Makerere University, Total sign MoU to improve quality of engineering
Acting Vice Chancellor Venansius Baryamureeba (L) and Chairman -Total Professeurs Associes (TPA) Jean Pierre Cordier (Right) exchange documents during the signing as Loic Laurandel (Center) General Manager Total E&P Uganda looks on. courtesy pHOTO
Makerere University and Petroleum firm Total E&P Uganda last week signed a lifelong Memorandum of Understanding in a bid to improve the quality of engineering related students the 89- year old institution passes out.
The collaboration, which will see student’s carry out internship at the company as well as benefiting from scholarship programs for four graduates of Civil and Electrical Engineering at the French Institute of petroleum, begins September this year.
“We hope these MoUs will pave way for young people from all backgrounds to study and apply their talents in the oil industry. We acknowledge the importance of creating partnerships with education institutions in our host countries as key to developing local talent and integration into our business,” Total E & P Uganda General Manager, Loic Laurandel said during the function.
According to the MoUs, two university students will also participate in foras on energy business issues at the Total Summer Scholl in Paris. Mr Laurandel added that the MoUs are to improve oil industry human resource.
“The MoU will assist in the planning ahead of the industries human resources requirements and cement our partner network activities,’’ he said.
Makerere University established petroleum related courses in the 2009/2010 academic year as a way of providing human capital to the growing industry in the country.
The University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba who has always called for public –private partnerships welcomed the move saying that it has come at a time when government is targeting strengthening the standard of courses at the university. He called upon other private companies to partner with Makerere University in the respective disciplines.
At the same function, Makerere also signed an MoU with Total Profeseurs Associes (TPA), a not – for –profit association of courses covering all the aspects of the oil industry from exploration-production to sustainable development.
