On 28^th  February and 1^{st .}march 2019, all roads will lead to YMCA comprehensive institute Buwambo campus for the institution’s 21st graduation ceremony. These graduands will be awarded bachelor’s degrees, diplomas and certificates in various professions.

The 21st graduation is unique because the university will be passing out Pioneer Bachelor’s degree students, who will graduate with a bachelor’s of Business Administration, Catering and Hospitality Management, Information Technology, Secretarial and Administrative Studies, industrial art and design respectively. It will be yet another grand milestone for the Institution, which is widely revered for its enormous contribution to national, regional, continental and global development.

As YMCA comprehensive institute prepares to record yet another great achievement, it is important for the country to remember with gratitude the important events that led to the inception and subsequent development of this unique institution.

GENESIS OF YMCA COMPREHENSICE INSTITUTE (YCI)

YMCA comprehensive institute was started in 1986 to prepare and equip the youths (especially the vulnerable students) in vocational and technical skills programs. Since that time (1986) to date, the Institute has steadily continued to educate this category of clientele for Uganda and the world at large. The institution has since then positioned itself as a significant player in the socio-economic transformation of the country.

This has been achieved by:

1. Embracing new, unique and relevant vocational and academic programs.
2. Equipping students with appropriate skills and knowledge relevant for the job market.
3. Continuous scanning of the environment and demands of the job market to all always be up to speed and provide relevant academic and vocational programmes.
4. Capacity building programmes for the institute human resources.
5. Strategic management from the board, NEC, governing council and secretariat with the dedicated leadership of the Principal.

YMCA comprehensive institute focuses on vocational and technical programs offered at Certificate, Diploma level which are apparently at a higher demand in society by the youths against a background of strong stigma and belief that has been hitherto harbored by society for a long time that vocational training was for the academically less endowed people. The trend is now fast changing in favor of vocational and technical training. The breakthrough registered in this area has seen YMCA Comprehensive Institute accredited by NCHE (national council of Higher Education) as other Degree Awarding Institute (ODAI) in 2014 to offer the degree programs in these disciplines that include: Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Catering and Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Information Technology, Bachelor of Secretarial and Administrative Studies, to satisfy the overwhelming demand and aspirations by the youths and other stakeholders to receive the vocational and technical skills at an advanced (degree) level.

The institution has managed achieve so much in a record time that includes:

1. Continuous expansion of the Institute in terms of number of students.
2. Acquisition of modern laboratories that include: electrical engineering, cosmetology, computer science, catering, fashion and design, industrial art laboratories and as well as modern journalism studios.
3. Registration of the Institute with the (NCHE) National Council for Higher Education.
4. Fully furnished modern Girls and Boys Hostels which are in their final phases at the Buwambo campus.
5. Buwambo Campus housed on 48 acres of land (under construction at the completion stage)
6. State of the art infrastructure housing the different lecture rooms, offices and institute clinic
7. Sports excellence with our Girls basketball team winning the Division one FUBA basketball league (unbeaten) and thus earning a promotion to the National Basketball league.
8. The Pioneer Bachelor’s degree class will be graduating for the first time in the institutions history.