The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has clarified that the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) remains fully accredited, dismissing concerns arising from a decision by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) to withdraw its recognition of the programme.

In a clarification statement, NCHE said the programme’s accreditation had not been withdrawn by the council and that teaching and learning should continue uninterrupted.

The statement follows a public notice issued by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda announcing the withdrawal of recognition of the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at MUST.

NCHE said it was neither involved nor consulted before the pharmaceutical professional body made the decision.

The council emphasised that, under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, its statutory mandate includes accrediting higher education programmes, investigating complaints against institutions and recognising academic qualifications.

According to NCHE, the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at MUST was first accredited in 2010 and has since undergone several re-accreditations.

Its most recent re-accreditation was granted on January 30, 2025, allowing the programme to operate until 2036.

The council said all previous re-accreditations were conducted in consultation with the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda, as required by law.

“Withdrawal of recognition of qualifications of graduates of a given programme or academic institution is the preserve of the National Council for Higher Education,” the council stated.

Dispute over Pharmacy Department leadership

NCHE also addressed concerns surrounding the leadership of MUST’s Department of Pharmacy following the departure of its former head.

The council said the university had an associate professor of pharmacy heading the department until July 2026, when he resigned to join another academic institution after being promoted to full professor.

Following his departure, the university temporarily appointed a senior lecturer with a nursing background and a PhD in Pharmacology from Ghent University in Belgium to head the department.

NCHE further stated that the current acting head of the Pharmacy Department is a pharmacist who also serves as president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda.

The leadership changes appear to form part of the wider dispute surrounding the programme, although the council’s clarification did not establish whether they were the sole basis for the professional society’s decision.

NCHE insists programme remains operational

The higher education regulator reiterated that MUST’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme remains fully accredited and that its accreditation status has not been revoked.

It urged the continuation of teaching and learning, maintaining that the authority to withdraw accreditation and recognition of qualifications rests with the council under the law.

NCHE also reaffirmed its willingness to receive and investigate complaints concerning higher education institutions in Uganda.

The clarification places the council’s position at odds with the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda’s public notice on the programme’s recognition, leaving questions about the implications of the professional body’s decision for pharmacy students and graduates.

Further clarification from the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda would help explain the basis of its decision and how it intends to address the council’s position.

For now, NCHE maintains that the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at Mbarara University of Science and Technology remains accredited and that academic activities should continue.