International University in Uganda. Nanyonga is also a senior faculty member at Clarke International. She teaches courses in health policy and planning as well as advanced strategic management. Nanyonga is an advocate for children’s rights and providing leadership opportunities to health care providers. She serves on boards for Clarke Group, Narrow Road International Aid, The Nursing Now Campaign, Uganda Steering Committee, REMI East
Africa and The Sinza Project. Stanford University has named Nanyonga a leadership fellow in its Women Leaders in Global Health initiative, while the Yale University School of Nursing has bestowed its Distinguished Alumna award upon her
CIU:
THE END OF AN ACADEMIC YEAR:
JUNE 25TH, 2021 By Dr. Rose C Nanyonga
To the CIU Family, Friends, Parents & Guardians, and Strategic Partners, As we come to the close of this unusual academic year, I keep thinking about the Zulu phrase “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” …meaning that a person is a person through other people…I am because we are. At graduation in March this year, I was keenly aware that our being here and our ability to foster continuity of learning for those health professional graduates in the year of covid took collective effort. In the history of Clarke International University (CIU) these last 16 months have unearthed a culture of solidarity, commitment, fortitude and resilience that I, as a team leader of this impressive community, didn’t even think was possible. Indeed, “If you want to go far, go together.” First, congratulations to our students, teaching faculty, administrators and support staff for not closing their minds when the doors to schools and universities were closed. The successful completion of the academic years 2019- 2020-2021 has largely depended on our collective commitment, exploring potential solutions 20
rather than naming the challenges, a willingness to try and fail and re-enter learning. Our physical doors may have been closed, but we have collectively strived to keep the doors of teaching, research and learning open. Operating in this pandemic requires more than an ambitious vision. CIU has relied on dedicated staff as well as the willingness of students, parents, guardians and other stakeholders to ensure that the growing need of both health and ICT-enabled business professionals is met. If we have learned anything these past 16-months, it is that when hospitals are open, health professional training schools must remain open as there is need to rapidly increase the number, quality, capacity and the health of healthcare workers. We can only do so by fostering technology-enabled teaching and learning. As we look ahead to the new academic year 20212022, we know that the education needs of our community will continue to be met through Open Distance and eLearning (ODeL) options. It is true, however, that even in the best of circumstances, and
