications recognition, research collaboration and institutional partnerships among universities in the EAC Partner States.
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