Student Experiences in Institutions of Higher learning: A Case Study of Uganda’s Leading Architecture Programme

Student experience has a strategic importance to any institution of higher learning, as it can potentially impact on the institution’s reputation, as well as long-term sustainability. The present study is an exploration of student experiences in higher institutions of learning in Uganda, taking Makerere University Architecture School (MUAS) as the case study. Using a mixed-method research approach, the study sought to evaluate students' perspectives on the architectural teaching program and their extent of success at MUAS. The study focused on 70 graduates from Makerere University's architectural program, specifically those who completed the programme within five years. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. In the findings, students revealed that the program placed significant academic and psychological demands on them throughout the five-year duration. They revealed the intense workload, unclear academic expectations, and the emotional strain caused by harsh critique and punitive course-retake policies of the university. Equally concerning were the strained relationships between students and tutors, with over half describing these as difficult or very difficult. The physical and resource environment was identified as a critical barrier to student success. Inadequate teaching-studio spaces, lack of fulltime access, insufficient workshops, and outdated equipment have a serious impact on their innovation as Architecture students. Recommendations include revision of the curriculum to achieve a better balance between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Others are infrastructural improvements, such as upgrading and expanding studio spaces to provide dedicated, fulltime accessible workspace will encourage creativity and collaboration and the establishment of well-equipped workshops and digital fabrication labs.