Like the Bakonzo say, “Akalhayirire sikathambwa”, meaning “something predestined must be”, so is Rwenzori Destiny University – RDU, a dream hatched some decades ago to exist and so it must be. From a College, CELAK is preparing for a university status.
RDU Brief Background – In 2005, preparations to transform CELAK Vocational College into CELAK University Kasese (CUK) began. On 19th June 2009 the university land breaking ceremony officiated by Commissioner Herbert Baryayebwa was held, to spark off the preparatory activities of the university.Key university administrative bodies (Board of trustees, University Council) and officers (Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and others) were selected.
Paper work was done.In 2014, The Board of Trustees of the university, with the approval of the Board of Directors of CELAK Development Foundation, and with the guidance of the Rt. Rev Bishop Zebedee Masereka (The Chancellor), Prof. Dr. Astrid de Hontheim (The Vice Chancellor)and The Most Rev. Dr. Tom Kiiza Sibayirwa (Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academics), following the guidelines of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) about naming universities in Uganda, improved the name to make it more appealing, indigenous and attractive. So it is now called Rwenzori Destiny University, abbreviated as RDU.
RDU -Vision: To be the regional model centre for excellence in academic, research, professionalism, fostering industrialization, rural & urban transformation for sustainable development.
Mission: Rwenzori Destiny University seeks to produce competent, innovative, morally upright, hardworking, versatile and honest grandaunts.
Motto: “Knowledge for Sustainable Excellence”. It embodies a commitment to human and professional excellence with an obligation for hard work and trust.Philosophy: – “Education for better livelihood”, based on the concept of training somebody how to live and earn a fair living. This also embodies giving somebody practical skills in a local setting (language, raw material, human resource etc) for rural and urban transformation for sustainable development.
Objectives:
- To provide quality professional training through research and documentation for delivery of appropriate social services.
- To transform rural and urban populace for conservation of biodiversity for sustainable development.
- To Provide Professional programmes linked to the needs for job creation in the private and public sector.
- To develop skills and competences among the learners that will enable them be responsible, creative and confident in a range of disciplines.
- To ensure promotion of morals among learners, respect of different beliefs, reconciliation, love, tolerance of one another, integrity and social status.
Rwenzori Destiny University’s primary catchment areas are Kasese, Rubirizi, Kamwenge, Kabarole, Ntoroko Bundibugyo, Kibale and the whole Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. And we also expect enrolment of students from other parts of Uganda as well as neighboring east African countries and the world over.Rwenzori Destiny University – RDU, will in addition to the Certificate and Diploma courses CELAK Vocational College offers, at the beginning fill education gaps majorly in the fields of Hospitality (Tourism and Hotel industry), Environment, languages and cultures, offering two Bachelors,
- Bachelor of science in Ecotourism and Sustainable Management (BSESM)
- Bachelor of science in Linguistics and Cultures (BSLC)
RDU Legal Status: On 21st March 2016,the Rwenzori Destiny University – RDU project proposal was defended in the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and on 10th October 2016, NCHE granted RDU a letter of interimAuthority – NCHE/GR/AL/02,to:Mobilize funds for the proposed University; Acquire requisite infrastructure and academic facilities and Organize academic and administrative human resources, and RDU has submitted to NCHE its application for a license to be allowed to start admitting students. We thank the team that went to defend our RDU proposal in the NCHE. In this regard, we thank all those who attended .