Gulu University Vice-Chancellor Praises VVOB Partnership

Gulu University Vice-Chancellor Prof. George Ladaah Openjuru has commended VVOB, a Belgian educational development organisation, for its longstanding partnership with the university in strengthening pedagogy and practical learning.

Prof. Openjuru made the remarks on 19 August 2026 while meeting a VVOB delegation led by Education Manager Bram Thibaut, alongside a team from the Faculty of Education and Humanities led by the Dean, Associate Professor Denis Thaddeus Ofoyoru.

The Vice-Chancellor praised the partnership for supporting lecturer and student training in pedagogy, community project-based learning and other innovative approaches to education.

“We can still continue working together by designing academic programmes targeting our in-service teachers’ programme, but above all, we thank them for bringing Gulu University on board,” Prof. Openjuru said.
He said Gulu University remains committed to strengthening pedagogy and embracing emerging technologies, particularly in light of the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

Dr. Bismarck John Okumu, Coordinator of the VVOB partnership at Gulu University, said the collaboration had supported a range of hands-on training activities for students, as well as educational mentorship programmes for young professionals at the university.
He noted that the partnership had also facilitated training in community project-based learning, career talks and gender-responsive pedagogy, with a particular focus on agriculture and entrepreneurship skills.

Students who participated in the programmes also showcased products developed through the partnership, which began in August 2023.
Bram Thibaut said the partnership with Gulu University had been enriching and expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded over the years.
He thanked the university management, faculty members and students for their support and commitment to the collaboration.
For three years, VVOB partnered with teacher educators in the Faculty of Education and Humanities at Gulu University to strengthen student-centred, competency-based teaching — with a focus on the agriculture and environment teaching areas. The partnership, known as LEAP, combined training in project-based learning, gender-responsive pedagogy, and career guidance with a substantial redesign of how student teachers are supported and assessed during school practicum.
The VVOB partnership with Gulu University, which commenced in August 2023, is scheduled to officially conclude in December 2026 and the team is expected to sustain the impact of the project beyond December, 2026.