The department was established in 1995 as one of the departments to offer a teaching subject to students pursuing a three-year programme in Bachelor of Science with education. It all started with a handful of lecturers few teaching assistants, no tutorial assistant, and less than 50 students. Ten years later, the departments had a teaching staff of eight lectures, out of which three were PhD holders at a position of senior lecturers. The student population stands at about 190, out of which 75 are in first year, 75 in second year and 40 in third year.
The activities of the department have been mainly teaching students who later join secondary school teaching, and others enroll for post graduate studies in mathematics, research carried out by staff, and participation in school practice as part of the community service. The department is recognized for its contribution to society through teaching of mathematics to those who become secondary school teachers, bankers, business men and women, and a few who choose to pursue higher degrees in mathematics because of their strong background in the subject.
Mission
To provide quality and relevant education at national and international levels with emphasis on science and technology and its application to community development.
Vision
* Greater number of students enrolled
* More teaching facilities
* Higher employment rate
* Improved services and support and more prevalent and helpful technology will add to the quality of teachers and researchers in mathematics
* At the same time, because of population growth, the changing needs of society, the needs of mathematics students and their employers will remain extensive and varied.
While significant strides will have been made in people’s appreciation of the role of mathematics, there will be an on-going push for community outreach and participation in the department’s activities.
Strategic direction1. Review and deepen its existing services over time to ensure that they are a state-of-the-art for working effectively with students and employers.
2. Further assess student and community needs to identify gaps or needed shifts in service delivery. This assessment will serve as the basis for expanding or adding new services.
3. Take a leadership role in working with a range of mathematicians to identify and meet the needs of students and employers.
4. Explore the feasibility of expanding the department’s visibility in the community and making greater use of prominent researchers.
5. Emphasize management of its financial resources to invest in providing quality services. This includes allocating more finances towards research activities and acquiring and maintaining equipment.
| PHOTO | NAME | POSITION |
|---|---|---|
 | Mr. Mwesigwa Ronald (HOD) | Senior Lecturer |
| Ass. Prof Julius Tumwiine | Senior Lecturer |
| Dr. John Emenyu | Senior Lecturer |
| Martin Karuhanga | Lecturer |
| Dr. Nalumiansi Kasifa | Lecturer |
| Dr. Feresiano Mwesigye | Lecturer |
| Ms. Nanfuka Mary | Lecturer |
The Objectives of the Department Include:
1. To provide incoming fresh men and women and transfer students with a smooth transition to university mathematics.
2. To provide all under graduate students at Mbarara University of Science and Technology with an education for life-long learning of science, engineering and mathematics.
3. To graduate majors who have liberally educated and are prepared for a mathematically based career.
4. To continue to build an excellent undergraduate mathematics program.
5. To become a nationally recognized model for excellence in undergraduate mathematics both through its teaching as well as engaging in a set number of additional activities which support excellence in undergraduate mathematics.
6. To continue to have good relationships with other programs, in particular, coordination of mathematics with other programs.
7. To continue to develop as teachers.
8. To continue to develop professionally.
a). Core Operating Values
1. Responsiveness – finds solution that meet the needs of students and teachers of mathematics through direct or referrals to other institutions of higher learning.
2. Respectfulness – Honors the choices of students, encouraging each to take control over his/her own academic life, and helps to shape these on based on what is interesting to each student. We respect the role that sponsors have in helping to shape these choices as well.
3. Diversity – understands that students and teachers of mathematics are part of all races, ethnicities and regions; we seek to assist as many people as our mission, and we maintain and report our record accurately.
4. Integrity and Accountability – Has the highest level of integrity in its administrative, service and out reach activities; we tie these activities directly to our mission, and we maintain and report our records accurately.
5. State of the art practices – Aims for excellent, high quality, state-of-the-art approaches that students and teachers of mathematics can always count on to be there.
6. Partnerships – Works with a wide variety of lecturers and researchers for quality service for quality service by all partners.
7. Financial Sustainability – believes it works as an educator and service provider will be needed for many years into the future. Therefore, we strive to deliver on our mission with thoughtful strategic choices that we have sufficient financial resources.
a). Role and Program Services
1. Leads a collaboration of researchers, students and teachers of mathematics and programs in the region and from surrounding areas, as appropriate, in identifying needs and gaps in services.
2. Directly provides cutting-edge, model services that meet identified gap. The mathematics department may not strive to provide comprehensive services itself – what direct services it does provide are of high quality.
3. Participates in financial planning to help create long-erm financial security for the permanent and part-time staff who work together to run the programmes.
4. Collaborates with and makes referrals to other high-quality institutions of higher learning; and
Leads many training programmes to ensure services are provided either by the department or other providers.
b). Opportunities
1. Increasing job-market – acceptance and opportunity for further study, here and elsewhere. There appears to be increased emphasis on employment at secondary schools, universities, banks and increased openness by employers to hire our students. These changes make mathematics department’s philosophy more prevalent and may increase demand for its services and opportunities for employment.
2. Increase visibility -, which could lead to greater access to research and other resources. The country has a range of resources including lecturers and researchers, students who would wish to major in mathematics, organisations with workers who would wish to enroll for mathematically related courses, and universities with students who are interested in taking an advanced course in mathematics – all of which could be better tapped.
3. Increased application of information technology in the teaching and leaning of mathematics. The increasing need for using computers in the study of mathematics may be a new area of interest for the department.
4. Government sponsorship. Government will continue to provide part sponsorship for students who opt for mathematics at undergraduate level, in terms of tuition, accommodation and other allowances.
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