"The job of a leader is to change things. As a leader, your life is about empowering the people you work with", Prof. Waswa Balunywa.
KIU, Main Campus – From September 17th - 18th, 2024, the top management team of Kampala International University led by Prof. Muhammed Ngoma were trained by Balunywa Leadership Academy, a leading Human Resource Development Centre that supports the development of high calibre people in the areas of Leadership, Management, and Entrepreneurship.
According to Prof. Ngoma, the purpose of the training is to equip the top managers to achieve the university's strategic direction.
"Our vision is to be the number one university in Uganda by 2028 and among the top three in Africa by 2032. We want change in KIU so fast"
In his opening presentation, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, the Executive Director of the Balunywa Leadership Academy noted that every business's future lies in the customers' demand at the other end. "Our curriculum should be dependent on what customers want", he noted.
Professor Balunywa is an economist, banker, humanitarian, and scholar in management, leadership and entrepreneurship. He was also an academic administrator and worked as the Principal of Makerere University Business School from 1998 – 2023. He charged the leaders to be futuristic in their strategic planning and curriculum development.
"Who are our customers in 3-6 years now? What will be the demands of those students? In your curriculum there should be 5-10% changes every year, after 3-4 years there should be a major review. When curricula are not reviewed, you will teach what is stale", said Prof. Balunywa
The entire training was facilitated by the team from the Academy and the following topics were discussed on the first day - Trends and Challenges Facing Higher Education and the Audacity to Lead and the Skills Required for Leadership (Prof. Waswa Balunywa), Communication Skills (Charlotte Ninsima) and Exceptional People (Brenda Nawanda). On the second day, the training focused on the following topics - Teams and Team Building (Robinson Ogwang), Psychological Safety and Group Think (Robinson Ogwang and Prof. Waswa Baluywa, Supervisory Skills (Jane Ritah Akello), and Managing Conflict in Organizations (Marie Ainembabazi)
The training was phenomenal as a lot of insights that drive organizational change were uncovered.
In his closing address, Dr. Hassan Basajjabalaba, the Chairman Board of Trustees (CBOT) represented by Mr. Ambrose Kibuuka, a member of the KIU BOT and the University Council noted that the purpose of the training is to equip the management to work together to achieve the vision of KIU.
"The greatness of KIU is obvious. Our vision is in our name - Kampala International University. We are an international university, and this has been reflected in our student and staff composition. All over Africa, KIU graduates have been consistently serving humanity while making an impact in their society, especially our medical doctors. We want to be undisputably the leading Private University in the East African Region.
"I want to thank Professor Balunywa for conducting this training, we appreciate you. We appreciate the management, the team is doing an amazing job. Let us look at the positives. I urge every member of the management team to endeavour to leave a legacy yourself in KIU", the Chairman concluded.
In his closing remarks, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ngoma promised the CBOT that the current management will rewrite the history and story of KIU. We are committed and we have started rewriting the story.
The top members of management in attendance include - Dr. Mundu Mustafa, the Ag. DVC Finance and Administration, Assistant DVC Research, Innovation, Consultancy and Extension (RICE), and the Assistant DVC Finance and Administration - Western Campus; Prof. Regina I.E Nwadiaro, Ag. DVC RICE, Dr. Jacob E. Ashibi, Ag. DVC Academic Affairs, Ms. Christine Ainebyoona, Campus Administrator, Dr. Muneer Ahmad, Chief University Librarian, Prof. Omolara Oluwaniyi, Ag. Director of Quality Assurance, Dr. Irene Wanjiru, Deputy Director of Quality Assurance, Assoc. Prof. Ibrahim Sani Madugu, Ag. Director of ICT, Ms Aisha Najjuma, Ag. Director of Human Resources, Ms. Barbara Namuwonge, Deputy Director, Finance, Mr John Karahukayo, Deputy Director, Finance (Audit), Ms Naomy Kemboi, Director Universities in East Africa of Marketing and Ms. Irene, Komuhendo, Deputy Director, Marketing and Public Relations.
Other Deans and Principals in attendance include - Dr. Okwadi Joseph Tukei, Principal College of Economics and Management (CEM), Dr. Derrick Ssekajugo, Deputy Principal CEM, Dr. Michael Adewusi, Dean School of Mathematics and Computing (SOMAC), Dr. Gidraf Joseph Wanjala, Principal College of Education, Open and Distance Learning (CEODL), and Assoc. Prof. Hannington Twinomuhwezi, Dean School of Natural and Applied Sciences.