The Vice Chancellor of Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), Pius Coxwell Achanga, has been elected to the Executive Committee of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), where he will represent Uganda’s public universities.
His election places him on the regional body responsible for coordinating higher education collaboration, policy and quality assurance across the East African Community.
“I am deeply honoured to have been elected to represent Uganda’s public universities. I look forward to advancing regional collaboration, strengthening higher education, and promoting excellence across East Africa,” Achanga said.
Achanga’s elevation comes against the backdrop of his role in transforming MMU into a public university.
Before his appointment as Vice Chancellor in October 2022, he chaired a government task force that oversaw the institution’s transition from private to public status, a process formalised through a memorandum of agreement between the government and the university’s board in January 2022.
The transition repositioned MMU within Uganda’s public higher education system, expanding access to government funding and strengthening institutional oversight.
Under Achanga’s leadership, MMU has carved out a niche in agriculture, tourism and environmental studies, integrated with science, innovation and technology.
University leaders say this focus aligns with national development priorities and reflects the economic realities of the Rwenzori region, particularly in agriculture and eco-tourism linked to the Rwenzori Mountains.
The approach is aimed at ensuring that teaching and research contribute directly to local livelihoods and broader socio-economic transformation.
A key pillar of Achanga’s leadership has been the promotion of competency-based education, an approach that prioritises practical skills alongside academic knowledge.
The model is intended to produce graduates equipped to meet labour market demands and drive community development.
With his election to IUCEA, Achanga is expected to contribute to shaping regional policy on academic standards, student mobility and cross-border collaboration among universities in East Africa.
The council plays a central role in harmonising higher education systems across partner states, making the position a significant platform for influencing the direction of the sector.
Education stakeholders say Achanga’s experience in institutional reform and focus on practical, development-oriented learning could inform broader regional efforts to strengthen higher education systems.
