MULTITECH BUSINESS SCHOOL [MBS]

Glamour and pomp at Multitech Graduation

2011-11-29T06:49:00.000-08:00

A total of 970 students graduated with certificates, Diplomas, Degree and Post Graduate Diplomas at Multitech Business School (MBS). This was the 3rd graduation ceremony for the Sir Apollo Kaggwa road-based tertiary institution which, according to proprietor Aloysius Ssemanda, is determined to become a degree awarding institution in the next few years. The 970 who graduated on Friday bring the number of those graduating at MBS since it was certified and registered by National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) as a tertiary business training institution to 2355 students. The event was presided over by Higher Education Minister JC Muyingo who also inaugurated the School’s governing council. Ssemanda cited expansion of library facilities and infrastructure both at Sir Apollo Kaggwa and Kakiri Campus as proof that MBS was steadily preparing to become a fully fledged University. Besides the recruitment of ex-Mubs Deputy Principal Dr. Julius Kakuru as the MBS Principal, Ssemanda revealed that a number of lecturers had been facilitated to pursue graduate studies in Uganda and abroad, all in preparation for the University status. He appealed for revision of government sponsorship scheme so that even students in private institutions like MBS can be covered. Muyingo said that, as a minister, he was proud of MBS saying he was fascinated by the fact that their emphasis is on acquisition of relevant skills as opposed to just acquiring degrees.
Area MP Mohammed Nsereko urged the young people to fearlessly engage in activism aimed at making it risky for the corrupt government officials to move around freely. See pictorial for more become a fully fledged University. Besides the recruitment of ex-Mubs Deputy Principal Dr. Julius Kakuru as the MBS Principal, Ssemanda revealed that a number of lecturers had been facilitated to pursue graduate studies in Uganda and abroad, all in preparation for the University status. He appealed for revision of government sponsorship scheme so that even students in private institutions like MBS can be covered. Muyingo said that, as a minister, he was proud of MBS saying he was fascinated by the fact that their emphasis is on acquisition of relevant skills as opposed to just acquiring degrees. Area MP Mohammed Nsereko urged the young people to fearlessly engage in activism aimed at making it risky for the corrupt government officials to move around freely. See pictorial for more; http://bit.ly/tToV2d
Part of this article is adapted from the redpepper newspaper

MULTITECH BUSINESS SCHOOL WINS THE INTER-UNIVERSITY BEACH SOCCER FIRST EDITION TOURNAMENT 2011

2011-10-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

The chairman board of Directors, Principal, Head of Departments and the entire teaching staff, His Excellency the Guild President
Ladies and gentlemen.

I will borrow a leaf from a famous scholar Isaac Newton, we all know him as one who invented the bulb, it was tested 200 times but each time he tested it he never considered it a failure. This example relates to our foot ball team each time we participated in tournaments we lost but we never considered our losses as failure these were our benchmarks to success at some point in time.

I am sure that for all of us here today are loaded with feelings that are stronger than any words. On behalf of our football team I take this opportunity to thank management for the support rendered towards the success of our team. This is not the first tournament we have participated in late last year our team participated in the Inter Tertiary Institutions tournament at Entebbe fisheries institute we were eliminated at the semi finals at penalty shoot outs.

We never gave up we looked at what failed us and we rose up again for yet another thrilling tournament the first of its kind in the nation the “Inter University Beach Soccer first edition 2011”. This was welcomed as our breakthrough since our institute is the only tertiary institution represented in the National University Sports Federation of Uganda. We joined the tournament with less knowledge about the game as it was the first of its kind among University games in Uganda.

Our team fully gave it their best and we won the trophy beating Kampala International University on penalties 4-2. We were crowned as the Champions 2011. Today let’s receive our trophy and toast to this great achievement in the history of Multitech Business School. We thank every individual that rendered moral support to the team. Yes we made it because of you people.

Message to our team, Let us not put our tools down winning never stops and every game has a winner and a loser. We should cherish every moment in our midst.

To management we need your financial and moral support. The students be our twelfth player at the pitch we need u in this campaign as we head to the Inter University Games 2011 at Ndejje University.

As part of this great achievement let us cherish yet another great event which our institute will be joining on the December 16th – 22nd 2011. The Inter-University Games at Ndejje University with a theme “solidarity in diversity” let us join hands to welcome this great opportunity for our institute to shine again.

Games at Multitech have come along open up for these thrilling opportunities once again; Unity should be our motto as we traverse our other learned friends from other institutes. Through these games our institute will rise up to greater horizons and compete among the best.

Comrades we are in the pipeline of bringing other games on board like badminton which has now enrolled so many students training already underway at Marian hall, Wood ball as the University Federation has encouraged more students to engage in these elite games.
Netball, Basketball etc.

To all of you people who have not known Multitech Brace yourself for another giant in sports.
See you making headlines as we triumph in the University games 2011.

“Enabling Excellence”

Bravo Aloysius Ssemanda Bravo Multitech Business School.

Written by Asaba Ronnie

Professor Jonathan Kydd,the Dean at the University of London visits Multitech Business School

2011-09-15T04:29:00.000-07:00

Mr.Aloysious Ssemmanda presented a plaque to Prof.Jonathan Kydd, Dean of the University of London in appreciation of his memorable visit to Multitech Business School (MBS).

Prof.Jonathan Kydd made a presentation on the University of London (UOL) International Programmes highlighting the eligibility and costs involved.

The Professor said that for more than 150 years, the University through its external system has been offering degree programmes to students all over the world. It has always prided itself on being an international institution and its external system demonstrates this inclusive outlook.

The UOL today has 45,000 students studying in over 180 countries, bringing the University to you through flexible and distance learning.

As a family of world-class institutions, the University has a reputation for academic distinction in teaching and research, both in the UK and internationally. Ranging from education to management and from law to philosophy, all programmes offered through the external system are developed by academics within the colleges of the university. This ensures that UOL awards are recognized worldwide for their quality and value, and that students benefit from the academic rigour and cutting-edge research undertaken within the colleges.

Studying with the UOL is one of the greatest investments one can make in themselves.

MBS is one of the study centres where UOL programmes are coordinated.

The professor appreciated MBS environment and encouraged students to join the UOL programmes.
MBS will be looking for more activities with the UOL even in the area of capacity development.

We welcome your reactions and input, hint the comment button to submit.

Multitech offers free MSME Skills training and Public Forum Sessions for Students, Staff and the General Public

2011-08-22T02:09:00.000-07:00

Kayinda Eddie (Business Development Officer)
Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Staff, students and the general public stand to benefit immensely from Multitech Business School’s Business Community Empowerment and Outreach Programmes that aim to reduce skills gap among entrepreneurs. The programme benefit covers all districts in Uganda, but special attention is given to areas where Multitech Business School has Centres. They include; Kampala City Council Authority and the surrounding district of Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja, Mpigi and Masaka. Other Multitech Centres are in Bunyoro (Hoima) and West Nile (Koboko)

The programme also takes care of the Multitech Community (staff, students and other stakeholders) the programme focus on critical academics, research, socio-economic, business and environmental issues. They are run every week in Marian Hall of Multitech Business School. Students gain much more through interaction with various experts identified from several professional bodies in the public, private and NGO Sectors. It helps them to integrate the knowledge acquired into real life experiences.

The programme started two years ago as the institution’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) after realizing that several economic and social businesses lacked adequate skills to manage their businesses sustainably.

The school realized Institutions, students and the public have difficulties doing sustainable business and understanding critical local and national development issues. The programme therefore empowers them with basic business and managerial skills to ensure business and life sustainability and strategic direction.

In finance sector, Small and Medium Enterprises, Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), SACCOS and NGOs have been enhanced in basic management skills, financial literacy, project management skills, savings and credit management and computer applications. Our research found out that many MFIs and SACCOs lacked skills to manage themselves, had conflicting roles between managers and boards; explaining why many are collapsing within a year. So far 30 SACCOs and MFIs from Kawempe, Lubaga and Central divisions, 30 SMEs, 20 NGOs and Nansana, Koboko and Hoima Communities have already benefited from these trainings.These outreach programmes at school and the community help the public and partners to differentiate the type of training Multitech offers from theirs. It explains why Multitech is yawned by many as the number one Business College.

Elsewhere, the institution uses transformational learning and delivery approaches that focus on the development “total person” for Short Courses, Certificate, Diploma, Degree and Post Graduate programmes. “This is where Multitech has leverage over other Institutions of Higher Learning. The approach aims at producing employable graduates with critical job skills”

To offset some of the training costs in future, the school is looking forward to partnering with Uganda Manufacturers Association, Uganda Investment Authority, Private Sector Foundation and Uganda and National Chamber of Commerce as partners in Business Sustainability Training. Through this Uganda will be assured of job creators rather than job seekers.

UGANDAN WORKERS ARE CONSIDERED “POOR QUALITY” TO EMPLOYERS.

2011-06-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

A recent report on output of workers in Uganda showed that the work which can be done by one Kenyan is done by six Ugandans! Thus employing one Kenyan national saves the employer approximately 80% on employee emoluments. This raised concern to the president of Uganda and he did not fail to account for his fear on the May 1st 2011 Labour Day celebrations held at Entebbe. He kept on wondering whether it is the poor quality of education Uganda offers or that Ugandans are merely lazy.

WHAT THE EMPLOYER WANTS
An employer needs a kind of worker who has a high level of competence that is able to take the organization to a better level. An investor’s dream is a high return on his investments. Returns result from a combination of different factors of production and labour forms the mantle. The higher the productivity labourforce, the higher the returns, other factors held constant. Many Asian countries eg Japan, have adapted to new methods of production like Just in Time, Kaizen, etc which have proved to be saving schemes for their firms. Competence is a mixture of technical skills acquired through training and a strong desire for creativity, innovation and integrity. As long as the employer does not see the above attributes in the worker, the worker is a liability to the organization.

WHY THE CURRENT TREND
The nature of training
Uganda, being a Third World Country, has emphasized a training which grooms students into office white color jobs. Surely these jobs were there in plenty during the late colonial regime of the British because they were preparing Ugandans to take on offices which had been predominantly occupied by the Whites. This trend continued even in early days of post independence and Uganda’s education has been designed to fill as many such vacancies as not available. The technical education, which I believe imparts technical competences in learners, has been for long dubbed as the education for school drop-outs. Technical schools have produced able-to-do graduates, while other colleges have graduated able-to-look on man power. This tempts people to think that schools and universities are graduating half-baked labour whose biggest specialization is job hunting.

Inadequacy of professional bodies In August 2009, UNABCEC complained of poor quality engineers joining the field as a result of transforming Kyambogo Polytechnic into a University (New Vision 12 August 2009). Similarly, in the same year, one Ronald Luberenga complained to the Uganda Surveyors Registration Board that their registration standards were too stringent which limited the number of registered surveyors to 84 (2009) in Uganda. The Board responded by citing poor quality of teaching graduates of surveying courses from Universities (AllAfrica.com: 12th August 2009). The above two examples presuppose that if Ugandan graduates can get registered with professional bodies, the quality of work can be measured to certain standards.

Each professional body has a code of conduct which acts as a tool for integrity, adherence to professional standards and basis for disciplinary action. Some professions have registered their bodies, for example, Accountants and Auditors, Builders, Doctors, Lawyers, and others. Where graduates are not attached to any professional body, their level of integrity and professional competence is highly doubted. This is so because many people who fear to join professionals associations are hiding their incompetence since a professional body requires any member to have particular standards.

Absence of professionalism in business
In Uganda, going to school or not is not a guarantee for your future job career. Majority of workers are employed on “know-who” basis. Competence, in many organizations, is not a prerequisite for employability especially in the public sector where it is either ‘your face’ or ‘pocket size’ that determines what job you do. To make matters worse, Uganda is a predominantly informal economy where training for traditional informal jobs is a luxury rather than necessity. Those who trained in agriculture prefer working in urban centres, yet farms, according to Uganda standards, are found in rural areas. If all employers enforce professional standards at their places of work and avoid unjust practices in recruiting employees, the trend of workers with poor skills will gradually reduce.

Lack of exposure
About more than 60% of all graduates have studied in rural areas where they are not exposed to modern facilities. It is not un usual to train fresh under graduates to flash toilets. Nor is it un common for one to pass an IT test without touching a mouse. Due to the nature of environment rural schools operate, I am tempted to believe rural schools have better quality students than their urban counterparts. However, they can fail to cope with the modernity in town because they lacked exposure to certain facilities and knowledge.

Induction
Employers expect the graduates to know every thing concerning their career. On the contrary, schools graduate from average to super students. It follows that when these graduates are engaged by the respective employer, they should be given further ‘on job training’ which many employers do not offer (except the established ones). Surely, different organizations have different procedures of conducting business which may diverge from the general application derived from school. This means if the employer does not carry an induction for new employees, they are likely to be regarded as ‘poor quality graduates’.

Strong attachment to cultural practices & social values
Uganda is one of the countries that have a very strong attachment to cultural practices and values. Most of the practices are time consuming with neither commercial sense nor tangible output. For instance, one employee has a birth day party on Monday and will spend the whole day looking ‘young’ let alone spending lavishly on that celebration. With a sure hangover, on Tuesday she will be weak. Wednesday, one of her grand father’s friends’ friend’s daughters dies. Thursday is burial. Saturday, she has to attend the last funeral rites of one of her friend’s mother-in-law! The story continues the following week.
Following the social practices above, which some foreigners do not have, the productivity of one Ugandan employee must be grossly low.

Absence of minimum wage
Since time immemorial government has turned a deaf ear to minimum wage for workers, despite the thunderous outcry from workers’ unions. The wages some employers pay are miserably low and quite de-motivating. Many employees hold their current jobs alongside a search for better paying jobs. So, they will not dedicate all their efforts to their current job thus affecting their productivity.

In view of all the above, it attracts a duo collabo between government and the workers themselves to improve their out put. With the East African Community on its offing, unless the current trend changes, many Ugandans are to remain unemployed since employers have developed a feeling that they are ‘lazy’ workers.

Mugagga Joseph Ssengendo is a Certified Public Accountant and Head, Department of Professional Studies, Multitech Business School and Senior Management Consultant of MJ Consult.
mjssengendo@multitech.co.ug

REPORT ON INCORPORATING (INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS) IFRS TRAINING IN MBS SYLLABUS (attended on 3-4/Mar/2011)

2011-04-18T02:05:00.001-07:00

Introduction
CPA Uganda is the main regulatory body of the accounting profession in Uganda. In its strategic plan the Institute is trying to build a strong foundation to equip Ugandans with enough accounting skills in order to hedge members against foreign competition in the EAC as well as providing them with a competitive advantage to face the challenges of the economy. With almost all Universities and Colleges teaching Financial Accounting in common, either as a full course or course unit, the basis on which it is regulated is not contemporary. Institutions are urged to adopt IFRS in their syllabuses in order to incorporate the new developments in the accounting profession.

CPA UGANDA – UNIVERSITIES PARTNERSHIP
The Institute is ready to provide technical assistance all Universities which need to develop a curriculum that will incorporate IFRS training.

OBJECTIVE OF THIS PARTNERSHIP
• To enable students to get more exemptions when they join CPA Uganda Exams
• To standardize and regulate the teaching of Accounting in Uganda
• To ensure that accounting students from Universities acquire the necessary skills and expertise enough to face the challenges of the profession in Uganda
• To build a platform for continuous improvement in the profession
• To enable students and members to face foreign competition within the EAC member countries

CONCEPTUAL V RULES BASED TRAINING
Emphasis was put on training students using the Conceptual approach rather than the rules approach. The conceptual approach gives learners a wider perspective and freedom to think about a range of issues. Conversely, the rules based approach is strict to the rule. Yet some rules can easily be applicable in certain situations, such training is considered dogmatic and cannot apply to the dynamism in the world economic development trend.

EAC MEMBER STATES PARTNERSHIP
The Chairman, Mr. N.A.Thakkar, highlighted that CPA Uganda is soon signing a Memorandum of Understanding with sister Institute within the EAC member states. This MoU will give freedom to members to work across borders of member states without a necessity to sit additional papers, as the case before. Holders of foreign professional accounting qualifications, who will not have become members by the due date of the MoU, will be required to sit additional papers before they are allowed to practice in EAC members states.

RECOMMENDATIONS
• Adopt the conceptual approach of training to our internal programmes
• Review syllabi for accounting courses
• Attend related workshops organized by CPA Uganda to improve our capacity.
• Apply for exemptions from CPA Uganda especially for students of DFA and DBM.

FROM: Mugagga J Ssengendo & Oonyu Charles

OVER COMING STARTUP FEARS FOR YOUNG UPCOMING ENTERPRENUERS

2011-04-11T05:50:00.001-07:00

Very few entrepreneurs really have the courage to talk about “start –up fears”. But I tell what? It’s real! And if you don’t deal with the rightfully, your success in business and be ruined and stymied.

Here’s is a question to consider if you are contemplating venturing into business. What would be worse: never leaping into any idea that you are passionate because you are afraid to fail, or more still leaping into that good business idea with all you’ve got, yet still the possibility of having to face failure.

What is failure?

 Anticipated Failure
 Panicking about your decision
 Being over shadowed by negativities
 Not being sure of your decision

Here are some great tips to either overcome your start up fears or honour them, the choice is in your hands!!

Don’t be isolated in a vacuum.
-Avoid seeing you’re self in endless circles
-Break through and talk with the smartest people
-Net work with experienced people and get perspective (point of view)
-Be curious (interested)
Know your nature and honour it
-Don’t be eternally optimistic, bring it out
-Link your character and the desired venture
-Work with people who are better than you
-Do what you do best
Trouble is inevitable, so don’t plan to avoid it
-Strategise how to meet the trouble
-Engage it with a high gear
-Have a winning attitude
-Stay on top of it, not under it

Identify your weaknesses and strengths
-Be resourceful enough to plug the holes of your weaknesses
-collaborate with those who are better
-Energize the weak ones because you need it as well
-Let challenges be learning points
Have periodical assessment
-Evaluate performance regularly
-Acknowledge that you are failing
-Re-strategise
-Testify about success achieved

Conclusion
Make use of your fears. Listen to them, talk to them. They can teach you a lot, but they are not your boss and shouldn’t be. Empower yourself by not just eliminating your fears, but by meeting them head on and overcoming them.
GO START AND EXCEL!!!!!!!!!!

WHY CAREER GUIDANCE

2011-01-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

Poor academic performance in many schools has been attributed to lack of career guidance. One student has pointed out that all professions are capable of leading to successful careers as long as one is focused.

With a population of 30 million and close to 30 universities, uganda has become extremely competitive in both education placement and the job market.

Career guidance has taken a back seat in the face of cut-throat competition for government sponsorship in higher institutions of learning. It is only the cream of the cream who stand a chance to study courses of their choice, get state sponsorship and a job in the end.

As a result of this ruthless competition, many students end up making wrong choices. Because of the incentive of state-sponsorship, many students have found themselves attempting to do courses for which they have neither ability nor interest.

The emphasis on sciences by the Government has aggravated the situation. More than 20 years ago, there used to be career masters in all schools who would guide students as to what course was most likely to be beneficial to them. The career master made the proposals based on what he knew of the students’ strengths and/or weaknesses.

Today, because of over-emphasis on certain courses as “more paying”, students have found themselves in a dilemma. That is why it is common to find a graduate of industrial chemistry working as a teller in a bank!
Career guidance is all about helping students acquire self-awareness. It is wrong to take a course merely because of peer pressure or unprofessional influence from parents or older people.

In the past, many students were assured of jobs as soon as they wrote their last paper. With the mushrooming universities and the East African common market, that is becoming a mirage. It is time to resuscitate career guidance in schools.

We want to hear from you,hit the comment link and send us your feedback

STUDENTS IN NEED OF PLACEMENTS

2011-01-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

Students who wish to study abroad to the following countries: UK, Australia, NZ, Canada (UG Only), Singapore.
Contact us, and we will be in position to guide you through the process.
Leave your comment here or call 0752499000 for further clarification

multitech business school end of year 2010 party

2010-12-30T05:29:00.000-08:00

High grades alone don’t mean success

2010-12-21T07:24:00.000-08:00

There is excitement every time primary and secondary examinations are released. For the few who score high grades, their photos are splashed on national dailies while majority who do not make it go unnoticed.

This is not surprising since tradition has always been to reward ‘winners’ and
punish ‘losers’.
But are high grades a predictor of success? Do bright students perform well in their jobs? Evidence shows otherwise.

In 1973, Prof. David C. McClelland of Harvard University in his paper, testing for competence rather than intelligence, argued that competence (underlying characteristics of an individual such as empathy, self-discipline and initiative) is the major predictor of superior job performance and success in life, not traditional academic aptitude and knowledge (IQ).

His research found that people with a high IQ often performed poorly at work. Indeed in our day-to-day interactions, bright persons tend to be argumentative and inconsiderate — behaviours that jeopardise group existence.

Of recent, these attributes have been framed into what is conventionally known as Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and includes personal and social competencies individuals require to manage themselves and others’ emotions.

Unfortunately, these attributes are never taught in schools and universities. Instead, effort is put on acquiring knowledge — something that does not increase one’s ability of getting, retaining a job and performing excellently at work.

After 19 difficult years that took me through school, I did not know how to write a report, develop a project plan, or use a computer.

Worse still when I was given a leadership position in my earlier career years, I failed to build a strong team and in the end I was fired!

My failure was a tip of the iceberg of a flawed educational system. While I was able to learn skills like report writing with time, I was devoid of what my employer called competence.

In fact, in my termination letter, my employer labelled me ‘incompetent’, a concept I did not understand at the time.

Thus although IQ may be important, EQ is indispensable. As universities churn out more graduates, it is important they possess the attributes to fit and work in a team.

What one scores in school should not be an issue, rather how they use these grades to create opportunities and contribute to society.

Don’t ignore internship

2010-06-07T22:56:00.000-07:00

MOST job-seekers complain that employers ask for experience when they advertise positions. “Where does one get the experience from when they have just completed university?,” they ask.

But it is important to have some experience to get a job. This is how internship comes in handy.

Internship is a supervised experience where you work in a particular setting under the supervision of someone already established in the profession that you want to pursue.

Getting internships and placements can be difficult, but it is necessary if you want to have some experience on your resume to impress future employers.

Internships are good for a number of reasons. They enable students at all levels get experience in a specific field or work, or people seeking the necessary experience in business without having to work full-time.

Intern students are usually hired as replacements and work for lower pay than full-time employees. A person who wants a change in his or her career can also take up an internship.

Besides, full-time internships are paid for most of the time and they give you first-hand experiences of what life is like in the field.

Internships offer a lot of learning, education and experience on a certain field that you can add up on your resume.

Deciding the kind of internship you want to have is entirely up to you, although some internships have certain requirements that should be met by the applicants.

You might want to take up an internship, but the internship can’t make you a qualified applicant because of the certain requirements you cannot give.

Working on a full-time internship has better benefits than you working on part-time one, though it may vary from the kind of internship you have.

Full-time internships are paid most of the time and they give you first-hand experiences of what life is really like on the field.

Working as a part-time internship only becomes beneficial when you are not getting paid, it gives you an opportunity to find a job that will.

The other job will become your major source of income while the other one will be for future use. Internship to a student is like a taste of what it feels like to work in the real world, giving them an idea of what kind of job to look for when they've finish up school.

What lies beneath the flowery job titles

2010-06-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

EVE is a lady who turns heads when she enters church. Mesmerised by her looks, I could not help but ask what her profession was. “I am a front desk officer,” she said. Noticing a blank expression on my face, she said: “It is similar to a receptionist’s work.”

Many job titles have changed over time. People are spokespersons instead of sposkesmen or spokeswomen; public relations officers are now communication officers.

But why do titles for some jobs keep changing?
Florence Matovu, AIKAN human resource consultant, attributes the changes in titles to changes in roles and responsibilities.

“A good job title summarises all the responsibilities of the position in simple words,” she says.She adds that stenographers, typists or secretaries have changed to administrative assistants because of the change of machinery and expansion of roles.

“If roles grow, the person is more than a secretary,” she says, adding that companies are trying to cut costs by hiring a single person to execute diverse roles. Matovu also points out that other titles have changed to remove the stereotypes created towards holders of some jobs.

“In some cases, jobs originally perceived as women’s or men’s have been renamed to attract different gender,” she adds. Sharon Jordan, co-author of Love Them Lose Them: Getting Good People to Stay, says: “Employees now have more choices, more power and by offering fancier job titles, you can stoke ego and coax talent through the door.”

In a bid to provide status, the company professionalises some positions to make the holders of the often-shunned jobs to feel good about their work. “My first job title was cleaner but two years later, my boss introduced me to the workers as their new sanitation assistant,” Sarah Mbabazi says with an air of satisfaction. Although the title came with no extra privileges, Mbabazi enjoys the new job becauses she feels respected.

Matovu, however, says organisations should be careful when choosing job titles. “An inflated job title can become a liability to the holder and the company,” she says.

A fresh graduate with a desire to move up in a chosen career may feel that acquiring a title that will look good on the resume is worth accepting, but they are demoralised when they discover the big title does not tally with what they have to do in the company.

Multitech inches closer to university status

2010-05-22T03:10:00.000-07:00

Multitech Business School has received a certificate of classification and registration from the National Council of Higher Education.

The NCHE monitors academic standards of higher institutions of learning like universities.

The head of the institution, Mr Aloysious Ssemmanda said last week that the certification is a milestone in the history of Multitech.

“We are now moving towards becoming a degree-awarding institution,” Mr Ssemmanda said.

He said the school will in future become affiliated to universities like Makerere and Uganda Martyrs Nkozi to further its academic and research standards.

Ssemmanda said they have acquired land in Kakiri, Wakiso District where they intend to construct a university campus.
“With this certification by the National Council of Higher Education, our plans will go on smoothly,” he said.

Mr Ssemanda said academic and professional innovations at the Bukesa-based institution has enabled it to be recognised and certified by the NCHE within a short period.

Mr Fred Kakaire, the head of marketing at the institution, said the certification has elevated the school to a national business school like Aduku, Soroti and Pakwach among others.
He said their popular skill-based professional courses like ACCA, CPA, Marketing and Hospitality have enabled their students to develop good attitudes towards slef-employment.
“Our students never regret at the end of their courses,” Mr Kakaire said.
look at the pictures on unveiling the certificate and the Guild hand-over ceremony;click http://ow.ly/4FCml

How to make the dreaded staff meeting a success

2010-04-16T03:26:00.000-07:00

Many people detest days when long meetings are held. The meetings tend to be boring, unnecessarily long and often irrelevant. Emma, a communications assistant, suffers in silence every week because his bosses cannot abide by the meeting rules. Like Emma, many employees do not like attending meetings.

Rose, an administrator in a law firm, says she hates staff meetings because there is never an agenda. “The chairperson asks everyone to account for what they did throughout the week. The meeting usually turns into a competition of sorts as people try to prove that they worked hard and overtime.”

However, if you dread meetings, do not despair.
The easiest way out is to talk about a meeting with your boss or chairperson.

“Speaking out could solve a problem,” says James kakende, the manager of Art Impressions. Shorten the meeting by updating employees on the current issues by email.

An agenda is important, no matter who attends the meeting. When setting up one, consider the following; purpose, duration and members’ reactions about the state of affairs.

A meeting should be kept short. Anything beyond five items is a turn-off. If a meeting exceeds one hour, it becomes boring. Also pay close attention to the agenda since it gives the meeting focus.

Another common problem is going off the track. There must be recognition of the importance of a chairperson. He has the power to stop or allow anybody to talk.

Amos Zikusooka, the capacity building manager of Health Communication Partnership, says a chairperson should ensure that the agenda is followed. He can also postpone some issues to another date.

A chairperson has to lay out rules of a meeting before it starts. If a meeting involves a presentation, he or she should gather enough information about the audience so that the presentation is tailored to their needs, expectations and daily challenges. Sometimes you may need to use examples and situations from their lives.

Serving snacks can liven up a meeting and make the participants more comfortable with each other. The best time to hold a meeting depends on the nature of the meeting and the people attending. The best time to hold a meeting is after 10:00am or in the afternoon. However, an urgent meeting can be held at 7:00am.

Glenn Parker, the co-author of Meeting Excellence: 33 Tools to Lead Meetings That Get Results says meetings should be held at odd times. For instance, instead of 2:30pm, schedule a meeting at 2:34pm. “It gets people’s attention and adds fun and spirit.”

The Chairman, Multitech Business School Board of Directors speech on the occasion of the second graduation function, 20th November 2009.

2009-11-23T02:28:00.000-08:00

The Hon. Minister of state for Higher Education,
The Rep. National Council for Higher Education,
The Principal of MUBS,
The Deputy Director General of Cyprus Institute of Marketing,
The Secretary, The Institute of Certified Public Accountants,
The Board of Directors, Multitech Business School,
The Principal, Management and staff of MBS,
The Guild President and your cabinet,
Dear Graduands,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is now two years since the last graduation in 2007. Over the two years, several events have happened at Multitech Business School. However the most important news of the period is that MBS has successfully trained employable graduands that we are presenting to you, Hon Minister in the following qualification categories:

a. Certificate 61
b. Ordinary Diploma 388
c. Advanced Diplomas 18
d. Degrees 32
e. Accounting technicians 177
f. Certified Public Accountants 37

In the last two years Sir, we are harvesting a total of 713 graduates that are knowledgeable and armed with a variety of business skills!

Our institutional dream is to provide the highest level of commercial education that is competence based, entrepreneurial, innovative and responsive to market needs. Today we have 713 men and women that we have enabled with that education men and women who have acquired business skills in employable and demanded competences!

It is indeed a moment of pride and an occasion that calls for celebration publicly and with pomp.

To the graduands I say thank you for your hard work and I congratulate you on your achievements. I welcome you to the world classroom. The world is a harsh teacher that gravely punishes errors and omissions. Yet it is a generous teacher that abundantly rewards not necessarily academic knowledge but innovation, ambition, persistence and smartness. Many have graduated before you but some have not succeeded in life. Let me give you a piece of advise.

The single most important thing I want you to remember from today is that the world only gives what you ask of it. If you ask for a loaf of bread it will give you just a loaf! Never have small dreams. The world will only deliver to you great things If you ask of it great things. Set your goals high like the eagle - our emblem that symbolizes strength, soaring ambition and powerful foresight; though not even the sky should be your limit. Plan and pursue you goals with passion, determination and persistence and you shall excel.

At MBS we continue to persevere, slowly but surely marching focused to our vision. Hon. Minister, allow me to mention some of the steps that we have taken since 2007 towards realizing our dream:

1. Strategic Planning

Our vision is to become a distinguished trainer in commercial knowledge and competences. In furtherance of this vision, we are targeting in the short run to become a reputable Degree Awarding Institution, and in the long run a Business University. During this period, we have developed a strategic business plan for the five years to 2013. The theme of this business plan is “Laying the foundation for a Degree Awarding Institution”. This plan that I wish to present to you, Hon Minister, is now our blue print for development. I invite you and your ministry to peruse it and as a partner in education find areas where Government could intervene to enable us further business and entrepreneurial skills in Uganda and the region.

2. Academic structures

During the last two years, we have established and do continue to develop the academic structures required of a tertiary institution. We have set up the Academic Board as the top most academic organ with committees to handle Admissions, Quality Control and Staff Appointments and Promotions. We have also documented curricula for all our courses as well as regulations that guide admissions, progression, examinations and awards.
While we maintain the original Professional department, we have restructured the academic department and created out of it four discipline based departments namely Finance and Accounting, Marketing and Procurement, Management and Human Resources as well as Business Computing and Information Technology. We have now set up a solid foundation structure upon which we can grow and expand. Having completed two years of a provisional mandate, we have applied to the National Council for Higher Education for classification and registration in accordance with the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions statute. A visitation was done in June and we now await the Council’ report and action.

3. Infrastructure

We have acquired land for the establishment of a residential campus along Hoima Road. We have done the conceptual plans for the campus that is expected to cost ten million dollars when the initial phase is completed. We have now embarked on the onerous task of looking for funding to do phased construction. Once done we shall have capacity of between six and ten thousand students.

4. Enrollment

We have increased Multitech Business School’s internal enrollment from a handful to 450 students since becoming a licensed Tertiary institution in 2007. These are students that are solely trained, examined and awarded by MBS. There are other students who are trained at the School but are examined and awarded by other institutions. The overall enrollment of MBS currently stands at 1,450 students that include those examined by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants Uganda (ICPAU), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Makerere University Business School and the Cyprus Institute of Marketing.

This year we have concluded cooperation arrangements for joint training and awards with Shobhit University and Birla Institute of Management. We have also become accredited training centres for the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies (CIPS) and the Organasation for Tourism and Hospitality Management (OTHM).

Hon. Minister, currently MBS is not only offering a range of prestigious professional qualifications but through strategic alliances with reputable partners we have set up a framework to trains students at all levels ranging from undergraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees to post graduate diplomas and executive masters degree courses.
Challenges

Hon. Minister, there are a number of challenges that are slowing down our growth down some of which I wish to share with you:

1. Introducing a unique curricula and methodology

Our approach to education is to offer transformational and skills based learning that encourages creativity and productivity. We are gradually and surely moving away from the traditional education approach that encourages rote memory learning.

We strive to produce unique graduates that are skilled and are entrepreneurial, hence highly employable. However the environment within which we operate is not resilient and time and again opposes our innovative approach. Such opposition includes the sponsors who see it as expensive, the regulators who find it unconventional, and the students who find it more challenging.

Our recess semester was initiated to try out the new approach and it is gratifying that our students who have experienced it now feel proud of it and feel more empowered than their contemporaries. We therefore shall not waver in our resolve to roll out this approach to our entire training programmes. Skills based transformational learning focus will make us produce the unique graduate that the employers are looking for; one who is knowledgeable, one who is skilled, one who is creative and the one who is entrepreneurial, in other words, the graduate that gets results.

2. Cost of education delivery

Like most of the Universities and tertiary Institutions we are challenged that the fees we do charge hardly cover the cost of providing the education. Unlike private institutions, public universities and tertiary institutions receive infrastructure and operational grants from Government and donations from various agencies. Because of these subsidies, the public education institutions that dominate tertiary education and are the price setters, charge fees below the market thus making it difficult for smaller private operators like MBS to charge appropriate economic fees. This is further aggravated by the high increase in prices over the last few years. Government therefore has to come up with schemes that will level the ground for all players in tertiary education whether public or private.

3. Staff Development:

We are challenged with the high cost of training staff at postgraduate level. We have strived to train a number of them, particularly the professionals. However due to high demand of trained personnel in theses field retention becomes a real challenge. We appeal to the Ministry and our partners to assist our staff to access post graduate education at concessional fees and to solicit scholarships for those who wish to pursue postgraduate qualifications.

4. Infrastructure:

The highest cost of establishing education institutions is putting up infrastructure particularly buildings, library and equipment. The funding required is enormous and for the long term. To reach where MBS is today we have invested substantially and made great personal sacrifice but is not enough. This building alone requires more than Shs.one billion to be completed, we need to add 50 computers to fully equip our two computer labs and we need at least 5,000 text books to fully stock the library.

As investors in education we provide a social good and we are partners in development with Government. I therefore through you Hon. Minister appeal to your ministry to strategically intervene in our investment by providing us assistance in building infrastructure, computers and library.
I pray to you Hon. Minister and all our strategic partners to assist us in our struggle to build a strong foundation for our business university. I ask of you to do everything in your powers to enable us build a great institution, the institution of our dream, the institution that will change business education in Uganda and the region. We shall not let you down.

5. Education loans:

Our students find difficulties to pay fees and indeed some of them miss exams while others have missed this graduation due to failure to meet their dues. I understand that there are policy proposals to introduce educational loans. I ask of the Ministry not to limit such facilities to public universities only but extend it to all tertiary institutions, private and public.

I wish to thank you Hon. Minister for having accepted to preside over this function. I thank all of you who have sacrificed your time to grace this occasion and I thank parents and benefactors who sacrifice their hard earned income to educate these students. Most sincerely, I thank our students who have chosen Multitech Business School and whose dedication and commitment has made us what we are. Let me use this opportunity to remind all of you that admissions are now ongoing for the January intake. I am very grateful to the Board, Management, Faculty and the Guild who have all worked with dedication to make MBS an institution of excellence. I invite you to keep working with me, to be focused and to persevere to realize our dream, some day of a Multitech Business University.

May God bless our graduands, May God bless Uganda, May God bless us all.

For God and my country.

Aloysius Kyeyune Ssemmanda, FCCA, CPA(U), MBA.
Chairman, MBS Board.

Multitech graduates urged to extend learning

2009-11-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

The Principal of Multitech Business School, Mr Joseph Wasswa Jjuko has told graduands who passed out last Friday that they can achieve endless feats if they continue learning.
“Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you will make a difference, you will add value to both your employment and employer’s business,” he said during the graduation ceremony.

Over 700 students graduated with certificates, diplomas and degrees in business administration, secretarial studies, human resource management, business computing, procurement and logistics management, marketing science and accounting.

MBS board chairman Mr Aloysius Ssemmanda said the school has widened its scope of academic training by cooperating for joint training with Shobhit University and Bimtec Institute of Management.

He said they have also become an accredited training centre for the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies and the Organisation for Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Mr Ssemanda said the school’s approach to education is to offer transformational skills-based learning that encourages creativity and productivity. “We are gradually and surely moving away from the traditional education approach that encourages knowledge learning,” he said.

He explained that the strategy to produce graduates that are skilled and entrepreneurial is being impeded by sponsors who see it as expensive, regulators who find it unconventional, and the students who find it more challenging.

He urged the government to come up with schemes that will level the ground for all players in tertiary education whether public or private because all investors in education provide a social good and are partners in development with the government.

The school received a certificate of appreciation from the Institute of Public Accountants of Uganda in recognition of pioneering the teaching of professional accountancy programmes in 1997.

WELCOME TO A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES

2009-10-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

MAKE EXTRA INCOME IN YOUR FREE TIME:
Are you computer literate,have access to the internet? In business, with a job or jobless?
Discover how to make money in your free time if you are prepared to invest at least$700.
Come and learn how to make the right moves in an ever changing business world in E-commerce at Multitech Business school.

Facilitator:Dr.Peter Hanns, Manhattan, U.S.A (Forex expert, motivational speaker & BPR expert).

MULTITECH STARTS HOSPITALITY TRAINING

2009-07-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

Professionals in the hospitality and tourism sector have been offered an opportunity to develop their skills to a post-graduate level.
Multitech Business School, in conjunction with the organisation for Tourism and Hospitality Management (OTHM) of United Kingdom, launched a programme designed for learners to progressively develop the skills and knowledge necessary to compete in the global market.
Speaking at the programme’s launch in Kampala on July 23rd, OTHM international consultant, Dr.Thavanayagam Thava, said the programme allows learners to adopt ethical practices.
“This programme will allow graduates and employees of various institutions in Uganda to promote ethical practices. They will gain experience to enhance their chances of getting employment”, Dr. Thava said.
OTHM, which is a top hospitality training organisation, also handed over an accreditation certificate to the management of Multitech Business School led by Mr.Ssemanda Aloysius.
The Executive Director of the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), Ms Rosemary Ssenabulya applauded Multitech’s teaming with OTHM.
“The programme is timely because the hospitality industry is fast growing yet the training available is not sufficient to produce capable personnel to manage big hotels”, Ms Ssenabulya said.
Mr.Ssemanda said the course will enhance professionalism in Uganda’s hospitality industry.
“The potential for domestic tourism is still untapped and the hospitality and tourism skills are still missing. This programme will serve many local and regional employers and employees as they advance their skills”, he said.

MULTITECH BUSINESS RESEARCH CENTRE IS SEEKING COLLABORATORS

2009-07-12T00:41:00.000-07:00

MULTITECH BUSINESS RESEARCH CENTRE IS SEEKING COLLABORATORS
Multitech Business School established a research unit, Multitech Business Research Centre (MBRC). This was after a dirty and quick survey that showed that;
•Many Universities have programs with a compulsory research component but without practical tools to empower the students to successfully carry out their research projects independently.
•Many businesses start up and set up without research based information to guide their decision making and planning processes.
•Collaboration opportunities with local and international bodies in areas of business research.
•Opportunity to expand our expertise in offering business solutions.

Mission of MBRC.

To provide business solutions through research as well as empower our students in handling research not only as a theory subject but also the in-depth applications of the usage of research tools, design and interpretations.

Overall Goal.

To carry out business research, establish strategic partnerships with other research bodies, Universities and the Business Community and offer training in the related areas.

Our Strategic Objectives:

•Train and empower students to carry out their research projects independently.
• (Re) engineer Business and/or organization processes.
•Hatch business start ups as well as act as a conduit for enterprise development.
•Offer sustainable strategic position research.

Target group

•Students in tertiary institutions undertaking research related courses.
•Business community with interest in business research data and skills
•NGOs, government, local government and donor agencies

Multitech Business Research Centre boosts of competences in: Research Training, Business process review and redesign, and Strategic analysis.

With this brief background, we could be of help in the dissemination of our research to Investors and also carry out research in any business related field. We thus seek your interaction in order that we can accelerate cooperation with would-be collaborators and please do not hesitate to leave a comment and to link us to other research bodies.

OTHM launch in Uganda

2009-07-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

Press Release:

New Tourism & Hospitality Courses in Kampala.

The Organization for Tourism and Hospitality Management (OTHM) is a British Professional Membership and Examinations body working in partnership with Multitech Business School of Kampala Uganda www.multitech.co.ug

OTHM has been growing in terms of student numbers by 50% each year since its launch in 2003. The demand for OTHM Programmes is linked to the quality and relevance of the syllabus to the Tourism and Hospitality industry – either international or local. OTHM ‘s key academic partner in the UK is London South Bank University and OTHM qualified individuals with relevant work experience can join the LSBU BA( Hons) in Tourism and Hospitality Management -final year or even go directly to their Master’s level.

A variety of high quality employers in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism are recruiting OTHM qualified and part qualified students for careers in the industry. Some students already work in the industry and are using OTHM certification to obtain promotion and career enhancement.

Mr. Fred Kakaire, Business Development, of Multitech Business School has invited OTHM to Uganda to assist with the official launch of OTHM Programmes in Kampala on Thursday 23rd July 2009 at the Shelaton Hotel.

OTHM will be represented by Dr.Thavanayagam Thavanesan, International Consultant of the Organization for Tourism and Hospitality Management, who will also be taking a training workshop for Multitech staff and also visiting the British Council, British High Commission and The Uganda Tourism board during his visit.

OTHM has designed Programmes at five distinctive levels:

The OTHM Introductory Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
The OTHM Professional Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Management
The OTHM Professional Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management
The OTHM Professional Higher Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management
The OTHM Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management (proposed. UK launch July 2009).

Courses vary from 3 months to 9 months per level with external international examinations being conducted through the British Council or supervised directly by OTHM each June and December.

Students also have the option of short training courses (Individual Certificates) in Hotel Front Office, Food & Beverage Management, Health, Hygiene and Safety, Event Management, Eco- Tourism and Tourism Geography and Tour Operations.

A number of Ugandan students are also currently studying OTHM in London; however it is important to also offer individuals considering a career in Tourism and Hospitality the opportunity to study a top British Professional qualification locally.

OTHM believe working in partnership with Multitech Business School will give motivated Ugandans the opportunity of both local and international experience in the industry.

For further details on OTHM please go to www.othm.org.uk or Contact Mr. Fred Kakaire, Multitech Business School, Plot 345 Kyadondo Road 11, Makerere, Off Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road. Tel 256-414-533932/3/4 or 0752-379-945. Email;fred.kakaire44@gmail.com.

Shobhit University of India collaboration with Multitech Business School(MBS)

2009-05-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

Shobhit University of India and Multitech Business School(MBS) have agreed to work together. The agreement was signed on Friday, April 24th 2009, at the school’s premises on Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road by Chancellor Shri Shobhit Kumar and his Director General Prof.P.P.Singh,on behalf of Shobhit University, whereas Aloysius Ssemanda signed on behalf of Multitech. This was during the Shobhit visit to Multitech.
Under the agreement,Mr.Ssemanda has been appointed the Director of Shobhit in Uganda. The University will set up a training centre at MBS that will offer Bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration,Commerce,Computer Science and Technology and Masters in Business Administration, among other related courses.
Mr.Ssemmanda,who was Managing Director of Celtel(currently Zain) at its infant stage in Uganda, said the country has less than 1,000 accountants and there is need to train more. He added that MBS’ aspiration is to award degrees, that is why they joined hands with Shobhit University that shall also offer a staff exchange and development programme.
Shobhit University is also going to help Multitech to develop their curriculum and examine students. According to Prof.P.P.Singh,they are going to provide MBS with teachers to instruct the Students here in Uganda.”As [MBS is] our centre, we will be responsible to give it all [the help it needs] so that it academically shines that even certificate holders get big jobs,” he said.
“Shobhit believes in providing education to the people so that they are emancipated from poverty. So after assessing the staff, number of students, facilities and the fact that Uganda is a better place for education, we had no choice but MBS,” he said.
Shobhit University
Shobhit is a private university with headquarters in Meerut, Uttar Paradesh State in India. It manages 17 study centres across the world- in India,China,United kingdom,Ukraine,Saudi Arabia,Sharjah,Dubai,and now Uganda. The University’s main focus is engineering, technology and business education. Get to know more on it on their official website;

http://www.shobhituniversity.ac.in

Multitech Business School
Multitech was established in 2003 to train students in all round business skills. It was licensed by the National Council for Higher Education in 2007 as a tertiary institute. The link below has photographs of MBS http://www.flickr.com/photos/25883014@N04/.
Multitech official website is http://www.multitech.co.ug/