Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST)

Mbarara University lies on the banks of the scenic Rwizi River in Mbarara Municipality. Rwizi a tributary of Lake Victoria with its sky blue waters snakes through the famous hills of southwestern Uganda’s grazing lands to Mburo National Park. The Rwizi provides a cool and serene atmosphere to its surroundings.

The vibrant student life on Mbarara campus makes up a vibrant melting pot of different cultures and various student organizations. They cater for a wide range of interests such as culture, politics, religions, spiritual concern and relaxation. There are also a number of well-known and established student activities, such as KinaMUST that add to the unique experience of being a student of MUST.

The university is recognized by National Council for Higher Education in Uganda. With acclaimed national and international recognition for best practices in outreach and community relations from Association of Commonwealth Universities,European Union , Civil Society of Uganda,produces the best development workers and health care professionals.

Vision: To be a centre of academic and professional excellence in Science and Technology.

Mission: To provide quality and relevant education at national and international level with particular emphasis on Science and Technology and its application to community development.

Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) was established in 1989 following a statute of the National Resistance Council, the then legislative body in Uganda. This was In response to government’s realization that higher education was a critical asset for nation building, at a time when Uganda’s economy and social infrastructure had collapsed, due to civil wars in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

MUST was established in the premises of Mbarara School of Midwifery and Mbarara District hospital. The university under the able leadership of the Vice Chancellor Professor Frederick I.B Kayanja, in collaboration with 4 Cuban professors started the pioneer Faculty of Medicine with 43 students admitted to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) program.

The University has now expanded to two other faculties, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Development Studies. The university also has two institutes, Institute of Computer Science and Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC). ITFC is based in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The University plans to move to a spacious campus at Kihumuro located 7 km on Mbarara- Bus henyi road in the near future.

Mbarara is positioned 5 hours by car or bus West of Kampala and is Uganda’s 2nd largest densely populated municipality, after Kampala.

The town came to prominence as the centre to all western Ugandan districts. It connects Kabale, Kisoro, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Kasese, Ibanda, Kamwenge Isingiro and Kabarole districts.

This means that Mbarara is logistically very important, especially as major links to Rwanda and The Democratic Republic of Congo also pass through the town.

Today Mbarara is a modern, buzzing and cosmopolitan metropolitan area, which is still growing rapidly.