Kampala 27 February 2024 – The Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) and Makerere University through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) formalised their relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

This partnership is aimed at utilising research to solve industry-related gaps/challenges in an effort to enhance the growth and competitiveness of Uganda’s manufacturing sector. As part of its strategic goals, UMA places a significant emphasis on strengthening partnerships with esteemed institutions such as Makerere University, acknowledging the crucial role research plays in enhancing the growth and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.
According to Mr. Deo JB Kayemba, UMA Board Chairman, countries like India, Japan, and South Korea have experienced substantial growth by leveraging research to support industrial development. For instance, the numbers of PhD students in these countries – India (24,300), Japan (16,039), South Korea (12,931) – highlight the role of education research in addressing industry-specific challenges and fostering economic growth.
The Chairman also acknowledged the vital role of innovation in propelling the manufacturing sector forward.
“We recognize that the journey towards research-led manufacturing requires collaboration, and we are delighted to kickstart this journey with Makerere University,” he added.
Mr. Eria Hisali, the Principle of the College of business and Management Sciences – Makerere University, acknowledged the collaborative efforts in fast-tracking the partnership and committed to operationalizing the MoU for a result-oriented collaboration. He committed to operationalizing the MoU so as to have a result-oriented partnership.

Mr. Hisali also noted the need to enhance the practical skills of graduates by involving industry practitioners in curriculum redevelopment and delivery, aiming to provide students with a broader knowledge base that promotes skills development.
Furthermore, he highlighted the need to embark on innovations that support industry, manufacturing and technology. “We need to utilise the existing companies to enhance innovation and further advance the ‘Buy Uganda Build Uganda’ (BUBU) agenda,” he added, aligning with the broader goal of promoting locally produced goods and self-sufficiency.
Some of the joint efforts include:
- To pursue joint research, publishing research findings, writing background policy papers and promoting outreach to the relevant state and non-state actors.
- Makerere to provide a pool of students from where UMA will select internship students through the Mak Internship/Field Attachment program at the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).
- To collaborate on knowledge transfer and staff exchange programs to impart more practical skills to both parties.
- To organize and participate in joint activities such as seminars, workshops and conferences aimed at imparting practical skills, knowledge transfer and re-tooling of both Mak students and UMA manufacturers.
- To collaborate on the review and development of the curriculum to be more practical for the workplace.
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