US Ambassador Pays Mbarara University Courtesy Visit

The US Ambassador with MUST medicine and nursing students after the roundtable discussion

11^th April 2017 was yet another great day in the drive to fortify partnerships and collaborations at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) by hosting Her Excellency Deborah Ruth Malac, the United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Uganda. MUST and the United States of America are moving forward in strengthening partnerships in the areas of health and capacity building.

The American Ambassador held a formal meeting with the Vice Chancellor Prof. Celestino Obua and other top administrators on the ongoing partnerships with USA and how to further them.

Among issues discussed were; the ongoing Peace Corp Volunteership at MUST and the MUST-Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) collaboration which has facilitated global health interventions. The Peace Corps volunteers have been instrumental in teaching and conducting research in the Faculty of Medicine. MGH has visualized MUST at the global scene through meaningful research and innovation.

The local community too has been engaged through rapid responses to health risks and needs. The Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies also receives an English Language Fellow annually and Ms. Jennifer Phillips is currently serving under this programme. There are other partnerships and collaborations that MUST has with USA that have contributed tremendously in teaching, research and community development.

Among these include; the University of Virginia that has student exchange programmes and research activities, Health Volunteers Overseas that avail specialists that offer health educational training at MUST; Massachusetts Ear and Eye Hospital that specializes in ophthalmology and otolaryngology and conducts joint educational and research activities with the Department of Ophthalmology.

From left to right; Ms. Laquana McCall – Political Officer U.S. Embassy, Ms. Jennifer Phillips – English Language Fellow at MUST, Prof. Celestino Obua – MUST Vice Chancellor, Her Excellency Deborah Ruth Malac – US Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Mujuni Mpitsi Pac Lawrence – University Secretary and Mr. Emmanuel Kyagaba – Dean of Students after the meeting on strengthening the ongoing partnerships at MUST

The humility of the ambassador also paved a way of interacting with students of medicine and nursing. The students had an excellent discussion with the ambassador through a two-fold experience sharing.

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This was an element of mentorship and cordial interaction on issues of global health and students’ clinical learning experiences. The coming of the USA ambassador was therefore a vote of confidence in the ongoing partnerships and a pathway of boosting them for the growth and development of MUST. Succeed we MUST!