In a profound follow-up to the 2026 Faculty Retreat, Principal Rev. Dr. Marcel Uwineza, SJ, has issued a clarifying vision for Hekima University College (HUC), framing the gathering at Windsor Golf Hotel not merely as a meeting but as a critical “act of institutional discernment.”
Dr. Marcel’s remarks signaled a transition in the college’s history: moving away from the “maintenance” of a college toward the “institutional maturity” required of a fully chartered university.
The Evolution of a Mission: 2023–2026
The Principal traced the college’s progress over the last four years as a deliberate climb toward excellence:
- 2023: Building interior leadership, trust, and the courage to imagine.
- 2024: Deepening the Jesuit intellectual apostolate and documenting academic standards.
- 2025: Reimagining physical spaces, including the Fadhili Centre and solar energy transitions.
- 2026: The year of Maturity, Responsibility, and Transformation.
A University is not a “Skills Factory.”
Drawing on the reflections of Rev. Dr. Anthony Egan, SJ, the Principal challenged the faculty to resist the temptation of modern education to become a market-driven enterprise. He argued that in an Africa plagued by leadership crises and “post-colonial dependency,” Hekima must form leaders who are philosophically literate and spiritually integrated.
“Theology cannot be marginal,” Dr. Marcel emphasized. “Technology cannot be blind; it must be socially accountable. Our scholarship must ask whether it alleviates poverty and resists epistemic colonialism.”
He provided a sobering reality check on the pursuit of a University Charter, echoing the advice of Rev. Prof. Patrick Mwania (Rector of Tangaza University), the guest speaker at the same retreat last year, who noted that a Charter is a mark of legal and institutional adulthood, not a status symbol.
“A Charter is not a trophy; it is legal and institutional maturity. It demands honesty in self-assessment and the courage to address deficiencies. Charter brings not only autonomy but greater scrutiny and accountability.”
Similarly, he clarified that Open, Distance, and eLearning (ODeL) is more than just buying computers; it is a “pedagogical transformation” that will allow Hekima to serve the region and the world.
In a touching moment of the address, Dr. Marcel spoke directly to the newer members of the faculty who have joined in the last few years. Acknowledging that the “slow rhythm of structural growth” can test one’s enthusiasm, he offered his personal commitment to accompany them in their scholarly growth.
“The resources entrusted to us are meant for the flourishing of the institution,” he stated, encouraging younger educators to bring forward their needs for research and pedagogical excellence.
Closing with a call for Gratitude, Humility, and Courage, Dr. Marcel reminded the Hekima family that the goal remains “Dreaming Deep and Flying High!” not for prestige, but for the transformation of Africa and the Church.
“May this retreat mark not an event completed, but a horizon embraced,” he concluded.
By Pamela Adinda, HUC Communications and International Office Coordinator
