Dear fellow Manchester Alumni,

I welcome you to the University of Manchester Alumni Association in Uganda (UMAAU). UMAAU was formally registered as an association in Uganda on September 22, 2016. In Uganda alone, The University of Manchester has many Alumni, some working at the highest levels of government, research and academia, and the private sector.

Whether you physically went to Manchester or did a distance-learning program, we all have fond memories of our “Manchester” experience and are very proud of the University. I strongly hope that Manchester education has had a profound impact on your career so far, as it has on mine.

Our objective is simple: to create a valuable network of all Alumni in Uganda and beyond so that we can learn, influence, collaborate and network. Our networking is not limited and will be based on social, business and professional interests of members.

As an Association, we have big dreams - we already have action points and very specific targets and we will waste no time in embarking on a journey to achieve them together. As Prof. Dame Nancy Rothwell (current President and Vice-Chancellor) once said, “This is Manchester. Here we break convention, we forge revolution, we make a difference”. I believe that these words are true for all of us, and under UMAAU, we can achieve even more together. I am grateful to the many members of the Alumni association who have already worked tirelessly in the interim to bring us to this stage. As we continue to grow, I call upon all Manchester Alumni and other interested persons to reach out to us and sign up as members.

Message of Appreciation

I would like to thank several people who have been there from the beginning and supported us tremendously up to now. University of Manchester staff such as Prof James Thompson, Vice President for Social Responsibility, Joanne Jacobs from the International Office, Dr. Katie Reed from Public Health, Prof Andrew Masters and others who have come to Uganda on social responsibility initiatives.

I would also like to thank Senior Alumni Prof Louis Kasekende, Ms. Ruth Sebatindira, Dr. Olive Sabiiti, and Prof. Aaron Wanyama who supported the idea of an Alumni Association from the beginning. We continue to count on your input and support. Last but not least, I thank members of the Interim Committee, past and present, who have sacrificed their time and effort to pursue this idea.

Thank you all.

Edwin Mugume, PhD (Manchester)

Interim Chairperson, Executive Committee.