In Summary: The graduands include four PhD holders, 183 master’s degree recipients and 1,284 undergraduate degree recipients, while university officials say infrastructure expansion and improved student support remain key priorities.
Gulu City, Uganda — Gulu University is set to graduate a record 1,755 students at its 22nd graduation ceremony today, Friday, November 13, 2026, as the institution continues to expand its academic programmes and student population.
The ceremony will take place at the university’s sports ground and is expected to attract more than 5,000 guests, including parents, guardians, government officials and other stakeholders.
Speaking during a press conference yesterday (Thursday), Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Prof. David Okello Owiny, said the university was prepared to host the ceremony and called on graduands to follow the guidelines and make arrangements to collect their academic documents after graduation.
Prof. Owiny acknowledged that the university continues to face infrastructure challenges as student numbers grow but said construction of a new building was about 70 per cent complete.
He said the facility is expected to accommodate more than 7,000 students and ease congestion in lecture rooms, creating a better learning environment for continuing and newly admitted students.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor also challenged graduands to apply the knowledge and skills acquired at the university to create employment and contribute to the development of their communities instead of relying solely on formal employment.
Record number of graduands
Gulu University Academic Registrar Dr. Jerry Bagaya said the 1,755 graduands represent the highest number in the institution’s history, up from 1,431 at the previous graduation ceremony.
He attributed the increase to the university’s continued growth and resilience following disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Bagaya, the graduands comprise two recipients of honorary degrees, four PhD graduates, 183 master’s degree recipients, 137 postgraduate diploma recipients and 1,284 undergraduate degree recipients.
Of the total, 400 are government-sponsored students, while 1,355 are privately sponsored. Six graduands are persons with disabilities.
Bagaya said 60 per cent of the graduands are male and 40 per cent female, reflecting the gender composition of the graduating class.
He encouraged graduands to collect their academic documents in time and observe the university’s graduation guidelines to ensure a smooth ceremony.
University prepares security arrangements
The university’s Chief Security Officer, Okello Deken, said security personnel were ready to manage the large number of guests expected at the ceremony.
He said the university would operate a single entrance, where all guests would undergo security checks to minimise the risk of crime and ensure the safety of graduands, parents and visitors.
Deken added that security personnel would be deployed at key points, including the main gate, graduation grounds and parking areas, with support from police to manage traffic and crowds.
He urged parents, guests and graduands to arrive early, cooperate with security officers and avoid carrying prohibited items. He also cautioned graduands against reckless celebrations after the ceremony.
Student appeals for infrastructure and scholarships
One of the graduands, Patrick Opiyo, called on leaders and stakeholders in the Acholi sub-region to support the development of Gulu University, saying its relatively affordable tuition makes it an important institution for students from low-income households.
However, he said the university needed improved infrastructure and stronger support systems for vulnerable students who struggle to meet tuition costs.
Opiyo urged university management, local leaders, well-wishers and alumni to consider establishing bursaries and scholarship schemes for academically capable students whose education is threatened by financial difficulties.
He said many students from disadvantaged backgrounds risk abandoning their studies not because they lack academic ability, but because their families cannot afford the required fees.
He added that improved infrastructure and financial assistance for vulnerable learners would strengthen the university’s role as a centre of higher education for Acholi and the wider country.
Parent welcomes university support
Meanwhile, Christine Atoo, a mother of four whose child is among the graduands, praised the university for granting her child an amnesty that enabled him to complete his studies despite the family’s financial difficulties.
Atoo, who said she is a widow and unemployed, explained that she had struggled to meet her child’s education costs and had feared that he would not graduate.
She said the university’s intervention restored hope to the family after a difficult period.
Atoo thanked the university management for considering the circumstances of vulnerable families and giving her child an opportunity to complete his education.
Gulu University has so far graduated approximately 25,000 students since its establishment in 2001 under an Act of Parliament. The institution began teaching and admitted its first students in September and October 2002 at its main campus, formerly the District Farm Institute, in Gulu City.
The 22nd graduation comes as the university seeks to expand its facilities, strengthen access to higher education and prepare graduates to contribute to the country’s social and economic development.
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