General
CoBAMS to Host Pakasa Forum and 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo
Over 1,500 Makerere University students in the Department of Marketing and Management under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) are prepared to showcase innovative ideas during the 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo 2018.
During the press conference held on Monday, 8th October 2018, the The Principal CoBAMS Dr. Eria Hisali and sponsors called upon Government ministries, the business community, private sector, prospective partners, staff, alumni, students, media and the general public to come to Makerere University to on Friday, 12th October 2018 and take part in the Expo starting at 9:00am in the Freedom Square.
Dr. Peter Turyakira, Head of the Department of Marketing and Management said that the 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo focusing on the theme, “Unlocking the student’s potential,” will offer students an opportunity to display what they learn in class. He added that the Expo would also be a platform for them to begin planning for life after university.
“In these Expos, students demonstrate to their colleagues and the general community that they can turn the theory learnt at the university into practice. The Entrepreneurship Expo is the first place where students learn about the tools they will use to turn an idea into a startup; grow a new venture or join an early stage venture,” said Dr. Turyakira.
He added that the Expo will be preceded by a Pakasa Forum in the CoBAMS Auditorium on Thursday, 11th October 2018 from 9:00am to 12:00pm and called upon students, staff and the entire public to attend both the Forum and the Expo.
Dr. Turyakira revealed that in order to minimize graduate unemployment in Uganda, the Department of Marketing and Management is setting up an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre aligned to Makerere University’s Vision: To be the leading institution for academic excellence and innovations in Africa.
“The Centre is envisioned to create a platform to expose both undergraduate and graduate students to the workplace environment, innovativeness, risk bearing, product development, business startup and management,” remarked Dr. Turyakira.
In his remarks, Dr. Eria Hisali said that activities such as the Expo enable the University to support Government in addressing issues regarding youth unemployment as it equips students with the practical skills needed to start up their own businesses.
According to Dr. Hisali, community engagement is one of core functions of the university and the Expo is one way of giving back to the community since it sensitizes people about starting up their own enterprises and being self-employed.
He thanked the sponsors of the Expo for playing a role in the nurturing of young student entrepreneurs and called for continuous support from them.
The New Vision is the main sponsor of this year’s Expo. Other sponsors include: Post Bank Uganda, Uganda Revenue Authority, Pride Microfinance Limited, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, United Bank of Africa, Eistein Rising Uganda and Business Development Service Providers Network.
Mr. Joseph Byaruhanga, the Marketing Officer, New Vision was glad that the 9th Pakasa Forum organized by New Vision will be held at Makerere University where different panelists will sensitize students and community members on entrepreneurship skills.
Addressing journalists, Mr. Byaruhanga noted that the theme for the Expo is in line with Pakasa Forum’s objectives of exposing students’ abilities where young entrepreneurs display and promote their innovative ideas and businesses.
Dr. Cathy Mbidde who is the team leader explained that the Expo is mandatory for all students of entrepreneurship. She said that the best students will be awarded according to their performance and the best team will receive the Vice Chancellor’s Award, the second team will receive the Principal’s Award and the third team will receive the Dean’s Award.
Dr. Mbidde added that the College shall follow up the winners and is willing to allocate them space at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre and nurture them to further develop their ideas.
Article by: Rachael Kanyi and Esther Joyce Nakibombo, Communication Volunteers-PR Office
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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