The College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) at Makerere University held an insightful Career Guidance Day on September 6th, 2024, under the theme, “Navigating Your Future Career Choices: Preparing for the Evolving Job Market.” The event aimed at equipping students with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed career decisions in a fast-changing employment landscape.
The event commenced with welcome remarks from the Principal of CoBAMS, Prof. Bbaale, who applauded the students for their enthusiasm in taking control of their career trajectories. He emphasized the crucial role career guidance plays in preparing students to face future challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities in an ever-evolving job market.
Byamukama Junior, Chairperson of the CoBAMS Career Guidance Committee (CGC), also addressed the gathering, encouraging the students to actively engage with the day’s discussions and to seriously consider the career advice offered by the panelists. His message focused on the importance of informed decision-making and personal initiative in shaping one’s career path.
The opening remarks were delivered by Basalirwa Jonathan, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, who underscored the importance of the event in helping students clarify their career goals. He extended his gratitude to the organizing team and the speakers for their dedication in making the event a success.
A student leader gives welcomes remarks.
The keynote address was given by renowned economist Dr. Fred Muhumuza, who shared profound insights into career development. He emphasized the significance of self-awareness, urging students to “know what you want and be determined.” Dr. Muhumuza encouraged the attendees to strive for excellence in all they do and to remain open to the diverse opportunities available in emerging fields such as climate change, population growth, human rights, information technology, computer programming, and project analysis.
In an inspirational moment, Dr. Muhumuza advised students to “train your brain to come up with something important,” highlighting the need for continuous innovation and skill development to stay competitive in today’s dynamic job market.
A lively panel discussion followed, featuring industry experts and mentors who shared their experiences and offered practical career guidance. The panelists addressed students’ questions, providing insights on various career pathways and offering mentorship advice on how to successfully navigate the complex job market.
Students took advantage of the interactive session to inquire about career challenges in their fields of interest and how to align their academic pursuits with future job opportunities. The panelists offered thoughtful responses, empowering students with actionable guidance for making informed career decisions.
The event concluded on a positive note, with many students expressing appreciation for the valuable insights shared and a renewed sense of direction in their career planning.
This year’s Career Guidance Day at CoBAMS reaffirmed the importance of proactive career planning and underscored the need for students to remain adaptable, innovative, and forward-thinking as they prepare to enter the global job market.
On 13th April 2026, Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of Makerere University, hosted Dr. Sizile Makola, a Visiting Scholar and Senior Lecturer from the University of South Africa (UNISA).
Makerere University and the University of South Africa committed to partnership and collaboration through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Consequently, Dr. Makola, a researcher and an expert in human resource and business management is scheduled to spend two weeks at Makerere University, interacting with the leadership at different levels, researchers, students, as well as staff in the Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).
Additionally, the visit accords Dr. Makola the golden opportunity to finalise her comparative studies with members of staff from the Department of Marketing and Management on behalf of Makerere University for the Ugandan context.
The meeting between the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Dr. Sizile Makola was attended by Associate Professor Godfrey Akileng-the Dean, School of Business, and Ms. Agnes Sansa from the Department of Marketing and Management.
Welcoming the Visiting Scholar, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) urged Dr. Makola to solidify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both universities through academic exchanges and deepening scholarship on African-centred leadership.
Prof. Ssali shared a brief trajectory that has shaped Uganda’s workspace. She mentioned the critical role of three pillars that have fundamentally influenced the human resource development landscape in Uganda namely: Cultural practices, Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP), and Spirituality/Religion. She also acknowledged the distinct historical differences between Uganda and South Africa.
Dr. Makola’s discussion with the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) also featured the ongoing comparative study that Dr. Sizile Makola and Ms. Agnes Sansa are conducting in relation to how organizational and human resource management conditions shape the recognition and conversion of women leadership resilience in Uganda and South Africa.
The study is titled: Ubuntu/Obuntu Bulamu, Emotional Capital and Women’s Leadership Resilience: A Comparative Study Across Public and Private Sectors in South Africa and Uganda.
Impressed by the ongoing study, Prof. Ssali implored the visiting faculty-Dr. Sizile Makola to share with her the findings in due course.
Prof. Ssali expressed the readiness of the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) to work with the different units within Makerere University, and the University of South Africa, to support programmes aimed at strengthening collaboration, partnership, research, and internationalization.
On 10th April 2026, Dr. Makola delivered a captivating guest lecture titled,Re-Imagining Human Resource Management in Africa, targeting undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing human resource management courses at Makerere University.
Emphasizing the need to integrate indigenous knowledge and organizational practice, Dr. Makola argued that researchers should theorize from African contexts, treat indigenous knowledge as a source of theory, use methodologies capturing moral, communal, and context-bound dimensions of work, and build concepts from African languages, values, and institutional histories.
She stressed the need for African-centered human resource management thinking, rather than just adding local case studies to Western frameworks. Dr. Makola’s argument was informed by limitations of Western human resource management frameworks, which assume autonomous individuals, formal institutions, and technical organizations, which are separate from family and community.
Arising from an existing Memorandum of Understanding (until September 2028) between University of Padova, Italy (UniPd) and Makerere University (Mak), the two institutions partnered and will jointly implement the Bilateral Agreement for the mobility for students between 2026 and 2027. At Mak, the Departmental Flow Coordinator is Symon Peter Wandiembe (PhD) and the project Principal Investigator and Contact Person is Saint Kizito Omala (PhD), both of Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial Science (DSMAS).
In this regard, the Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial Science wishes to announce opportunities for student mobility to the Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy for the Winter Semester, October 2026 – January 2027.
The selection process shall entail five-steps:
Step 1: Submission of documents by candidates for nomination, with an internal deadline of April 20th, 2026, 05.00 p.m. (EAT) to allow for time to process nomination applications;
Step 2: Meeting of the Nomination Committee to review documents received from applicants;
Step 3: Submitting the list of nominated candidates, by April 30th, 2026, to the International Projects and Mobility Office of the University of Padua, Italy;
Step 4: Eligibility check and communication to successful candidates by the International Projects and Mobility Office of the University of Padua, Italy; and
Step 5: Application for the Mobility opportunity by successful candidates.
Please see download for detailed call.
Inquiry
S.K. Omala via +256 772 491545 before April 20th, 2026.
On Wednesday 8th April 2026 the Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Prof. Edward Bbaale received and welcomed, Dr. Sizile Makola, a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA), to the College and Makerere University.
The interaction meeting held in the Office of the Principal brought onboard the following members of staff from the Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business: Dr. Jude Mugarura, Dr. Zaina Nakabuye, Dr. Agnes Sansa, and Dr. Anthony Tibaingana.
Dr.Sizile Makola is visiting Makerere University for two (2) weeks to cement the MoU between Makerere University and UNISA and to finalise her comparative studies with staff from the department of marketing and management on behalf of Makerere University for the Ugandan context.
Dr. Makola is scheduled to deliver an interactive guest lecture to undergraduate and postgraduate human resource management students on Friday 10th April 2026 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm in the School of Business, Conference Hall.