By Mulengera Reporters
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director Nyombi Thembo is pushing for a closer relationship between the communications regulator and the country’s universities, arguing that Uganda’s rapidly changing technology landscape requires stronger links between policymakers, researchers and academia.
Thembo made the remarks after meeting the leadership of the Uganda Vice Chancellors’ Forum, led by its Executive Director, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo, to explore ways of strengthening strategic cooperation between UCC and higher education institutions.
For Thembo, the partnership is not simply about creating another institutional relationship. He sees universities as an important source of research, expertise and ideas that can help Uganda respond to emerging technological challenges and shape better ICT policies.
“As technology rapidly evolves, ICT can no longer be viewed through a single lens; the convergence of multidisciplinary knowledge is essential,” Thembo said.
He said the discussions focused on three areas that UCC wants to advance with universities, starting with targeted PhD sponsorship programmes.
Under the proposed approach, UCC intends to align selected PhD sponsorships with Uganda’s national technology roadmap and research areas where the regulator faces urgent policy and regulatory questions.
The idea, according to Thembo, is to ensure that academic research does not remain confined to universities but contributes directly to solving national challenges in technology and communications.
Thembo also wants UCC’s technical experts to have a stronger presence in university classrooms, giving students and academics access to practical knowledge from people working directly in the sector.
At the same time, he wants academia to play a greater role in informing UCC’s policy and regulatory work through research and specialised knowledge.
The UCC chief described this exchange as “knowledge cross-pollination”, with the regulator bringing technical and policy experience into universities while drawing on academic expertise to strengthen its own work.
To make the engagement more coordinated, Thembo said the Vice Chancellors’ Forum will serve as UCC’s primary channel for nationwide academic initiatives.
The approach is expected to give UCC a single platform through which it can engage universities on research, training, policy and other programmes rather than dealing with institutions in isolation.
For Thembo, the broader objective is to build an environment where learning remains continuous as technology evolves.
“When an organisation stops learning, it ceases to be relevant,” he said.
The initiative comes at a time when Uganda’s technology sector is facing rapid changes driven by digitalisation, emerging technologies and evolving regulatory demands.
Thembo said UCC is therefore looking beyond traditional approaches to ICT and seeking to bring together expertise from different disciplines to help build what he described as a smarter and more inclusive digital Uganda. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
