ICUC Seeks Partnerships with Russian Universities

The Islamic Call University College (ICUC) is considering establishing strategic partnerships with Russian universities to promote research, science and technology.

On Wednesday, the newly appointed ambassador of the Russian Federation to Uganda, Vladlen Semivolos, took a guided tour of the institution’s facilities at the Gaddafi National Mosque, Old Kampala, and pledged to connect it to some of the leading universities in his country.

Russia is home to six Muslim universities including the Russian Islamic University – the country’s first official Islamic university which was founded in 1998 in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan state. 

According to the ICUC principal, Dr Ebraheem Ssali, the partnerships once established, will as well come with exchange programs for both students and members of staff.

“As a first step, the ambassador announced an increase in the number of scholarships from 21 to 50, and invited Muslims, in particular, to benefit from these opportunities,” Sheikh Ssali told The Friday Call.

Semivolos later met with the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubaje whom he told of Russia’s strong ties to Islam – the second largest religious denomination in the eastern European country.

“This is evident from the rich historical sites, and ancient Mosques, majorly found in Kazan city,” Semivolos said.

“Russia takes pride in having the largest, most splendid, and monumental Mosques that were constructed and were officially commissioned by His Excellency Vladimir Putin in the recent past,” he said.

Sheikh Mubaje told his guest that Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) takes pride in associating with people of goodwill, and welcomed Semivolos’ offer to open Ugandan Muslims to more opportunities in Russia.