MUBS Ag. Principal Prof. Moses Muhwezi has called upon the public to take advantage of short courses being introduced by Makerere University
Business School, such as Business Intelligence and Data Analytics and the ethics of using AI in business.
Prof. Muhwezi also emphasized the need for the business community and academia to work together because there is no business that does not have a theory behind it. Therefore, acquisition of knowledge is very important and those with knowledge will survive, and those without it will fail. “Research is not a matter of reviewing literature, one needs to apply critical thinking so that the research is useful. One must apply the right methods to ensure that the knowledge given out to the public is valid.”
He was speaking at the opening of the three day MUBS 28th Annual International Management Conference that took place between September
24-26, 2024, at Imperial Golf Hotel Entebbe under the theme; ”Artificial Intelligence and the Knowledge society; the future of business in Africa”
Prof. Muhwezi says the AI subject requires a lot of answers, especially in academia, because many people are worried about it, what it is, what it has in store for us, and how to prepare for it? We need to provide the answers, ICT is very important to MUBS as a business school; we must own it
and understand what it means.
Every year the School organizes the Annual International Management Conference (AIMC) which brings together national and international researchers, policy makers, academia, postgraduate students, political leaders, and the business community to discuss topical issues.
Prof . Muhwezi assured the public that, while many people are worried about loosing jobs due to AI, it is is actually going to enhance efficiency and productivity. Organizations increasingly using AI technologies within their operations are reaping tangible benefits that are expected to deliver significant financial value. “Businesses need to beat competition, lower costs, improve customer response, and make better decisions. They therefore need ICT and AI and as professionals, we need to develop simple applications to enable the business community to perform and solve their problems”, advised Prof. Muhwezi.
Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minster for ICT and National Guidance who was the Chief Guest expressed the need to explore how the knowledge generated from universities can be useful in shaping and implementing policies in the country.
He also called upon the public to embrace technology, ICT and AI in the various disciplines emphasizing that time has come where we have to embrace the technologies that have emerged.
“Today, if you want better efficiency and outcomes, you have to adopt better technology, as it has made things easy in all sectors such as business,
healthcare, education, finance, and banking. He assured the public that, the Ministry of ICT, is doing all it takes to make sure data prices are reduced
and build the necessary infrastructure to address issues of connectivity for better digital transformation in the country.
Dr. Baryomunsi challenged the participants to think of why Africa is lagging behind in the digital transformation and find the solutions to help Africa catch up with the rest of the world. “There are revolutions that have taken place over the years, but where is the position of Africa in
these revolutions.”
He pledged to work with MUBS on how to integrate AI in the School.
Meanwhile the Academic Registrar, Makerere University Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe
called upon the PhD students to use Artificial Intelligence as a research assistant not a ghost writer. He opened the Doctoral Symposium one of the
components of the Annual International Management conference where doctoral students present their research work and receive feed back from experts in their areas of study.
Prof. Buyinza says, “Artifficial Intelligence (AI) is an enabler of our time. It determines the PhD and the graduate you become later. Using AI can be greatly beneficial depending on your field of study, but the ability to analyze and understand data is entirely yours. AI enables efficiency and quality of work. However, it is always important to proofread and edit your work while using AI. It should never replace your own critical thinking and human expertise.”
He advised PhD students to be aware of the plagiarism policies and guidelines of their Institutions that assess the originality of their work in order to avoid legal battles, and generating inaccurate data which might lead to cancellation of their PhDs.
Chairman MUBS Council, Eng. Isaac Mubarak Ngobya said, Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept of science fiction. It is here, now,
and reshaping every facet of society. AI is transforming industries from healthcare to Agriculture,education and finance. It is revolutionizing various sectors within African economics, hence improving how we live and work”