**3. Background information**

### **3.1 The genesis of HEAC**

The HEAC programme is the first of its kind in Uganda, initially championed by FAWEU with funding from MasterCard Foundation. It is in partnership with three Universities; Busitema University (BU), Gulu University (GU) and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The other consortium institutions are Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Medical Laboratory Training School, Jinja. FAWEU is a non-governmental organization launched in February 1997 with a mission to promote gender equity in Uganda by influencing policies and nurturing positive gender practices and attitudes toward girls' education. FAWEU intends to have the HEAC program adopted and rolled out in 20 universities by 2025 to all 54 universities in Uganda with information on HEAC.

HEAC is a pre-entry bridging programme accredited by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in Uganda. Its duration is a structured one-academic year comprising two semesters lasting 34-weeks including the examination period. The HEAC is an intensive full-time programme, designed to bridge the knowledge gap of students who might not have assumed knowledge required for a professional course or who might not have been confident with their preparation for university and tertiary level education study. It is designed with the assumption that the applicant has some basic knowledge of the subjects for which they are being bridged. The programme is a preparation stage to enable access to university and tertiary education programmes. It runs for two semesters (1 year), and focuses on preparation of candidates in specific subjects that provide generic academic skills to succeed in higher education levels of the desired programmes. Upon successful completion of the programme, and

depending on their performance, the candidates will be given the opportunity to access specific degree/diploma programmes of their choice in university and other tertiary education.

The overall aim of the HEAC Programme is to provide entry opportunity for candidates who performed dismally at UACE. Also, they do not have appropriate qualifications based on current National admission criteria for higher education. Furthermore, those students with foreign qualifications but who do not merit admission to programmes at higher institutions of learning in the Ugandan Education system can also benefit. The targeted learners include UACE holders with at least two subsidiary passes or its equivalent. At least one of the subsidiary pass shall be from a principal subject. Students whose foreign secondary school qualifications are not considered equivalent to UACE but permit admission into Higher Education in the foreign country. Such students shall have passed at least five subjects with a minimum overall grade of C (equivalently a Ugandan grade 5). In addition, foreign students whose studies were not conducted in English show proof of proficiency in the English Language from English proficiency centers accredited by NCHE.
