Business & Management

CoBAMS Students Gain Hands-On Experience at Kingfisher Oil Field

Published

1 year ago

October 29, 2024

Students at Central Processing Facility, Kingfisher

Hoima and Kikuube Districts, Uganda – October 20, 2024

A group of third-year students from College of Business and Management Sciences’s Energy and Natural Resources Economics program visited the Kingfisher oil operations and Kabalega Airport in Hoima and Kikuube districts on October 20, 2024. Led by Dr. Peter Babyenda and Dr. John Sseruyange, and with authorization from the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, the visit offered the students an invaluable opportunity to connect classroom learning with field experience.

The primary objective of the field trip was to enhance students’ practical understanding of Uganda’s oil industry by observing the extraction and production processes firsthand. According to Dr. Babyenda, “Blending theory with real-world exposure is essential for these students, as it allows them to apply and expand their knowledge beyond the classroom.”

During the tour, students explored several key areas:

Practical Exposure – Witnessing the operational procedures of oil extraction offered students a concrete understanding of how theoretical concepts play out in the field, enhancing their grasp of the industry.
Economic Impact Analysis – Observing the economic role of oil production in Hoima and Kikuube allowed the students to explore its broader impact on local and global markets and its contributions to community development and Uganda’s economic landscape.
Technical Knowledge – The students gained insights into the technical aspects of oil extraction, learning about the complexities of the operations, the innovations employed, and the challenges faced by the industry.
Environmental and Social Considerations – Students observed the environmental practices in place and evaluated the social dynamics involved, gaining an understanding of how oil companies balance production with community and environmental sustainability.
Career Insights – With opportunities to interact with professionals in the oil sector, students received guidance on potential career paths in the industry, helping them make informed decisions about their futures.
Current Industry Issues – The group also delved into the status of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project and discussed challenges in oil and natural gas production, examining where Uganda stands in terms of production timelines, obstacles, solutions, and the role they can play as future energy professionals.

*Students at Luwero Industries Waste Treatment Plant*

Reflecting on the trip, Dr. Sseruyange highlighted the importance of this experience in solidifying students’ understanding of Uganda’s evolving oil industry. “This field experience not only complements what they’ve learned in lectures but also equips them with a real sense of the operational and societal impact of the energy sector,”he noted.

The students expressed their gratitude for the immersive experience, noting how it broadened their perspectives and deepened their knowledge. The field trip served as an essential step in preparing them for careers within Uganda’s energy and natural resources sectors, bringing them closer to the industry’s forefront and the future of sustainable energy in the region.

Business & Management

Cementing the Mak-UNISA partnership: Prof. Sarah Ssali meets Dr. Sizile Makola

Published

1 day ago

April 15, 2026

Ritah Namisango

L-R: Associate Prof. Godfrey Akileng, Dean,School of Business, Visiting Scholar-Dr. Sizile Makola, DVCAA-Prof. Sarah Ssali, Ms. Agnes Sansa-PhD Student during the meeting on 13th April 2026.

On 13^th 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 10^th 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.

Related articles:

Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

African Scholarship Must Theorize from Indigenous Knowledge to Build Contextually Grounded Leadership Systems,” Dr. Sizile Makola

“African Scholarship Must Theorize from Indigenous Knowledge to Build Contextually Grounded Leadership Systems,” Dr. Sizile Makola

Business & Management

Call For Applications: Student Mobility – University of Padova, Italy (Oct 2026-Jan 2027)

Published

3 days ago

April 14, 2026

Mak Editor

Group Photo of the trainers and trainees that took part in the workshop on multivariate statistics and time series analysis, held 11th-20th June 2024 between the School of Statistics and Planning, CoBAMS and University of Padova, Italy. Makerere University School of Statistics and Planning-University of Padova, Italy dynamic workshop on multivariate statistics and time series analysis, 11th to 20th June 2024, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

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 20^th, 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 30^th, 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 20^th, 2026.

Advert Bilateral UniPd_Mak_Agreement_for Student Mobility Download

Business & Management

Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

Published

1 week ago

April 8, 2026

Ritah Namisango

L-R: Dr. Zaina Nakabuye, Dr. Jude Mugarura, Dr. Agnes Sansa, Dr. Sizile Makola, Prof Edward Bbaale and Dr. Anthony Tibaingana at the 8th April 2026 meeting in the Office of the Principal. Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Prof. Edward Bbaale welcomes Dr. Sizile Makola, a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA), to the College and Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa, 8th April 2026.

On Wednesday 8^th 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 10^th April 2026 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm in the School of Business, Conference Hall.