African Rural University Awarded by UNESCO for Innovative Education Model

Summary:

• The African Rural University (ARU), an all-women institution, received recognition from UNESCO for its innovative educational model, which blends traditional wisdom with modern academic disciplines. ARU trains students to become rural transformation specialists, focusing on community development rather than traditional job markets. This model, which includes Traditional Wisdom Specialists as educators, emphasizes practical skills and sustainable development, aiming for holistic rural transformation.

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The African Rural University (ARU), a pioneering all-women institution, has been honored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair for its innovative and transformative approach to education.

The accolade was accepted by Mr. John Tusiime, Head of Community Engagement at ARU, alongside Milly Muhindo Desire, at a ceremony held at Gulu University on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

ARU’s educational model is unique in African higher education, shifting from traditional problem-solving methods to a visionary approach. Unlike conventional universities, ARU trains its students not for the job market but to recognize their role in their own development. Upon graduation, students are equipped to work as rural transformation specialists with the Uganda Rural Development Programme and its projects. ARU is also the first university to include Traditional Wisdom Specialists as Professors without Papers in its higher education curriculum.

Traditional Wisdom Specialists (TWS) are esteemed elders and knowledgeable members of indigenous communities who preserve and pass on traditional knowledge to younger generations. ARU integrates these specialists into its educational framework, blending traditional wisdom with modern academic disciplines and community fieldwork. This collaboration promotes Climate Change Adaptation, Prosperous Rural Livelihoods, and Environmental Management.

ARU’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, a visionary leader, praised the UNESCO Chair for recognizing ARU’s innovative work and thought processes.

The ARU education model comprises 60% theory and 40% practical curriculum, where students immerse themselves in community living and working to foster rural transformation. This holistic approach aims to create a peaceful, prosperous, healthy, happy, and free society. The curriculum emphasizes three core masteries:

1. Mastery of systems thinking: Understanding the interconnections between primary and secondary choices to appreciate the larger picture.
2. Mastery of sustainable development: Formulating new visions after achieving the initial ones, thus perpetuating a cycle of structural tension.

These masteries are applied at various levels, including sub-county (both political and technical), village, and institutional levels.