A major dispute has erupted between Uganda’s higher education regulator and the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) over the recognition of Mbarara University of Science and Technology’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme. The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has challenged PSU’s decision to withdraw recognition of the course, insisting that the programme remains accredited and teaching must continue.
In a statement issued on October 21, 2026, NCHE said it had neither been consulted nor involved in PSU’s decision to withdraw recognition of the pharmacy programme. The regulator maintained that the authority to accredit higher education programmes and withdraw recognition of academic qualifications rests with it under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act.
NCHE revealed that MUST’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme had been accredited since 2010, with the latest re-accreditation granted on January 30, 2025, allowing it to operate until 2036. The council therefore insisted that PSU’s announcement had not cancelled the programme’s accreditation and directed the university to continue teaching its students.
However, PSU says its decision followed serious concerns about staffing and leadership within MUST’s Department of Pharmacy. In a notice dated October 19, the professional body said the department had been headed in an acting capacity by a nurse rather than a qualified pharmacist, while the number of academic staff was inadequate. It also raised concerns that the university had not advertised the vacant head-of-department position for a substantive appointment.
PSU further claimed that it had issued MUST with a show-cause notice on September 10, giving the university 30 days to explain why recognition should not be withdrawn. According to the society, the university failed to respond within the stipulated period, prompting its council to withdraw recognition with immediate effect. PSU warned that it would not recognise qualifications obtained during the de-recognition period and suspended certain student registration, internship and professional examination processes for affected students.
MUST, however, defended its actions, explaining that its former head of department resigned to take up another position at a different public university. The university said an internal search failed to identify a pharmacist at senior lecturer level or above to fill the vacancy, leading management to appoint an interim head while seeking clearance to recruit qualified staff. Vice Chancellor Professor Pauline Byakika Kibwika said recruitment plans were underway, with appointments expected to be completed by December 2026, subject to the required procedures.
In response to the controversy, MUST announced that Dr Jonans Tusiime, a senior lecturer and deputy dean at the university who also serves as PSU president, had been appointed acting head of the Department of Pharmacy for three months from October 19. The university said the move would place a pharmacist in charge of the department while recruitment continued. It also asked for clear written guidance on teaching, assessments, internships and professional examinations to protect students from uncertainty.
The disagreement has left pharmacy students and their families concerned about whether their studies will lead to recognised qualifications and professional practice. While PSU maintains that the university must address its staffing concerns, NCHE insists that the programme remains accredited and classes should continue. The dispute now raises an important question about how the two institutions will resolve their differences without jeopardising students’ academic progress and future careers.
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