Establishing Nature Uganda branch at Busitema University and engaging in community outreach to promote ESD activities:

Busitema University is the first multi-campus public University in Uganda, established by the Act of Parliament in the year 2007. The vision of Busitema University is to be “A centre of academic and professional excellence in science, technology and innovation”. The mission is “To provide high standard training, engage in quality research and outreach for socio-economic transformation and sustainable development”. Busitema University is committed to providing excellent education through its wide-ranging, unique and relevant programmes. The current training, research and outreach strategies are rooted in the disciplines of engineering, sciences, education, agriculture, health, natural

resources and environment. Some of the unique programmes include Bachelor of Agricultural Mechanization and Irrigation Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Agro-processing Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Textile Engineering , Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Water Resources Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Economics. The University campuses are spacious, rural based , beautifully designed and located in various parts of Eastern Uganda. The University offers multicultural experiences that encourage diversity, inclusiveness and innovations. The current University strategy is to strengthen teaching, research, community outreach and public-private partnership opportunities. Establishing Nature Uganda (NU) branch at Busitema University is in line with fulfillment of the university mission “To provide high standard training, engage in quality research and outreach for socio-economic transformation and sustainable development”.

Busitema university world like to use the opportunity to establish NU branch as a strategy for promoting sustainable development in the eastern Uganda region and the immediate neighborhoods. Using its various campuses which are strategically located within the region, this is likely to be one of the effective strategies of promoting sustainable development in the region through partnership opportunities.

Establishing NU branch at Busitema University. The strategy is to establish a unit NU branch for each

campus of the university starting with Nagongera campus. The official launch of the branch took place on scheduled for 12 th February 2014 at Nagongera campus-and was officiated by the chairperson of Nature Uganda, executives and the Vice Chancellor of Busitema University. The student community and staff at Nagongera campus and other campuses were mobilized into an association-which has so far made tremendous impact locally through undertaking community outreach activities.