Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) is taking steps to improve its infrastructure, including fundraising for a perimeter wall fence, new gate, and parking pavement at its town campus. Meanwhile, academicians are urging the administration to prioritize infrastructure development for the medicine program to avoid potential risks of closure.
Infrastructure development is crucial for universities, as emphasized by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who called for increased investments in public tertiary institutions to bring facilities to international standards. This is echoed by various institutions worldwide, such as:
- University of The Gambia: Secured $37 million out of $54 million for the construction of its Faraba Banta campus, with funding partners including the Kuwaiti Fund, Islamic Development Bank, and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST): Undergoing projects funded by internally-generated funds and the World Bank, including a four-storey water and sanitation centre and a post-graduate business school building.
- Zimbabwean Universities: Government availed $15 million for innovation hubs and infrastructural upgrades in universities like the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and University of Zimbabwe.
- Nigerian Universities: The Federal Government approved N208 billion for infrastructural development in public tertiary institutions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Prioritizing infrastructure development can significantly impact the quality of education and research at MUST, ensuring the medicine program’s success and avoiding potential risks of closure.
