For generations, a university degree has been regarded as the surest path to a successful career. Yet for many Ugandan graduates, that promise is an empty one. Every year, thousands leave university armed with academic qualifications only to discover that employers are looking for something more: practical skills and hands-on experience that many graduates lack.
Makerere University Business School (MUBS) believes it has found part of the answer.
The institution has unveiled a new academic model known as “Degree Plus One,” under which every student will graduate not only with a university degree but also with practical vocational skills designed to improve employability and create opportunities for self-employment.
The initiative marks one of the university’s biggest curriculum reforms in recent years and comes as higher education institutions across Uganda prepare for a nationwide transition to competence-based learning beginning with the 2027/2028 academic year.
Speaking during the MUBS top management curriculum review boot camp at Imperial Golf View Hotel in Entebbe, MUBS Principal Professor Moses Muhwezi said the new approach reflects a changing labour market where academic knowledge alone is no longer enough.
“We have also put in place a new degree setup called Degree Plus One, where the plus one is a practical skill that a student can learn, such as plumbing, electrical installation and repair. We want every child to study for a degree but leave with a skill that can enable them to start a business,” Muhwezi said.
The announcement reflects a broader shift taking place across Uganda’s higher education system.
For decades, universities largely measured success by the knowledge students acquired through lectures, examinations and coursework. Under the competence-based model introduced by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), institutions will instead be expected to demonstrate what graduates can do with that knowledge.
Rather than focusing primarily on memorisation, the new system places greater emphasis on practical learning, workplace experience, projects, internships and continuous assessment. The objective is to ensure graduates leave university with skills that are directly relevant to the workplace.
In simple terms, the reform aims to narrow the gap between the classroom and the job market.
That challenge has become increasingly significant as Uganda’s universities continue producing thousands of graduates each year while many employers report difficulty finding candidates with practical workplace experience.
Recognising that reality, Muhwezi said MUBS has already invested more than Shs1 billion in reviewing its academic programmes to align them with the new national standards and intends to commit even more resources before implementation begins.
“As MUBS, we ensure that the courses we offer match public demand and the needs of the market. We are going to invest even more to ensure the university meets competence-based education standards,” he said.
The reforms extend beyond teaching methods.
MUBS is also redesigning what students study, introducing programmes that respond to emerging economic opportunities.
Among them are new courses in cooperative management, an area Professor Muhwezi believes will become increasingly important as Uganda expands its network of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) under government development programmes.
“We have over 5,000 parishes in Uganda, and all of them have Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs). We are looking at cooperative-related courses as highly marketable programmes that will enable university students to easily get jobs,” he said.
The decision reflects a growing recognition that universities must adapt more quickly to changing economic realities rather than relying on traditional academic programmes alone.
Muhwezi noted that practical learning is not entirely new at MUBS.
The university has long incorporated case studies, guest lectures and industrial training into many of its programmes. What is changing now is the scale of the transformation.
According to the Principal, the university has reviewed course content, teaching methods, contact hours and assessment systems to ensure students graduate with clearly defined competencies rather than theoretical knowledge alone.
“We have reviewed the course content, the teaching methods and the contact hours to ensure students acquire the competencies required in business programmes. We also want our lecturers to move from being classroom instructors to mentors who guide students through practical learning,” he said.
That shift also changes the role of lecturers.
Instead of acting primarily as sources of information, lecturers will increasingly become mentors, guiding students through discussions, projects, workplace experiences and problem-solving exercises that mirror real-life situations.
Muhwezi urged academic staff to embrace that transition.
“This is no longer an era where the lecturer is simply the most knowledgeable person in the classroom. Our role is to mentor students, allow them to ask questions, share experiences and develop solutions to real-world challenges,” he said.
The reforms will not take effect immediately.
Before implementation, the revised programmes must first be approved by Makerere University and the National Council for Higher Education, the statutory body responsible for regulating universities and other higher education institutions in Uganda.
MUBS also plans to strengthen its understanding of graduate outcomes by launching tracer studies during the 2026/2027 financial year.
Graduate tracer studies follow former students after they leave university to determine where they work, how long it takes them to secure employment and whether the education they received matches the skills employers require.
Muhwezi acknowledged that MUBS currently has limited information about the career paths of many of its graduates despite producing between 6,000 and 7,000 graduates every year.
“Every year, between 6,000 and 7,000 students graduate from MUBS, but we do not adequately know where they go, the jobs they get or how they perform. That information is important because it helps us improve what and how we teach,” he said.
Previous studies suggested that about 40 per cent of MUBS graduates found employment within one year of completing their studies. The university now wants to establish whether that figure has improved and what lessons can be drawn to strengthen future programmes.
For students, the proposed reforms could significantly reshape the university experience.