Supporting Competency-Based Learning Across Uganda’s Universities

Overview

The Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) works on behalf of university and research libraries across Uganda to expand equitable access to high-quality digital information resources through collaborative licensing. By negotiating resources for member institutions, CUUL helps universities and other research centres strengthen teaching, learning, and research while maximising the value of library investments.

As Uganda’s higher education sector continues to strengthen competency-based teaching and learning, CUUL sought a trusted digital resource that could provide authoritative academic content while creating a more engaging and accessible research experience for students and faculty.

Following a collaborative three-month evaluation, CUUL selected Britannica Academic to provide consortium-wide access for its member institutions.

The Challenge

Across Uganda, universities are working to ensure that graduates have strong critical thinking, research, communication, and problem-solving skills. As teaching and learning continue to evolve, libraries are expected to provide digital resources that not only support research but also encourage active learning and independent inquiry.

For CUUL, this meant finding a solution that offered trusted content while supporting more engaging learning experiences.

As Florence Nambooze, eResource Licensing Coordinator for the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries, explained:

“We were looking for a more interactive, wider range of learning resources to align with the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), so we were drawn to Britannica Academic’s access to authentic and multidisciplinary options for research and education. The fact that it evolves in real time to meet student needs really cinched the decision to purchase.” 

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The Evaluation Process

Rather than making an immediate purchasing decision, CUUL worked closely with Britannica throughout a structured three-month pilot program designed to allow CUUL leadership to evaluate how Britannica Academic could support the consortium’s member institutions.

The evaluation granted faculty leads, librarians, and students full access to Britannica Academic in addition to:

• Consortium-wide introductory webinars
• Individual training sessions for librarians and faculty representatives
• Ongoing support from the Britannica team
• A comprehensive post-pilot report combining platform usage data with participant feedback

This collaborative approach allowed librarians and faculty across the consortium to experience Britannica Academic within their own teaching and research environments before making a consortium-wide licensing decision.

The Solution

Following the successful pilot period, CUUL selected Britannica Academic to provide trusted academic resources to member institutions across the consortium.

For CUUL, Britannica Academic aligns closely with the consortium’s mission of expanding equitable access to authoritative digital resources while supporting student success.

The Results: Trusted, Engaging Academic Content for Uganda

Consortium-wide access provides all member institutions with reliable access to trusted academic content whenever it is needed. Ms. Nambooze notes:

“Having access to academic content at all times from one of the surviving information providers has been the core benefit for our member institutions. They especially love the multimedia and translation features, which makes it more engaging and lively.”

Building a Partnership for Student Success

For CUUL, selecting Britannica Academic was about more than purchasing another digital resource. The consortium wanted a partner committed to supporting teaching, learning, and research while helping member institutions navigate an evolving higher education landscape.

Through collaborative planning, training, and ongoing support, Britannica helped CUUL evaluate the platform, engage stakeholders across member institutions, and confidently move to consortium-wide adoption.

Today, Britannica Academic provides trusted academic resources that help support competency-based learning, strengthen research, and create more engaging learning experiences for students and faculty throughout the consortium.