Why MUBS will not become a University

In 2006, cabinet directed that MUBS be transformed into a university. 8 years down the line, nothing has happened. Since then, about 20 other universities have been established. In 2010, after a visitation ordered by the National Council for Higher Education, the NCHE recommended that MUBS should be made a degree awarding institute.  A degree awarding institute does everything a university does except call itself a university. UMI is one such in the public sector and the TEAM is the other in the private sector. When you go through the list of NCHE that classifies tertiary institutions, MUBS is listed with those institutions that do not have a single person with a PhD. In fact you take pains to look for where MUBS is.

When you write and complain (like I am complaining now) those concerned will say these people complain too much. In this world, you never get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate or fight for. Unfortunately, we have failed to identify the one single person that has made decisions about MUBS not to be implemented. When you go to seek assistance, since this country is an assistance seeking one, they will tell you that you are part of Makerere and yet Makerere cannot give you a single coin.

This story appearing in the vision of February 22, 2014, is that Belgium gives universities shs.5billion for research. It is a pity that we are still a public tertiary institution that is not expected to do any research and yet the research output from MUBS is phenomena. What bothers me is that MUBS is a public institution and a leading business institution in the region. MUBS has made tremendous contribution to the country’s business and management training. MUBS has tremendous opportunity to contribute to the economy in various ways. However somebody out there has locked out these opportunities for some selfish reasons.

MUBS annually looks for about USD 100,000 to participate in a Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Research. This research has been fundamental in understanding entrepreneurship in Uganda. Thanks to the few people who have funded the research over the past two years and thumbs down for those who continue to keep MUBS out of its rightful position. By the time MUBS is given its rightful position, it may be too late because universities in our neighboring universities have picked out the loose ends in the MUBS game and are doing what MUBS has been doing very well without limitation. MUBS has had its hand tied behind its back, it legs chained and told to run.

The struggle continues.