P5 Uganda

There is a high unemployment rate among young people in Uganda (83%, UBOS 2018). This is due to a significant skills gap and school dropouts. Many graduates (bachelors and masters) also struggle to find jobs due to limited skills. University curricula are too theoretical and not well-aligned with the labor market. Additionally, efforts are needed to attract more girls to pursue education.

The IUC (Interuniversity Cooperation) initiative, established by Vlir-UOS with VUB as the project manager on the Belgian side and MUST (Mbarara University of Science and Technology) on the Ugandan side, aims to build the capacity of teachers. The innovations developed in universities do not reach the market sufficiently, let alone create employment opportunities. Students themselves are not encouraged enough to be entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship, as well as intrapreneurship, are concepts that should be emphasized more in their education. Upon graduation, the goal is to empower the MARPs (Most At Risk Populations), particularly in rural areas. There are six sub-projects within this IUC, with the fifth focusing on youth entrepreneurship, led by Howest.