Lira University (LU) is a university in Uganda. It is one of the eleven public universities and degree-awarding institutions in the country. It was initially established in 2009 as a constituent college of Gulu University and attained autonomy as a fully-fledged public university through an Act of Parliament under Statutory Instrument 2015 No. 35 on July 16, 2015. Lira University was founded with a focus on health sciences and hosts the first university teaching hospital in Uganda.
History
The university first opened in August 2012 with 100 students. At that time, the institution was a constituent college of and was known as Gulu University Constituent College Lira. It was also referred to as Lira University College.
In June 2015, the Uganda Ministry of Education elevated the college to university status, effective with the 2016-17 academic year that began in August 2016.
Vision
The university’s vision is to become “a Beacon Center for Applied Science and Technology”.
Mission
The mission of Lira University is “to provide access to quality higher education and research, and to conduct professional training for the delivery of appropriate health services directed towards sustainable health, community, and the environment.”
Location
The university campus is located on approximately 500 acres (202 ha) of land, about 11 kilometres (7 mi), by road, northwest of downtown, Lira off of the Lira–Kamdini Road.[7] The coordinates of the university campus are 2°15’04.0″N, 32°49’16.0″E (Latitude:2.251111; Longitude:32.821111)
Faculties
As of January 2016, Lira University maintained the following academic units:
- Faculty of Information and Computer Sciences
- Faculty of Midwifery
- Faculty of Public Health
- Faculty of Management Science
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Education
- Law development center