By Patrick Opio
Senior Communications Officer
The 4th Consortium of Uganda University Libraries’ (CUUL) Conference officially kicked off today (16th October 2025) at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala, with Lira University well represented and commanding the show.
The 2-day Conference under the theme “Empowering Africa through Open Knowledge: Bridging Present Realities and Future Innovations,” will end on Friday (17th October 2025).
The opening session featured warm welcome remarks from the Executive Chairman CUUL, Mr. Andrew Ojulong, also the Head Library, Lira University.
Mr. Ojulong said the Conference is an inspiring annual event, fostering collaboration, innovation, and a renewed commitment to advancing open knowledge across the world.
“We reflect on the indispensable role that libraries and librarians play in advancing society through the delivery of inclusive, timely and authoritative information services,” Mr. Ojulong said.
He said the Library targets building and maintaining a collection of information resources and to facilitate the use of such information resources and facilities as are required to meet the informational, research, educational, cultural, or recreational needs of its users.
“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world “, Mr. Ojulong explained.
Mr. Ojulong Andrew(Right) discussing at the Conference
Dr. Norah Mulira, Director for ICT, Research and Innovation NCHE, who represented the Chief Guest Prof. Mary Okwakol, commended CUUL’s pivotal role in strengthening the research and innovation ecosystem in Uganda.
The day also marked a special milestone as CUUL celebrated its 21st Anniversary with the launch of the CUUL Journal of Library and Information Science and a ceremonial cake cutting.
Delegates from across Africa and beyond participated in a dynamic programme featuring a thought-provoking keynote by Ms. Iryna Kuchma, insightful paper presentations, and stimulating panel discussions exploring open knowledge, digital transformation, and the future of libraries, inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life,” he asserts.
He added that CUUL serves as a cornerstone for fostering excellence in academic library services, supporting higher education engagement, and driving research that contributes to societal development.
A library is a house of hope, Mr. Ojulong said, it is a place where we all, whatever our situation, can feed our ideas and develop our dreams.
The 4th CUUL Annual Research Dissemination Conference is an annual event, attracting global delegates; including librarians, information professionals, publishers, content providers, and consultants to explore practical strategies for harnessing the potential of open knowledge to empower African communities.
The CUUL conference features a diverse program, including; research paper presentations, plenary sessions, poster sessions, engaging breakout sessions, and a lively exhibition. The main objective of this conference is to provide a platform for sharing knowledge, best practices, and innovative ideas to foster collaboration, networking, and capacity building among librarians.
