500 Graduate from Clarke International University at 16th Ceremony

Clarke International University (CIU) on Friday graduated 500 students during its 16th graduation ceremony, a milestone that coincided with the institution’s receipt of a national Charter, formally confirming its status as a fully established, self-governing university.

The ceremony, held at the university’s campus, drew dignitaries including the Irish Ambassador to Uganda, Ms Mags Gaynor, who served as Guest of Honour, and saw the historic installation of Dr Charles Olaro as the university’s first Professor of Practice in Health Services Management.

The 500 graduates were drawn from four academic units: the Institute of Allied Health Sciences (IAHS) produced the largest cohort with 302 graduates, followed by the School of Public Health (SOPH) with 94, the School of Nursing and Midwifery (SON) with 84, and the School of Business and Applied Technology (SOBAT) with 20.

Ambassador Gaynor said the ceremony represented more than an academic milestone, calling it a celebration of Irish community investment in Uganda’s human capital development.

“Today is a celebration of the investment and contribution of the Irish community. The Clarke family, one of the most prominent Irish families here, are not just investing in high-quality education and training of young Ugandans. They are also creating jobs. They have built this fantastic university,” she said.

Ms Gaynor particularly praised the university’s emphasis on workplace readiness, a model she said Ireland had long championed.

“The idea of being workplace ready, that is something that we have really learned in Ireland. When you leave with your degree, you are ready for the workplace. You have been in the workplace. I think that is a great contribution that really complements the government’s work,” she said.

The Ambassador also called on the university to consider allowing graduates to walk up individually to receive their certificates on stage, noting it was a tradition that carried lasting personal significance.

“In Ireland, we physically go up to receive our certificates on stage. It takes time, but it is a very special moment when your name is called. As a graduate, I would have loved that,” she said, while adding that the ceremony was nonetheless a fantastic celebration.

Ms Gaynor praised the ceremony’s pledge, anthem, and emphasis on leadership values. “I loved the values of leadership, innovation, and transformation that Clarke University really emphasised today,” she said.

Vice Chancellor Dr Rose Clarke Nanyonga urged graduates to leave the institution as agents of transformation, reminding them that the quality of education they had received placed them among an elite group of health professionals in Uganda.

Dr Nanyonga said CIU’s Charter was not merely a regulatory achievement but an affirmation of the university’s long-standing commitment to producing graduates who were both academically sound and practically prepared for the demands of Uganda’s health system.

She called on the new graduates to carry the university’s values of service, integrity, and excellence into their careers and communities.

“You are leaving here at a defining moment in this university’s history. The Charter that was granted to us places a responsibility on your shoulders too. Wherever you go, you carry our name, and we expect you to carry it with honour, with integrity, and with the highest standards of professional practice”, she said.

First Professor of Practice installed

In what university leadership described as a historic appointment, Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, was formally installed as CIU’s first Professor of Practice in Health Services Management.

Dr Olaro, a distinguished surgeon with more than 30 years of experience in clinical practice, public health policy, and institutional leadership, holds advanced qualifications from Makerere University and is a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa.

The university said his appointment was aimed at bridging the gap between the lecture room and the boardroom, strengthening practice-based teaching and linking academia with national health systems. Dr Olaro played a leading role in Uganda’s response to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ebola outbreaks.

The Chancellor also recognised key contributors to the university’s growth, presenting the Founders Vision Award to Ian and Robbie Clarke, the Pioneer Leadership Award to Prof Carabine Deirdre, and the Stewardship and Service Award to Elizabeth Wafula.