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Embrace entrepreneurship, Makerere graduates told

Makerere University's 75th graduation ceremony. Over 13,658 graduands, including 143 PhD students, will graduate during the five-day ceremony at the university's Freedom Square. Photo | David Lubowa

What you need to know:

  • The week-long celebration, which began on January 13, 2025, shall see 143 PhDs, 1,813 Masters degrees, 11,454 Bachelor degrees, and 243 postgraduate diplomas conferred upon the graduates

The opening day of Makerere University's 75th Graduation Ceremony was a momentous occasion, with over 13,000 students graduating in various disciplines.

The week-long celebration, which began on January 13, 2025, shall see 143 PhDs, 1,813 Masters degrees, 11,454 Bachelor degrees, and 243 postgraduate diplomas conferred upon the graduates.

A recurring theme throughout the ceremony was the emphasis on self-employment and entrepreneurship. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe urged the graduates to "reflect on the immense opportunities around you and raise them as an entrepreneur" if they couldn't find employment immediately.

"We have equipped you with the knowledge and skills that made you employable or able to create your own businesses and employ others," Prof. Nawangwe said. "Do not despair if you cannot find employment immediately, instead reflect on the immense opportunities around you and raise them as an entrepreneur."

Prof. LenkaBula Puleng, Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa, echoed this sentiment, saying, "If you don't find employment, you create employment." She also encouraged African women to reclaim their generational mission and redefine their worth.

"You've been given the critical skills to think more than the others who have not been walking your ground," Prof. Puleng said. "I want to challenge you to think critically about the world you live in and the world you want to create."

Prof. Crispus Kiyonga, the new Chancellor of Makerere University, also emphasized the importance of self-employment, stating that the knowledge acquired at the university is "quite facilitating" for starting one's own business.

"These positions where some of you will get placements are not enough to absorb all of you," Prof. Kiyonga said. "However, the knowledge that you have acquired at the university is quite facilitating, you can actually start work on your own either as an individual or in groups, use the knowledge that you have acquired for the benefit of your family and the society in general."

The university's efforts to promote entrepreneurship were evident in the establishment of the Makerere University Innovation Pod, which has achieved impressive results, including the incubation of 51 innovations and the support of 5 student-led startups.

With the support of the UNDP, the innovation pod is a multidisciplinary state-of-the-art maker space that provides students with the resources and mentorship needed to turn their ideas into reality.

During the past year, the pod has trained 15 commercialization project teams, supported 13 commercialization projects to access funding totaling Uganda shillings 513 million, and hosted over 300 secondary school students and other visitors.

According to Prof. Nawangwe, the ultimate aim of the innovation pod is to ensure that every student leaving Makerere University has a business idea.

A study by the Partnership for Economic Policy and the Mastercard Foundation highlighted the need for self-employment initiatives, revealing that Uganda has numerous youth programs and initiatives in place, but with varying degrees of success.

The study found that some programs have had a positive impact on youth employment creation and income generation, but others face challenges such as delayed release of funds, inadequate preparation of beneficiaries, favoritism, and misuse of funds.

The study also noted that marginalized groups, such as the disabled, do not benefit equally from these programs, and that some programs are strictly for women.