Ms. Olive Birungi Lumonya, Chairperson of the MUBS Council (in pink), and Prof. Moses Muhwezi, MUBS Principal (seated second from the right), pose in a group photo with conference delegates.
September 23, 2025- Makerere University Business School (MUBS) officially opened its 29th Annual International Management Conference (AIMC) on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the scenic Imperial Golf View Hotel, Entebbe, with a strong focus on research, skills-based employability, and the transformation of African education systems.
The event began with the much-anticipated Doctoral Symposium, a key platform designed to support PhD students as they engage with leading scholars on cutting-edge research and theory.
The Guest Speaker Prof. Richard Shambare, Dean of Management and Commerce at the University of Fort Hare, lauded MUBS for its leadership in business research and education in the region. He emphasized the urgent need for PhD students to focus on practical and Africa-relevant solutions to the continent’s socio-economic challenges. “Our problem is that we produce solutions and goods we do not consume, and consume those we do not produce. This limits our competitive advantage on the global market,” said Prof. Shambare. He further encouraged students to fully understand their research instruments, including conceptual frameworks and methodologies, stressing that meaningful research must be both valid and applicable.
“Rethink the future of education: In a world shaped by AI, automation, and digital disruption, we must build systems that nurture entrepreneurial agility, ethical leadership, and digital fluency,”
Delivering the Keynote Address, Prof. Samuel Ssejjaka, Principal of MAT Abacus Business School, paid tribute to MUBS pioneers Prof. John Chrysestomus Munene and Prof. Augustine Ahiauzu, (RIP)recognizing their instrumental roles in shaping the MUBS PhD program. “Today, I stand on the shoulders of giants who made it possible for us to realize this dream,” he remarked. He emphasized the importance of academic self-critique and warned against confirmation bias: “Academic rigor requires that we question every assumption. The research process must be foolproof, our results must be valid, not just desirable,” he noted.
Prof. Samuel Sejjaaka addressing participants at the 29th AIMC Doctoral Symposium in Entebbe
Prof. Ssejjaka challenged doctoral candidates to maintain academic rigor and objectivity in their work. “Too often we are fixated on confirming our own biases rather than interrogating the truth. Academic research demands that we challenge every assumption and ensure our findings are not spurious,” he noted.
He called for greater attention to issues of validity, reliability, and intellectual honesty in the research process.
In her remarks, Ms. Olive Birungi Lumonya, Chairperson of the MUBS Council, applauded the conference organizers and partners for sustaining the AIMC for 29 years, noting its evolution in both substance and impact. She challenged participants to rethink the future of education: “In a world shaped by AI, automation, and digital disruption, we must build systems that nurture entrepreneurial agility, ethical leadership, and digital fluency,” she said.
Her call to action: Translate conference insights into real change for Africa’s education systems. She highlighted the relevance of this year’s theme, calling for a radical rethinking of Africa’s educational systems in the face of global change.
“What kind of education truly empowers our graduates? What skills are required not just to survive, but to lead in the world of tomorrow?” she asked. “Let us leave this gathering with more than ideas and resolutions to create education systems that empower graduates to solve problems, create value, and lead change,” she concluded.
Welcoming both local and international participants, MUBS Principal Prof. Moses Muhwezi emphasized the importance of skills-based employability and relevant research. He encouraged PhD students to embrace philosophical thinking in their work: “Philosophy helps uncover theoretical gaps and strengthens research validity. Our aim is to generate knowledge that is accurate, applicable, and transformative.” He urged PhD students to remain curious, adaptive, and impactful in their research journeys.