DIRECTOR UMCAT School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Charles Ogwel is a passionate educator and a professional journalist who started a private media consultancy and training company called United Media Consultants and Trainers (UMCAT) (U) Ltd in 1996 but got formerly registered in November 1997.
The training activities of the firm grew rapidly leading to the establishment of a pioneer private media training institution, UMCAT School of Journalism and mass communication which was classified by the Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports as a tertiary institution in 2000.
His main inspiration was the eminent need for an institute to train and nurture young journalists as Makerere University was the only institution offering mass communication at that time but admitting only 20 students per year from the entire East African region, yet thousands of students would apply and even qualify for the course every year.
There was also need to address the question on responsibility and ethics in journalism which had started heckling the positive public opinion about the profession in Uganda.
It should however be noted that most practicing journalists of that time had gotten into the profession by default without any basic training and Charles Ogwel passionate about the role of the press as an agent of change thought it fit to focus on building a sustained capacity of the media in Uganda and East Africa to promote human rights, justice and equity
Charles Ogwel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication from Makerere University and a Master’s degree in Ethics and Public Management also from the same University. He has also done several refresher training courses in many fields ranging from Public Relations, Human Rights, Reproductive health, leadership, Curriculum development, and many more.
Mr Ogwel has worked in the Office of the President under the Directorate of Information as Senior Information Officer, In the Ministry of Information under Uganda News Agency (UNA) as Information officer-in-charge of Domestic news, and photography.
He was again appointed as News Editor for the National Broadcaster, Radio Uganda where he worked for seven years before quitting government to join the NGO sector as a Communications/Public Relations and Advocacy Manager for Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) formerly the Family Planning Association of Uganda (FPAU).
Mr. Ogwel has also done several media communication research and consultancy works. His passion to champion change in communities cannot be overemphasized.
He now serves as Chairman, Board of Directors of United Media Consultants and Trainers (UMCAT) and of UMCAT School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
UMCAT School of Journalism and Mass Communication to date remains the leading private Journalism, Multimedia and Communication institute in Uganda and a big forces in media training in the East African region.
Through visionary leadership, he successfully established several schools and training centers across Uganda i.e. Kampala, Mbale, Soroti ,Gulu and Arua.