Mbarara University’s ‘UCOBS’ Scale-Up Project Empowering Over 600 Students and Alumni
Many university graduates across Uganda struggle to secure employment despite their strong academic credentials.
This challenge is largely due to the imbalance between the growing number of graduates and the limited job opportunities available.
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To address this, the Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) Faculty of Business, in collaboration with Flemish universities, has implemented the Scale-Up Project, an initiative that has so far benefited over 600 students.
“Around 600 students have benefited from this program since 2022. We have developed training materials to support the sessions, and we have also redesigned the curriculum at the Faculty of Business to mainstream the entrepreneurship practicum,” said Dr. Manasseh Tumuhimbise, a Sub-Project 5 Team Leader at MUST.
Speaking to Nile Post, Dr. Ernest Ssewanyana, an alumnus of MUST, shared how the UCOBS project helped him establish a packaging business.
“While I was at MUST, I got the opportunity to receive mentorship in business training under UCOBS Project 5. This initiative helped us enter the market in Mbarara with our company, Nova Eco Packaging, which today employs young people and produces environmentally friendly packaging like paper bags, boxes, and cartons,” Dr. Ssewanyana said.
The University as Facilitator Community-Based Sustainable Solutions to Demographic Challenges in South Western Uganda (UCOBS) project works closely with communities.
According to Mbarara University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Charles Tushaboomwe Kazooba, this collaboration has played a crucial role in shaping the curriculum to produce more employable graduates.
“We work with the community to develop solutions and policy briefs. The information we gather not only guides our students but also helps us redesign our curriculum to ensure they play a strategic role in managing their own businesses or organizations where they work,” Assoc. Prof. Tushaboomwe said.
The program is set to grow further with the construction of a skilling and entrepreneurship center to equip students with practical business skills.
Lector Thijs Martens, a Flemish Team Leader for Sub-Project 5 at MUST, expressed optimism about the project’s future impact.
“We hope to contribute to more entrepreneurship skills among MUST students, and in the future, we envision more companies being built through the entrepreneurship center,” Lector Martens said.
The UCOBS project is designed to bridge the gap between public universities and the labor market, particularly industries and factories, to facilitate graduates’ transition into employment or self-employment.
Among the beneficiaries is Sarah Akampurira, a PhD student at MUST, who is working on translating theoretical knowledge into practical business ventures.
Currently, the entrepreneurship skilling center is under construction, aimed at expanding the program and benefiting even more students.
