MUBS calls on business community to engage with universities

Makerere University Business School (Mubs) has called on other private sector players to join the Nation Media Group (NMG) in supporting universities by connecting them with industry players and investors, ensuring that their research becomes more relevant.

Speaking on the second day of the 28th Annual International Management Conference at Imperial Golf View Hotel in Entebbe on September 25, Prof Moses Muhwezi, the acting principal of Mubs, said: “The business community should take interest in what happens in the university. The gap between academia and practice should be reduced and Mubs is at the forefront of this.”

“In this conference, we have partners, stakeholders and sponsors. Nation Media Group is among the partners that are sponsoring. Many companies should come and partner with universities because they are not fully funded,” he added.

Prof Muhwezi's remarks yesterday came ahead of today's business forum which will be held at the same venue, and targets the business community. Conference speakers are expected to discuss how the future of business in Africa will be shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the knowledge economy.

He said while many people are concerned about job losses due to AI, it is actually going to enhance efficiency and productivity. 

Hopeful

He encouraged students, academics, and the business community to take an active interest in developments within the university related to AI.

Prof Muhwezi urged participants to take advantage of short courses being introduced by Mubs, such as data analytics and the ethics of using AI in business.

He said the programmes will equip them with valuable skills, warning that without such knowledge, they may be considered illiterate in the next 10 years.

The keynote speaker, Prof Foluso Ayeni from the Department of Management Information Systems at the College of Business Management, Metropolitan State University (USA), encouraged academics to embrace AI, saying it is here to stay.

Mr Ayeni advised them to explore Generative AI for research, noting that its benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

Adopt AI

He urged students, industry professionals, engineers, non-governmental organisations, and governments to adopt AI tools. Where expertise is lacking, he recommended hiring experts to train staff, as AI can be applied in education and presentations, and can also boost revenue.

He added that AI has "flattened the world," making it more accessible and transformative.

Through its annual Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies survey, NMG and its project partners, including Huawei, who are co-sponsoring today’s business forum, have been leading efforts to encourage businesses and survey participants to embrace technology and automate their systems in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The same message was emphasised during last week’s Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Technology Forum.