Kampala International University held the Postgraduate Orientation on 13th September 2024, at the main campus in Kansanga, Kampala. It was a very momentous occasion for the new students, marking the beginning of their academic journey.
The orientation was mainly meant to enable the postgraduate students with the necessary guidance and information with a view to inspiring them to venture successfully into the different fields. Various departments at the university pointed out various support systems in order to assure the students of preparedness on their various academic paths.
Prof. Omolara Oluwaniyi, the Director of Quality Assurance, reminded students of their very active participation in learning processes. He encouraged them to take full responsibility for their education through extra work, group discussions, and regular reflection on academic progress.
“You are here to become masters in your field,” Prof. Oluwaniyi added, underlining the fact that though the university is here and will provide support, all the same, the students are responsible for their results of learning.
Dr. Vidya Sankarapandian, Director of Academic Affairs, spoke about the registration issue and regular attendance. She noted that in order for the students to qualify for exams, they needed to have at least 70% attendance in classes, and assured the students that her office was open for consultations in order to help them face challenges.
To this effect, the Deputy University Librarian introduced the students to the services offered by IBML library: both the physical and electronic resources, which include MYLOFT. Further, she encouraged the students to use those resources in order to enhance their research capabilities.
At this point in the session, the issue of research came up, and Dr. Willy Turyahikayo, the Deputy Director of Higher Degrees, guided the students through the research process: the need for proper documentation of one’s work, and how research progresses through seven successive stages, right from topic presentation to conclusion drawing. He assured them that in every step of their research, the university would support them.
The workshop started with the presentation of Dr. Gaurav Bajpay, Director of Grants, who shared some of the grant opportunities available at KIU and reminded the students of the importance of building grant-writing skills as postgraduate students.
The online portal of the DHR and the enrollment process were then presented by Alex Kayabula, Administrator at DHR, to take them through the key administrative procedures.
As the event went on, the Dean of Students Affairs, Shakiro Iluku Joyce, congratulated them upon their decision to further their education at postgraduate level. She added that security was key and urged students to report any incidents whenever they were in trouble. Campus Administrator, Christine Ainebyoona who spoke highly about timely payment of tuition fees to avoid inconveniences.
It was now finally closed by the DVC in charge of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jacob Ashibi, who assured the postgraduate students of KIU’s open arm to support and make sure this journey is efficiently managed.
Mentorship from various departments guided by leaders, they left the induction ceremony with a rich source of understanding and a sense of fitting into the KIU community for excellence in academic, professional, and personal areas.
