Source : UDB
Figure 2 Dr. Patricia Ojangole, Managing Director of Uganda Development Bank delivers a commencement address during the 76th graduation ceremony of Makerere University in Uganda.
The Managing Director of the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), Dr. Patricia Ojangole says whereas it is true that there were more jobs and fewer competitors over two decades ago when she first graduated from university, today’s graduands are privileged to have modern tools of technology.
The message was part of a commencement address Dr. Ojangole delivered on Thursday, February 26, as Makerere University, one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Africa, held its 76th graduation ceremony in Kampala, Uganda.
“Your generation is different. You have unprecedented access to information and knowledge. You are far better equipped to face the world than we were,” Dr. Ojangole said while addressing graduates at the ceremony during which the College of Business and Management Sciences presented 975 graduands, comprising 14 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, 334 Master’s degrees, 2 Postgraduate Diplomas, and 625 Bachelor’s degrees.
Today’s job market, she added, has since moved far on, focused on innovation, digital connectivity and global participation.
This year, a total of 9,295 graduands were conferred degrees and awarded diplomas
“If you compare generations comprehensively you will see that you have the skills, the knowledge, the exposure to achieve even bigger things than we did. But success today requires a new mindset.”
Dr. Ojangole urged the fresh cohort of graduands to consider entrepreneurship which presents numerous opportunities for Ugandans with ideas, courage and discipline. Her speech also highlighted critical skills and attributes that today’s dynamic job market and business landscape require. Individuals that will thrive in this setting, she said, must possess; analytical skills and critical thinking; adaptability; networking as well as trustworthiness.
“You are not just economists, you are architects of prosperity. You are not just graduates, you are leaders of a generation. The world is waiting for your ideas, your courage, and your innovation,” Dr. Ojangole concluded.
This year, a total of 9,295 graduands were conferred degrees and awarded diplomas in recognition of their dedication and hard work, during Makerere’s 76th graduation ceremony.
A total of 213 graduates received Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees
Among the graduates, 213 received Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, 2,503 graduated with Master’s degrees, and 6,343 earned Bachelor’s degrees. In addition, 206 students graduated with postgraduate diplomas, while 30 were awarded undergraduate diplomas.
Some of the graduates that emerged as Best Students under the College of Business and Management Sciences pose for a photo
“As a society, we must make entrepreneurship and self-employment as respectable and attractive as formal employment. There is significant value, both financial and social, in building your own enterprise. Yes, the risks are higher, but so are the rewards,” Dr, Ojangole told the graduates.
Of the total number of graduates, 4,262 were female and 5,033 male. According to the Vice Chancellor Makerere University, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe this marks the first time in 15 years that male graduates outnumbered their female counterparts.