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Gender Mainstreaming Directorate Tips Students on Personal Branding
“Change your mindset and stop giving reasons, which reasons don’t put food on the table. This world has two types of people; the result people and the reason people. Which one are you?” Daniel Choudry asked his audience. “The reason people will give all excuses as to why they can’t do or achieve something and end up blaming everything around them including their parents, but can’t blame themselves. The result people are those who have an “I CAN” internal dialogue and see the opportunities and possibilities in everything,” he further explained.
On Thursday, 18th April 2019, 100 students gathered in the Senate Conference Room to participate in a workshop on how to get jobs and handle life after campus. The session was organized by Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD), Makerere University as part of their program of training the scholarship beneficiaries.
The Guest Speaker and Director of the Daniel Choudry Sales Institute Mr. Daniel Choudry advised the students to always have a unique identity that makes them stand out in the job market by building a personal brand.
Giving the opening remarks, the Director Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD), Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine thanked Daniel Choudry for accepting to pass on life changing tips and advised the students to take note of every single word. She called upon the students to adopt some life principles such as integrity, patience, trust and faithfulness which may not be taught in class but are essential for any employer before he/she entrusts anyone with his/her business. Dr. Euzobia also urged the students to develop an attitude of hard work if they are to become successful.
“I know that you all want to be successful people in this country but what are you doing to achieve this? Your performance decides which position you should be; schedule yourselves and know where you are to be at any given time. Take advantage of the free time you have by doing productive things that will result in good fruits,” said Dr. Euzobia
She called for teamwork among students while at their places of work and advised them to develop passion to learn what they don’t know as well as being flexible in all situations and jobs.
“Have one thing in you that will always make you stand out and that one thing will always qualify you for a job. The bosses in those companies are looking for one unique element in you that others may not have. Always strive to build a personal brand and that brand will take you where you want to reach; have a good identity and people will look for you,” advised Mr. Choudry as he started out.
He further encouraged the students to have personal ambitions, belief and trust in even before others see the potential in them.
“There is no such a thing as a man who was born great, instead, they were just once like you and with positive mindsets, aggressiveness, good attitude and belief and trust in themselves, they stretched to be productive and became what we see and admire in them now,” remarked Daniel, citing examples such as the President H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
He advised them to make good use of all networking opportunities as it helps them generate new knowledge and ideas from people who have succeeded in life. Networking, he added, also helps to create new friends and pave way for job opportunities.
Mr. Choudry further called upon the students to be persistent. He shared an example of a scientist who made the bulb but failed 99 times and only succeeded on the 100th try. He continued and encouraged them to take all the little steps that come their way other than seating back waiting for the bigger opportunities.
“It’s always better to start with the small opportunities. Sometimes you have to first get some experience for before you actually get there. Pay the price and you will get where you want to be. You can’t seat home and spend every single day watching television and doing nothing and then expect to compete for a job market with someone who has been gaining some experience elsewhere. Remember we are all competing for the same piece of cake,” he illustrated.
He condemned the act of pride, ego, attitude and foolishness exposed by the youth which characters don’t draw responsible people towards them but instead pushes them away, reminding them that only the humble succeed in life.
“Showing off prominent body features doesn’t portray sense in you, be a woman of virtue and dignity and avoid hopeless relationships. When you look smart, you attract people; being a slayer takes you nowhere but simply indicates the level of your unseriousness. To the men, it’s useless to look hot or handsome when your pocket is penniless. Don’t objectify women. If you don’t mean to be with her, don’t mess with her emotions; you need people to like you because if they don’t then they won’t give you opportunities,” Daniel advised.
He amused the audience when he stated that bosses in the job field don’t recruit based on impressive papers but rather based on the person’s ability. Here he clearly illustrated that first class degrees are not what employers are looking for as there are many people with good papers but can’t justify their performance by producing good results in their job placements.
Mr. Pade Brian from Daniel Choudry Sales Institute additionally advised students to develop hunger for jobs if they are to enter into the competitive job market. He also advised them not to undermine any job that comes their way as long as it’s a clean job.
He echoed that a degree is just a stepping stone in one’s job and tipped the students on the A life principles namely: Accept who you are; Adopt what you are; Advance what you have achieved for a better level of life; and Attitude, passion and skill in combination.
Mr. Pade also advised them to avail themselves for volunteering opportunities that come their way and avoid priotizing money at the top of everything.
“Most of you mind about money, but money comes at a certain time. Sometimes you have to volunteer as it’s through those volunteering opportunities that you will be able to get job connections that will lead you to where the money is,” advised Pade.
Ms. Justine Nakanwagi a Mak alumni thanked the Directorate for organizing the life changing seminars as they impact a lot on students’ careers. She revealed that she was once a student sponsored by Mak Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and out of similar life changing seminars, she was able to get in touch with Daniel Choudry Sales Institute and was later employed as a Senior Sales Associate.
She advised her fellow youth to have the passion to doing things they have never done and to develop goals and work hard to see that they are all fulfilled.
Article by Rachael Kanyi, Volunteer, Mak Public Relations Office
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
Makerere University on Tuesday, 7th October 2025 hosted a delegation from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), South Africa in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom in a bid to strengthen academic partnerships and operationalize their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The delegation, led by Prof. Azwinndini Muronga, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation, NMU, aimed to turn earlier agreements into actionable collaborations and build sustainable partnerships with various colleges.
The Acting (Ag.) Deputy Vice Chancellor; Finance and Administration, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, provided an overview of the institution’s structure—nine colleges, two schools, and two institutes—while acknowledging the challenges of maintaining excellence amid resource limitations and post-pandemic recovery. He emphasized that collaboration must serve the broader goal of research-driven development, calling for teamwork and resilience among African universities. “We have to work together to sustain high academic standards and contribute to the continent’s progress,” he noted.
Prof. Muronga spoke passionately about the NMU’s “African footprint agenda.” He urged both institutions to start with small, practical projects that can build confidence and momentum for larger initiatives. “We must grow partnerships within Africa first,” he stated, “before we expand globally. True collaboration begins when both sides contribute equally, share capacity, and build self-reliance.”
Prof. Muronga also expressed interest in joint research projects, doctoral supervision, and shared grant applications, noting that NMU and Makerere are strategically positioned to lead regional academic innovation.
In her remarks, Prof. Judy Peter, Senior Director in the International Office at NMU emphasized the University’s commitment to African-centered collaboration and the importance of internationalizing the curriculum and expanding research capacity.
Prof. Peter underscored the importance of student mobility, joint supervision of postgraduate students, and the recruitment of talented African scholars, noting that such exchanges enrich both institutions’ academic communities. She also emphasized the need to internationalize the curriculum, particularly through virtual learning platforms and co-teaching models, to ensure broader accessibility and shared expertise.
Contributions also came from Prof. James Wokadala, Deputy Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), further amplified the need to “start small and build on existing collaborations.” He proposed developing a clear roadmap that defines short-term goals and identifies areas for mutual growth.
From the College of Health Sciences, Dr. Richard Idro, the Deputy Principal highlighted opportunities for fellowship, training and collaboration in clinical subjects, emphasizing the need for practical exchanges that benefit students and staff alike. He also addressed logistical challenges such as transportation and coordination, urging for targeted partnerships that can yield tangible results.
The meeting reaffirmed the universities’ commitment to collaboration in areas including faculty exchange for guest lectures, seminars, and sabbaticals; joint research and grant applications for regional and international funding; co-supervision of postgraduate students; virtual classroom exchanges; curriculum internationalization and exchange of academic materials; and capacity development for academic and administrative staff.
The teams also identified “quick-win” projects that could be implemented in the short term and agreed to establish a joint implementation team to monitor progress. Further discussions will explore funding mechanisms, including the possibility of leveraging programs like Erasmus+, to support student exchange and joint research initiatives.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Muronga reaffirmed Nelson Mandela University’s commitment to ensuring that the partnership yields visible outcomes. Both universities agreed that future engagements will be structured around mutual respect, accountability, and measurable results.
The meeting concluded on a note of optimism, with both institutions expressing confidence that their partnership will not only advance academic excellence but also contribute to Africa’s broader vision of educational and research self-reliance.
The meeting was attended by several officials from Makerere including; Prof. Eric Awich Ochen-Deputy Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Prof. Godfrey Akileng-Dean School of Business, Dr. Geoffrey Nuwagaba-CoBAMS, Mr. Martine Rugamba-Ag. Chief Advancement Office, and Ms. Hawa Kajumba-Advancement Office.
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