Minister Muyingo Launches Universities Exhibition at Gulu University

Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, the Minister of State for Higher Education, on Thursday launched the 16th Annual Higher Education Exhibition at the Gulu University playgrounds in Laroo-Pece Division, Gulu City, with a focus on driving economic growth.
The three-day event, organized by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), serves as a national showcase for academic programs, research, and groundbreaking innovations from over 40 universities and tertiary institutions across Uganda.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Dr. Muyingo said the exhibition should not merely be a display event, but a strategic platform for innovation, accountability, collaboration, and national transformation.
According to Muyingo, the event provides a platform for higher education institutions to present research findings and prototypes, as well as demonstrate technological innovations that can offer solutions to community challenges noting that such engagement allows institutions to gather feedback on labour market needs, ensuring that academic programs remain relevant and responsive to national priorities.
He also announced that the government is ready to increase investment in research and innovation as a catalyst for Uganda’s economic transformation.

Muyingo called upon universities to make the most of the three day exhibition by learning from one another and also encouraged participants to visit different institutional stalls, understand various innovations, and build networks that can enhance service delivery.
Professor Mary Okwakol, the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, said the exhibition provides an opportunity for academia, industry, government, and the wider public to interact and appreciate the critical role of higher education in national development.

She urged universities to actively engage in the exhibition, ask relevant questions and apply the insights gained to improve their services upon returning to their institutions.