Aga Khan University set to open in 2025

The Aga Khan University (AKU) in Kampala, whose construction was launched yesterday, will open doors to its pioneer students in two years.
Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, the university president, said the multi-million dollar education and health complex located in Nakawa Division will be ready by 2025, enabling students to be admitted the same year.
Uganda’s Education minister Janet Museveni and Princes Zahra Aga Khan, a daughter of His Highness and trustee of Aga Khan University, launched the project and engineering works at a colourful on-site ceremony yesterday.
In comments at the event, Dr Shahabuddin said the facilities being built are a university centre, students’ residences, and an outpatient medical centre that will readily start offering a wide range of services.

This will precede the construction, starting early next year, of the first phase of the new Aga Khan University Hospital, which will grow in size and scope over time.
“Our academic facilities will welcome their first students in early 2025, and the hospital will welcome its first patients soon after,” Dr Shahabuddin said. 
He added: “In short, we can now envision the day when our Kampala campus will be buzzing with intellect, energy, and optimism. We can’t wait to open our doors and show you the new face of the university in Uganda.”

The Aga Khan University in Uganda campus will sprawl over a 60-acre prime land in Nakawa, east of the city centre.
According to Dr Shahabuddin, the initial phase of the facility will comprise a seven-storey university centre, a nine-storey student housing building and the Aga Khan University Hospital. The hospital will offer care in nearly two dozen specialties, ranging from family medicine to oncology.
A four-storey ambulatory care building is being established to offer outpatient care in a wide range of specialties in advance of the hospital’s completion.
“The project represents one of AKU’s largest investments in East Africa to-date. This will enable a significant expansion of the university’s existing school of nursing and midwifery in Kampala and will also allow the university to begin training medical specialists in fields such as internal medicine and surgery,” he said.

Other institutions
According to him, Uganda can proudly claim to have quality institutions such as Makerere University and the Aga Khan University is looking forward to working with them and jointly contributing to the progress of this country and the region.
He commended President Museveni for championing this project from its inception.
“We are extremely grateful to His Excellency (Museveni) for his unflagging support, including his direct engagement to resolve issues, allowing us to reach this momentous day,” the university president said.
Health minister Jane Aceng told this publication in an interview yesterday that the Aga Khan Hospital in Kampala, which will be the 20th medical training institution in the country, will complement the government’s effort in skilling elite professionals and providing quality specialised healthcare.
Nakawa East Division Member of Parliament Ronald Balimwezo said the institution will lift for Ugandans the burden of seeking advanced medical services in neighbouring countries or overseas.

“This land has been idle and had become a curse. But since the construction has commenced, it has become a blessing not only to the people of Nakawa, but the entire country,” he said.
The land for the campus and hospital was provided by the government and speaker after speaker thanked President Museveni for his foresight and strong support for the project. 
The construction works are being bankrolled by His Highness the Aga Khan, donors and the government of Germany’s BMZ and KfW alongside invaluable support from the East African Community.