By Yvonne Kageha

On December 10, USIU-Africa officially launched Phase One of its new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, an important step toward making day-to-day operations easier, supporting better planning, and enhancing service delivery across the entire institution. This new system will enhance how the institution delivers services to its various stakeholders by modernizing the University’s core business functions. The ERP system will streamline and unify processes that used to be manual or handled across separate systems into one unified platform, thereby replacing several older platforms that the university has been using, including CX, HRMIS, and the Procurement module on EDMS.

The ERP system is being implemented by ADAPT IT, a South African company that develops specialized vertical market software and digitally-led solutions that assist clients in achieving more in their operations. Luxolo Rubushe, Managing Director, Adapt IT Education, notes that the system has received support at appropriate levels within the university and has seen active participation during its implementation. “Success of this project is directly attributable to their active participation in the project, pushing our team and ensuring that the most critical processes have been duly designed, tested, and signed off,” he remarked.

Speaking during the launch, Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi, Vice Chancellor, emphasized that the new system is not just a USIU-Africa project, but an African affair, noting that the University is supporting African innovation and putting African enterprise to the test. He acknowledged that the transition from the old systems to the new ERP has been a challenging journey, and he encouraged the university community to remain consistent, supportive, and willing to learn together through the process. He also reassured both the campus community and ADAPT IT that, although there may be bumps along the way, the university is committed to exploring this new system together. “We will walk with you to ensure that the installed system works according to our needs,” he affirmed.

Delivering his keynote address, Paul Kasimu, University Council Chair, highlighted that when experiencing change, the biggest question to ask is why and why now. He noted that this System comes at the right time when organizations are moving towards innovative, scalable, future-ready… and as an institution processing big data, ERP gives a baseline to where the institution wants to be. Finally, he asked the university community not to approach this with the wrong mindset or resistance. “Embrace the system, there is a lot to be done and explored,” he urged.

Phase One of the system covers three key areas, namely: Student Information Management - including applications, registration, and academic planning; Finance – including fees management, budget tracking, procurement, and financial reporting; and Human Resources – including personnel records, leave management, and payroll.

The successful launch of phase one showcases the university’s commitment to innovation and digital transformation and lays a foundation for the rollout of the next phases of the ERP system, which will further strengthen the university’s ability to offer faster, more accurate, and more reliable services across departments.