Overview
The Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) was founded in 2000 by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). Established in compliance with the UCC’s mandate to create and manage a communications services training center, UICT stands as a premier institution dedicated to providing skills-based ICT training. This initiative was rooted in the Uganda Communications Act of 1997.
UICT succeeded the former Uganda Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (UPTC) Training School, located at Plot 9-21 Port Bell Road, Nakawa, which was established in 1965 as a regional training center by the East African Posts and Telecommunications. The assets of the UPTC Training School were invested in UCC to form the UICT.
In 2001, following the enactment of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, UICT was expected to operate under this legislative framework. The National Council for Higher Education then recommended the establishment of UICT as a public tertiary institution. Consequently, in October 2005, the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) formalized this establishment through Statutory Instrument No. 79.
On November 29, 2007, the management of UICT was transferred from the Ministry of Education and Sports to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology. This decision, directed by the Prime Minister and endorsed by the Cabinet, was aimed at enhancing the Institute’s development and aligning it with national ICT policies.
The Uganda Communications Act of 2013 further reinforced UCC’s role in operating and managing UICT. This alignment was designed to elevate UICT to a Center of Excellence, comparable to internationally renowned ICT institutions, by ensuring it receives adequate policy guidance and funding.
UICT is distinguished as the only government institution in Uganda specializing in skills-based middle-level ICT training. It offers practical, hands-on training at both certificate and diploma levels, providing an alternative to the more theoretical degrees offered by universities and other tertiary institutions. The Institute’s curriculum encompasses all fields related to the communications sector, including telecommunications services, computer engineering, information technology, and business management.
