Uganda Christian University officially opened a new facility, the School of Journalism, Media and Communication Building. The state-of-the-art building was handed over to the school by the university’s leadership on Friday, 6th September 2024. The ceremony was led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, assisted by Mr. David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration.
This follows the handover of completed projects from contractors to the university’s senior leadership on Monday, August 26, 2024, at the main campus in Mukono.
Officiating the event, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi congratulated the School of Journalism. “This has been worth the effort. As those who train the fourth estate, your role is crucial to the country. We believe that with this new space, you’ll have the room to be even more creative and shine,” he said.
He went ahead to stress that the new building is in tandem with the broader vision of UCU to transform the university into a center of excellence in Africa.
For over a decade, the School of JMC shared a building with its sister ministry, Words of Hope, whose staff were scattered everywhere because of limited office space. The new building near the Baskerville Building, housing the UCU Communications and Public Relations Office, is set to bring all the JMC staff under one roof.
According to John Semakula, the Head of the Undergraduate Department in JMC, this was part of a university-wide space rationalization that had begun two years ago. “The new block shall be referred to as School of Journalism, Media and Communication Office Block,” he said. “This move will consolidate our staff, easing collaboration and improving accessibility for both staff and students.”
Prof. Monica Chibita, the Dean School of Journalism, Media and Communication expressed gratitude to all who were involved in the project. “We feel special. I never imagined that the former School of Business building would turn out this beautiful after renovation,” she said.
Chibita also emphasized the centrality of the building, which he said would facilitate interfaculty collaborations. “Many of our students have previously struggled with the distance from their classrooms to faculty offices. This new location will make access much easier.”
Even though JMC’s studios and equipment will remain in their current space, the old JMC building will be converted into a multi-media resource center, home to the The Standard newspaper and UCU Focus TV.
As an alumnus and lecturer Frank Obonyo reflected on the growth of the school, he remembered its humble beginnings. “I remember when we had just five cameras for over 90 students,” he said. With better equipment and more multi-media labs, JMC has become one of the top training institutions in Uganda.
Relocating means the celebration of the university and its staff in not only physical expansion but also in its growing influence on media training in the country. It is a new chapter in this journey toward excellence that has just unfolded with this move.
