By Joseph muyingo
As artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies reshape the job market, Victoria University is placing practical skills and workplace experience at the centre of its education approach as it prepares to graduate students during its 10th graduation ceremony.
The two-day ceremony, scheduled for October 19 and 20 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, will bring together graduates, families, university officials and other stakeholders under the theme “The Future is Here.”
The university says the approach is intended to help graduates move beyond academic qualifications by equipping them with practical competencies needed to compete in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
A key component of this strategy is the Work-Integrated Learning Transcript, which documents students’ practical skills, industry projects, professional competencies and workplace experience acquired during their studies.
The initiative is designed to help graduates demonstrate their abilities to prospective employers at a time when academic qualifications alone may not be sufficient to secure employment.
Under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Professor Lawrence Muganga, Victoria University has increasingly emphasised student-centred learning, digital innovation and practical training as part of its response to changing workforce demands.
The university’s focus comes as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science and software development create new opportunities while changing the skills employers seek.
Victoria University offers programmes in emerging technology fields, including Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, and Software Engineering.
It also offers courses in health sciences, business, law, journalism, tourism, agriculture and education, alongside diploma and postgraduate programmes intended to serve different professional career paths.
Graduates from the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Health Sciences will receive their awards on Monday, October 19, while those from the Faculty of Business and Management and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences will graduate on Tuesday, October 20.
For the graduates, the ceremony marks the end of years of academic preparation and the beginning of a new challenge: translating their qualifications and practical experience into employment, entrepreneurship and professional growth.
As Uganda continues to grapple with youth unemployment and competition for available jobs, the emphasis on practical competencies highlights the growing importance of aligning higher education with the demands of the labour market.
While a university qualification remains an important milestone, graduates must increasingly demonstrate adaptability, digital literacy, problem-solving skills and the ability to apply their knowledge in real-world situations.
Victoria University’s 10th graduation therefore provides an opportunity to celebrate academic achievement while highlighting the need for higher education institutions to prepare students for an evolving world of work.
Under the theme “The Future is Here,” the ceremony underscores the university’s stated ambition to produce graduates who can adapt to technological change and contribute to Uganda’s social and economic development.
