72nd Graduation: 1,474 graduate as best students are rewarded

The College of Business and Management Sciences today Wednesday May 25, 2022 awarded PhDs, degrees and post graduate Diplomas to 1,474 students and also awarded plaques to the two best performing students.

Mr Ogwanga Ambrose, who graduated with a Masters of Arts in Economics was the best graduate student with a CGPA of 4.9 while Mr. Mpango Keith Wycliffe graduated with a CGPA of 4.64 with a Bachelors of Commerce of Makerere University. 

Among the graduates were 6 who graduated with PhDs, 194 graduated with Masters degrees in various fields. 12 post graduate Diplomas and 1,262 bachelor degrees. 

Mpango Keith Wycliff – the best student in Bachelor of Commerce

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University in his remarks congratulated the graduands and thanked them for their perseverance during the Covid -19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns which greatly affected the education sector. 

He highlighted the strides the university is making in becoming a research led university. With more than 1000 academic staff holding PhDs, Makerere University is a formidable research institution currently ranked No.2 in Africa, he said. This, he said, the university owes to the government and development partners who have supported the university. 

The vice chancellor congratulated the College of Business and Management Sciences upon the achiements registered over the last academic year which include the launch of the Centre of Excellence in Public Investment Management. 

Mr Ogwanga Ambrose (C) with Chancellor Prof. Ezra Suruma (seated) and Prof. Edward Bbaale (L)

The Center will undertake training activities, research and policy advice in the area of Public Investment Management. Government of the Uganda has committed an initial annual budget of around 4 billion shillings to support activities of the Center.

The college also received funding amounting to $500,000 from The World Bank in partnership with the East African Community to revamp ICT equipment at the School of Statistics and Planning inorder to strengthen its capacity to continue with its short term and long-term capacity development efforts.

The Vice chancellor congratulated the College upon its new initiative called the Policy Labs which will provide for policy makers, implementers, development partners, private sector actors and the academia to regularly deliberate on topical policy issues. The Lab will lead discussions and provide input at public policy dialogues in a broad range of fields that relate to the economy, the business environment, regulatory practice, private sector development, public investment management, structural transformation and population dynamics among others.

CoBAMS PhD graduands celebrate their achievement together

The university, Prof. Nawangwe said, has over the years partnered with various organization and universities across the world. In the recent past, the university has partnered with universities in Somalia, South Sudan and Mozambique in an effort to help these partner universities grow their research capacity.   The university he says boasts of hosting students from 54 countirs, including 40 African countries. “We are partnering with many universities and other institutions in Uganda in the areas of training and research,” Prof. Nawangwe said. 

On infrastructure development, the VC highlighted the recently opened Dental School and Hospital, the central teaching facilities, the university wall and the ongoing reconstruction of the main building.

Prof. Ezra Suruma

Prof. Nawangwe reminded the graduants and Parents of the 100 years that the university will be climaxing on October 8, 2022 and requested them to participate in these celebrations. 

He asked the graduands to be the ambassadors of the university. “Go and put to good use the knowledge you have received from one of the best universities in the World to change your communities, your Country and humanity. Put your trust in God and honour your parents and opportunities will be opened for you,” he concluded. 

The Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma on his part congratulated the graduands and commended them for the spirit of hard work, of endurance and self-control. 

A section of BCOM graduands at the graduation ceremony

“Your graduation testifies to the world that in the face of all adversity, poverty, deprivation, doubt and even danger, you possessed the determination to strive on, to rise after the fall and today you are counted among the survivors,” Prof. Suruma said. 

He advised the students to serve above self as they go out into the work environment. 

“Strive for the wisdom to sometimes put the needs of others before your own. It is called love. Strive for the wisdom to be accountable for the time and resources that have been placed under your responsibility,” Prof. Suruma said.

He advised the graduands to take advantage of the recently introduced parish model which will require real-time data on population structures, households, livestock populations as well as records of the effectiveness of local institutional performance such as the daily absenteeism of UPE teachers and workers in local Health Centers.  

Dr. Kasim Sendawula being conferred the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Makerere University

Calling for innovation and creativity, the Chancellor said despite the risks and high costs of innovation and creativity, it is the true path to leadership. “It is only through innovation that you will stand out of the crowd,” he urged. 

Quoting Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. After 1,000 unsuccessful attempts to make a light bulb he did not stop. He said, I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention of 1,000 steps.”  

At the end of the 5-day graduation, a total of 12,474 graduands will have received degrees and diplomas of Makerere University. Of these, 100 will graduate with PhDs, 1,236 with Masters degrees and 10,998 with Bachelors Degree and 140 with diplomas. 52% of the graduands are female and 48% are male. 

Written by Betty Kyakuwa 

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