Soroti University has announced plans to introduce Aviation Science courses following the finalisation of collaboration agreements with the Ethiopian Aviation University. This development was revealed by the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Robert Ikoja Odongo, during his presentation of the Budget Framework Paper for the 2025-2026 financial year to the Committee on Education and Sports on 8 January 2025.
According to Prof. Odongo, the partnership with Ethiopian Aviation University is part of a broader strategy to collaborate with international institutions to secure the calibre of lecturers required to deliver quality education in specialised fields. He highlighted the difficulty in attracting qualified academic staff locally, saying, “We are now going to India, Malaysia, and Ethiopia to get lecturers. We are in touch with the Ethiopian Aviation University to start teaching Aviation Science.”
Prof. Odongo also raised concerns about delays in hiring lecturers, noting instances where prospective faculty members take months to respond to job offers, leaving gaps in critical academic disciplines. “We recruited a professor of civil engineering, but for three months, he has not responded to whether he is interested in coming to teach,” he said.
