News from 2025-09-30 / KfW Development Bank
Inauguration of the new campus of Aga Khan University in Kampala: Building for the future
On 11 September, Aga Khan University (AKU) officially inaugurated its new campus in Kampala, Uganda, in the presence of numerous students, government representatives, academic dignitaries and other guests. The ceremony was hosted by the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan and the Chancellor of AKU, Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin.
The opening represents a significant step forward in expanding access to high-quality education and creating a solid foundation for a diverse media landscape, high-quality journalism and a robust health system for the region. The new location will provide additional student accommodation, enabling more young people from EAC partner countries to benefit from the first-class education on offer. This development not only strengthens educational opportunities, but also promotes growth and prosperity throughout the region.
The 60-hectare campus has state-of-the-art facilities, including a seven-storey university centre, a nine-storey student residence and a four-storey outpatient care building. Up to 700 students will study there – in September, the first group will begin the new four-year Bachelor's degree in Nursing Sciences at AKU School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONAM). In the past, AKU has trained more than 1,500 Ugandan nurses. Construction of a hospital will begin shortly: the 101-bed Aga Khan University Hospital will offer modern medical care and train the next generation of healthcare professionals in practice.
The AKU Graduate School of Media and Communications (GSMC) trains aspiring journalists and other media professionals. More than 1,000 journalists have been trained there in the past. The students come from all EAC countries – Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, and Somalia. Most of them receive scholarships from the Aga Khan Foundation. The new campus thus contributes to improving educational and employment opportunities for aspiring journalists and nurses in the East African Community (EAC).
The architecturally impressive buildings offer modern classrooms, laboratories and libraries, providing AKU students and researchers with an optimal environment for academic excellence. KfW Development Bank supported the construction project with €16.8 million on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Seine Hoheit der Aga Khan kommentierte: „This investment in AKU’s new academic and student housing facilities, together with its hospital, embody the belief of our late father, which we share, that Ugandans deserve the very best access to international quality higher education and health care. The University’s campuses across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda create an integrated system to share knowledge and expertise, and allow the mobility of faculty and students across the region. And that many Ugandans do not have to travel abroad to receive high-quality medical care." In addition, the location in Kampala also enables students from other EAC partner countries to study there, as the admission requirements and visa issuance are easier to meet than at the previous AKU campuses. This means that the entire region will benefit from the new location.
A follow-up project is being planned to further improve the training of skilled workers – nurses, midwives and doctors – in the health sector. Support will be provided for additional interior construction measures, an EAC scholarship fund and the expansion of e-learning programmes, as well as targeted support for female students.
Christoph Tiskens, Head of the East Africa Department at KfW, praises the cooperation with AKU: ‘The commitment and professionalism of each individual involved have contributed significantly to our joint success. The AKU team values teamwork and communication, which has made our partnership not only productive but also enjoyable.’
On Aga Khan University
Aga Khan University is a private research university based in Karachi, Pakistan. It is a non-profit institution and an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. It was founded in 1983 as Pakistan's first private university. From 2000 onwards, the university expanded to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Afghanistan.
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