General
Mindset Education can Fast Track Uganda’s Development – Dr. Hun Mok Lee
The Secretary General of the International Youth Fellowship (IYF), Dr. Hun Mok Lee has assured the Makerere Community that Mindset Education (ME) holds the key to fast tracking Uganda’s National Development from the present state to the first world. His assurance was based on the pivotal role played by ME in South Korea’s own miraculous growth and transformation from a GDP Per Capita of US$ 79 in 1963 to the current US $ 35,000. He made the remarks at a meeting with members of Top Management on 9th September 2022 in the Council Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility (CTF).
Mind Education, he said, is built upon the three tenets of;
- Development of the ability to think deeply,
- Formation of a strong heart, and
- Cohesion through exchange.
Delving deeper into each tenet, Dr. Lee shared that Korean companies such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai that had previously treasured candidates with high Intelligence Quotient (IQ) were gradually moving over to those with high Emotional Quotient (EQ). Candidates with high EQ, he said, have the ability to think deeply, exercise self-control, consider others better than themselves, stay humble and put the needs of others before their own.
A strong heart, he continued, was the key to living a happy and healthy life. “Through the Mind Education, if you grow the immunity of the heart or if you make your heart become strong, it won’t be that you don’t have difficulties, you will have difficulties but you will overcome them” he counselled, adding that “rather than not having a problem, it is better to have the problem and have the power to defeat it.”
Dr. Lee added that South Korea has also applied ME to the field of sports with amazing results. The application of ME, he said, is the reason why players like Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min jointly claimed the 2021/22 English Premier League Golden Boot prize alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Other feats he shared included South Korea’s second place finish in the FIFA U-20 World Cup held 2019 in Poland. Originally perceived as underdogs, the team was not expected to progress past the group stages. And so it was extremely shocking when they went all the way to the finals, eventually losing 3-1 to Ukraine.
He then took this as the perfect opportunity to share one of Michelangelo, the famous Italian painter, sculptor and poet’s quotes.
“The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
― Michelangelo Buonarroti
On the third tenet of cohesion through exchange, Dr. Lee shared the mystery behind the California redwood, a tree that rises to heights of over 110 metres, lives for over 2,000 years and yet has roots less than three metres deep.
“The roots of the redwood stick together” said Dr. Lee emphatically. “And so they hold one another, they share the nutrition together, live 3,000 years and they do not fall over during the hurricane” he further described.
Based on the above tenets, the Secretary General without hesitation described Mind Education as the single most powerful force behind the transformation of South Korea from a poor agricultural country into highly industrialised nation.
“In South Korea, we do not have even one single coffee tree, but how did we become the world’s third largest exporter of coffee?” he asked, pausing for a second before quickly answering “We imported the coffee beans from Africa and begun to think deeply, and made them into a coffee product that we export to Europe, America and the Middle East.”
“We don’t even have one single drop of petroleum,” he continued. “We import crude oil from the Middle East, refine it into many petroleum products and export them – we are ranked number one in the world” explained Dr. Lee, further driving his point on the benefits industrialisation home.
His most profound example of the day was Thomas Alva Edison, famously known for inventing the light bulb. Described as having “an intellectual disability” by his childhood teachers, the turning point for Edison, shared Dr. Lee, was when his mother, upon receiving this report from her son’s school refused to describe him as such, and instead convinced him that he was a genius.
“He was the genius of the geniuses. Which university do you think he graduated from? From Harvard University? Oxford University? No way. With the mindset, he is the one who invented the most in human history… misery and happiness is made from the heart. If you receive Mind Education, you can change.” concluded Dr. Lee.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his remarks thanked Dr. Hun Mok Lee for his visit and insightful presentation, noting that South Korea’s first class infrastructure and facilities are proof that investing in Mind Education pays off. He added that Makerere as the top University has the responsibility to prove to the rest of the country that ME indeed works.
“We must begin somewhere and move fast. Dr. Lee’s presentation showed that it was after 30 years of changing the education system that the economy finally took off and so we must appreciate that it takes some time” added Prof. Nawangwe.
The Dean, School of Psychology Assoc. Prof. Grace M. Kibanja thanked the Secretary General for his enlightening presentation and the IYF Uganda office for the support and good working relationship over the years. Giving a brief history of the collaboration, she shared that the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 8th February 2016, under the Deanship of Prof. Peter K. Baguma.
The MoU was aimed at facilitating; joint youth development, annual youth camps, workshops, voluntary community activities especially training youth through district leadership and teaching Mind Education. As a result, the National Mind Education Programme was launched at the Freedom Square on 30th July 2017 and subsequently, Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park, the IYF Founder was hosted by Makerere University in 2019.
“In the same year, we piloted the Mind Education Programme at the School of Psychology with the Bachelor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology intake of 2019/2020… the feedback from these students revealed that indeed, there is a lot that changes in them as individuals when they go through these trainings” testified Assoc. Prof. Kibanja.
The staff have not been left out either. On 6th November 2020 Makerere University hosted a virtual Mind Education Workshop for staff, where the IYF Founder, Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park delivered the keynote address. His concluding message then was, “leave behind your first level of thought and try to embrace deep thinking. If you go about life thinking deeply, you will live a blessed glorious life”
The proposed Mind Education Programme course has been passed by the School of Psychology Academic Board. A stakeholders workshop is being organised to receive feedback before the final curriculum is submitted for approval. The Mind Education Programme, it is envisaged, will be a crosscutting course tenable at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
In a landmark event symbolizing Uganda’s stride towards sustainable transportation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, commissioned the first Electric Fast-Charging Station at Makerere University on Friday 13th March 2026. The ceremony, held at the Senate Building Parking Lot, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s e-mobility journey, blending academic innovation with industrial application and governmental support.
The station, a DC Fast Charger C6-180 installed in collaboration with Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC), is designed to power electric vehicles efficiently, supporting Uganda’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This setup ensures high-power DC charging ideal for fleet operations.
Hon. Dr. Musenero, in her keynote remarks, highlighted the profound significance of the occasion, tracing its roots back to 2011 when Makerere unveiled the Kiira EV – Uganda’s first electric vehicle prototype. “This infrastructure is the physical manifestation of a journey that began on this very hill nearly two decades ago,” she stated, emphasizing how the university’s initial proof-of-concept challenged skepticism about Africa’s role in automotive technology.
The event, she noted, completes a narrative full circle, with the birthplace of the Kiira EV now hosting the infrastructure to sustain a modern electric fleet. The commissioning aligns seamlessly with Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy, which aims to localize 65% of the e-mobility value chain by 2040 and create over 500,000 high-quality green jobs.
Hon. Dr. Musenero underscored the strategy’s focus on reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while enhancing environmental well-being. “We are transforming Uganda into a net source of e-mobility solutions,” she declared, pointing to the potential for Ugandan intellect to produce vehicle parts and charging systems domestically.
In his remarks at the event, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe described the launch as a “multi-faceted achievement,” not only advancing the institution’s inclusive agenda but also setting an example for public institutions in adopting e-mobility. In so doing, Makerere University has positioned itself at the forefront of this transition.
On September 26, 2025, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja and handed over three Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) buses to Makerere University to enhance staff and student mobility. The fleet included two diesel-powered Kayoola Coaches and one electric Kayoola EVS 8.5m bus donated by KMC specifically to aid the movement of differently-abled staff and students. This move demonstrates academia’s capacity to integrate home-grown solutions into daily operations, impacting the economy through practical science.
The commissioning of the fast-charging station is rooted in a long history of collaboration. The Kiira Electric Vehicle Project, hatched in the former Faculty of Technology, has evolved into a national movement for automotive manufacturing. Hon. Dr. Musenero praised this progression: “We have moved beyond proving that an electric vehicle can be built in Uganda. We are now ensuring our electric vehicles are deployed across the continent, solving Africa’s mobility problems.”
Academia’s role remains central, as Hon. Dr. Musenero elaborated. While government provides policy frameworks and the private sector offers capital, universities supply the essential knowledge. The E-Mobility Skilling Programme at Makerere University‘s Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod) is training the next generation of electric vehicle engineers, who are tackling “moonshot projects” to redefine urban transport. Research into optimizing local resources, such as Uganda’s lithium and cobalt deposits for battery production, is also underway.
A key environmental highlight of this development is Uganda’s renewable energy advantage. With over 95% of the national grid powered by hydroelectric dams, every charge at this station utilizes clean energy. “We are using our own water to power our own vehicles, keeping our wealth within our economy rather than exporting it to purchase foreign oil,” Hon. Dr. Musenero remarked, framing the launch as Uganda plugging into the global renewable shift. She pledged the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Secretariat’s continued collaboration with Makerere University, KMC, and partners to proliferate such stations across Kampala and beyond.
Addressing Makerere students, Hon. Dr. Musenero issued a challenge: “See this charging station as a symbol of your own potential. The engineers who built the first Kiira EV were once sitting exactly where you are. They did not wait for permission to be great.” She urged them to leverage available resources to innovate, building on a legacy that has shifted national conversations.
The event drew distinguished guests, including Members of Management, Eng. Paul Isaac Musasizi, KMC’s CEO and his management team, private sector partners, development agencies, and university faculty.
Looking ahead, this launch propels Uganda towards a “Qualitative Leap” in its economy, as Hon. Dr. Musenero described. By fostering innovation and investing in young minds, the nation aims to lead in technological advancement. The station not only powers vehicles but ignites progress, ensuring Uganda remains at the forefront of Africa’s e-mobility revolution.
As the ceremony which was intermittently “blessed” by drizzles drew to a close, the feeling of hope for a cleaner, self-reliant future – one charged by Ugandan ingenuity, was unmistakable.
General
Makerere University and International Partners Sign MoU for the 9th Kampala Geopolitics Conference
Makerere University, on 10th March, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and Alliance Française de Kampala to organize the 9th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference (KGC), scheduled to take place on 15–16 April 2026 at Makerere University.
The signing formalizes the continued partnership that has established the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as one of the region’s leading platforms for dialogue on global affairs, bringing together scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, and students to debate the major geopolitical and socio-economic transformations shaping the world.
The conference, inspired by the Nantes Geopolitics Conference in France, was first launched in Kampala in 2018 and has since grown into a unique intellectual space for cross-continental exchange between Africa and Europe.
A Platform for Ideas, Dialogue, and Youth Engagement
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as a platform that connects academic discourse with global policy conversations while empowering students to engage with the complex challenges shaping the international system.
The Vice Chancellor noted that hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s long-standing commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and global dialogue.
“Makerere University is proud to host the Kampala Geopolitics Conference because it creates an important platform for debate and exchange on the global issues shaping our world, while giving our students the opportunity to engage directly with leading thinkers and policymakers,” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Prof. Nawangwe further commended the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala for their continued collaboration with Makerere University in organizing the conference over the years. He expressed confidence that the 2026 edition will once again provide a dynamic platform for dialogue, bringing together scholars, policymakers, and students to examine the geopolitical trends shaping Africa and the wider world.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E. Virginie Leroy, Ambassador of France to Uganda, highlighted the significance of the conference as a platform that encourages dialogue on global issues while empowering young people to participate in shaping the future.
Since its inception, the Kampala Geopolitics Conference has created opportunities for students, researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to engage with some of the most pressing global debates. The Ambassador noted that the curiosity and engagement of Ugandan students have become one of the defining features of the conference.
“This conference has become a unique space where students, researchers, policymakers and civil society exchange ideas on the major transformations shaping our world,” Ambassador Leroy said, adding that the event demonstrates the intellectual vitality of Uganda’s youth and the strength of the partnerships that sustain it.
Strengthening Partnerships for Global Dialogue
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a long-standing partner in the initiative, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting platforms that foster meaningful discussions on international affairs and regional dynamics.
Speaking during the ceremony, Anna Reismann, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Uganda, emphasized the importance of the conference in connecting local perspectives with global debates.
She noted that Africa has increasingly become a focal point in global geopolitics, attracting engagement from a wide range of international actors through investments, trade, security cooperation, and diplomatic partnerships. While these engagements create new opportunities for economic growth and technological advancement, they also raise important questions about sustainability, governance, and the terms of international cooperation.
According to Reismann, the conference provides an important forum to examine these issues and to encourage dialogue that bridges academic perspectives with practical policy considerations.
The 2026 edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference will focus on key global and regional issues shaping international relations and development.
Among the themes to be explored are the future of development cooperation, particularly as global aid dynamics evolve and countries explore more sustainable and balanced partnerships. Another panel will examine youth and public policy in Africa, recognizing the critical role that young people play in shaping governance, innovation, and development across the continent.
With Africa home to the youngest population in the world, discussions will highlight the importance of ensuring that young people are not only beneficiaries of public policies but also active contributors to their design and implementation.
Makerere University at the Centre of Global Conversations
Hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s continued commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and international dialogue.
Through its partnerships with global institutions such as the Embassy of France, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala, Makerere continues to create platforms that connect academic knowledge with policy discussions and real-world challenges.
The Kampala Geopolitics Conference is expected to once again bring together leading experts, scholars, and practitioners from across Africa and Europe, while providing students with a rare opportunity to engage directly with global debates.
As preparations for the 2026 edition gather momentum, the partners expressed confidence that the conference will continue to inspire critical thinking, encourage dialogue across disciplines and generations, and strengthen cooperation between Africa and its international partners.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
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