NORAD awards $2M grant to CIU, Laboremus & Fontes Foundation to bring high-quality technology and entrepreneurial education

The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has committed up to USD 2 million to Clarke International University (CIU), in partnership with tech company Laboremus and NGO Fontes Foundation to bring world-class technology and entrepreneurial education to the youth in Uganda.

The “skills gap” between what schools and universities teach and what employers need is a known problem for employers in the ICT-sector. The partners will offer a comprehensive nine-month program that will give university graduates the skillsets required to lift Uganda towards becoming a global player in the technology ecosystem.

The program will seek to recruit students who have demonstrable passion and basic software development knowledge. Whereas the focus will be on fresh graduates from IT related disciplines, students from other disciplines will have an equal opportunity of being admitted. The program believes in creating a co-creation environment where technology is an enabler rather than an end in itself. It is envisaged that over 500 persons will directly participate in the program with another 2,000 benefiting from the outreach programs. The 1st cohort will commence in March 2019.

Dr. Rose Clarke Nanyonga, the Vice-Chancellor at Clarke International University during the announcement welcomed the partnership; “We are thrilled to collaborate with key players in the industry–Laboremus Uganda and Fontes Foundation in delivering a focused IT accelerated learning course that addresses the mind and toolset and will suitably equip trainees to become software craftsmen/women able to contribute to the ICT sector industry growth.”

“The Academy, that is to be hosted at CIU’s School of Business and Applied Technology represents the aspiration of the program to lift the nation towards becoming a global player in the technology ecosystem. We are pleased to receive the NORAD support to allow us to undertake this worthy project for the next four years,” she concluded.

Bram van den Bosch, Managing Director, Laboremus Uganda commended CIU on their program and recommitted to working closely with the School of Business and Applied Technology to deliver effective business managers with a sound understanding of technology. “CIU have an outstanding teaching philosophy oriented to what really works. They know what is required to be job-ready, they are practice-oriented and offer the right mix of both fundamental and new technologies.”

Program Structure

  • Students will be admitted into the Accelerated Learning Course (ALC), a focused three-month program that includes training in leadership, critical thinking, IT project management, as well as introductions to different technologies.
  • The most accomplished go on to a six-month immersive boot camp, where a key component is practical learning through projects with industry partners.
  • The academy will be followed by the Last Mile Training (LMT), a program that gives the most capable-graduates the opportunity to work at an elite ICT company for 6-12 months. The graduates will work on live client projects with close guidance from senior software developers.

Interested individuals are encouraged to register here https://goo.gl/Ekf3Fz to receive information about the application process.