RUAHA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY - WHEN WAS IT STARTED?

Where We Are?

RUCU is conveniently located centrally within Iringa Municipality along Uhuru Avenue on the Great North Road to Dodoma, at what used to be Dr. Amon J. Nsekela Bankers’ Academy, in the Wilolesi area. It is at the centre of Iringa Town and has access to the regional government administrative offices, main regional business centres, the main bus terminal and other higher learning institutions, namely Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE), University of Iringa, the Open University of Tanzania and Moshi Cooperatives University(formerly Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies). Within a radius of three kilometres there are Kleruu Teachers Training College, Iringa Girls’ Secondary School, Lugalo Secondary School, Highlands Secondary School and Retco Education Centre. Its central location and proximity to varied higher educational institutions and picturesque environment makes it an attractive ornament and centre of meetings in the Municipality and hub of education activities. The main entrance to RUCU is next to the National Microfinance Bank (NMB), Mkwawa Branch.

RUCU's Vision

To be a hub of education excellence and moral finesse.

RUCU's Mission

To be a committed institution of higher learning which provides:

• Demand driven quality education to students so as to enable them become responsible professionals with moral and ethical values in the society.
• Quality teaching, research and consultancy for quality manpower output for services and leadership.

Our Core Values

In achieving its Vision and fulfilling its Mission, the University will constantly subscribe to the following values

• Academic Excellence in teaching, research and service to the public will be well recognized and forms an important part of the academic and organisational life of the institution.
  
• Academic Freedom characterized by a culture of free and critical thought and enquiry, tolerance of diversity views and as open exchange of ideas amongst the staff and/or students
  
• Result orientation characterized by a culture of of having a plan that sets to achieve strategic results for the institution and realizing such plans as fully as possible
  
• Quality service and leadership to be promoted for all core and support activities
  
• Good governance by ensuring transparent decision making and full participation of stakeholders in the development of the institution and major policy shifts
  
• Innovation and creativity in all activities of the institution and underpinned by a dedication to quality, efficiency and effectiveness
  
• Moral Integrity and the willingness to serve to be cultivated amongst both staff and students and to be embedded in all policies
  
• Equal Opportunity to be ensured in all activity areas and supported by determination to eliminate discrimination on the basis of personal, ethnic, religious, gender or other social characteristics.
  

Accreditation Status

By May 2005, RUCU's predecessor (RUCO)attained a letter of Interim Authority following a recommendation by a technical evaluation team dispatched by the Higher Education Accreditation Council (now called the Tanzania Commission for Universities – (TCU).

By October 2005,RUCO attained a Certificate of Provisional Registration (CPR) No. 21. This empowered the University to recruit students for approved programmes in Law and Information and Communication Technology(ICT). This made it possible to recruit the first intake of students for Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSc in CS) and Bachelor of Law (LLB).

RUCO received a Certificate of Full Registration from the Tanzania Commission for Universities. The Ruaha University College Charter that spelled the day-to-day activities of the University was formally signed by His Excellency The President of the United Republic of Tanzania Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on 31^st October, 2012.

Since its establishment RUCO has fastly grown in terms of programmes on offered, students enrolled and staff employed to the extent of it being accorded the status of a fully fledged University effective from the academic year 2014/2015. The move has opened a new page, the existence of Ruaha Catholic University(RUCU) and is in line with cushioned the aspirations and expectations of many stakeholders of RUCO.