By Mulengera Reporters
A powerful call for innovation, courage, and technological leadership echoed through the grounds of St Lawrence University as Uganda’s Vice President, Jessica Alupo, who also serves as the Chancellor of the university, challenged hundreds of graduating students to embrace the explosive rise of artificial intelligence and use it to transform their communities, their careers, and the nation’s economic future.
The dramatic moment unfolded during the institution’s 16th graduation ceremony where a total of 465 students proudly received diplomas and degrees across different academic disciplines, marking another milestone for the university which has steadily grown into a respected center of higher learning since its establishment nearly two decades ago.
Of the graduating class, 241 were female representing 52 percent, while 224 were male representing 48 percent, a balance that university leaders described as a strong reflection of growing gender participation in higher education and professional training.
Standing before the excited graduates, families, and academic leaders, Vice President Alupo delivered a powerful and forward-looking message warning that the world is already deep inside a technological revolution driven by artificial intelligence, digital tools, and rapidly evolving innovations that are fundamentally transforming how societies learn, work, communicate, and solve complex problems.
She explained that artificial intelligence is no longer a distant futuristic concept discussed only in laboratories or technology conferences, but rather a powerful reality already shaping everyday life across the globe, influencing everything from education and business to governance, agriculture, healthcare, and communication.
Alupo therefore urged universities across the country to urgently integrate the Competence Based Curriculum into their academic programmes so that graduates are equipped not merely with theoretical knowledge but with practical skills, critical thinking abilities, and problem-solving capabilities that allow them to compete effectively in an increasingly demanding global job market.
According to the Vice President, the future of education must shift away from outdated systems that focus heavily on memorizing content and passing examinations, and instead move toward learning models that emphasize real-life skills, creativity, innovation, and the ability to develop practical solutions to real societal challenges.
She stressed that universities must ensure that students are not simply passive consumers of technology who rely on tools created elsewhere, but active innovators capable of designing digital solutions, building new technologies, and leading the transformation of their communities in the digital era.
The graduation ceremony was held under the theme “Integrating Artificial Intelligence in the Competence-Based Curriculum,” a theme university leaders described as both urgent and transformative as higher education institutions across the world struggle to adapt to the rapid pace of technological change.
As Chancellor of the university, Alupo said the institution’s vision remains firmly focused on becoming a leading ICT-driven university capable of producing world-class graduates who are innovative, entrepreneurial, and capable of driving digital transformation for the benefit of society.
She reminded the graduates that receiving their academic certificates and degrees marked not only the end of years of study but the beginning of a much greater responsibility — the responsibility to apply knowledge ethically, serve their communities faithfully, reject corruption, and use technology wisely to improve people’s lives.
At the same time, the Vice President praised Uganda’s policy of liberalizing higher education, explaining that the decision by government to open space for private universities has expanded access to university education while encouraging innovation and private sector participation in the development of the country’s knowledge economy.
She noted that institutions like St Lawrence University have played an important complementary role alongside government universities by investing in infrastructure, academic programmes, technology, and research that strengthen the national education system.
The Vice President also acknowledged the influence of Uganda’s education reforms and policy direction led by the President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, emphasizing that education remains one of the most powerful tools for national development and economic transformation.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Eriabu Luguju, highlighted the remarkable journey the institution has taken since it began operations in 2007, noting that the university has grown steadily in academic strength, infrastructure, and intellectual influence while remaining committed to innovation and community impact.
He explained that higher education across the world is undergoing a profound transformation as the traditional model that focused mainly on classroom lectures, memorization, and examination performance is rapidly being replaced by more dynamic approaches centered on practical competence, innovation, and real-world problem solving.
At St Lawrence University, he said, all academic programmes are now being redesigned around competency-based education where learning is student-centered, assessments measure practical skills and performance, and graduates are evaluated not simply by what they know but by what they are able to do in real-life situations.
The university is also embedding artificial intelligence and digital skills across its programmes, promoting applied research, encouraging innovation and start-up incubation, strengthening partnerships with industry, and expanding work-based learning opportunities that connect students with real professional environments.
According to the Vice Chancellor, the goal is to produce graduates who are locally relevant, globally competitive, innovative, patriotic, and guided by strong ethical values, because Uganda and Africa do not simply need degree holders but skilled problem solvers capable of creating jobs and driving economic transformation.
He emphasized that the nation’s development agenda requires graduates who can innovate in sectors such as agriculture, business, healthcare, governance, and finance using digital technologies and artificial intelligence to address pressing challenges facing communities.
University leaders also revealed that the institution is planning major investments aimed at strengthening its learning environment, including the construction of modern hostel facilities, the development of improved sports infrastructure, and the creation of a modern ICT-oriented conference hall designed to support research, innovation, and academic collaboration.
As the ceremony drew to a close, the message to the graduates remained unmistakably clear.
Their degrees were not simply academic achievements to celebrate, but powerful tools that must now be used to create solutions, generate opportunities, and transform communities across Uganda and beyond.
With artificial intelligence reshaping the world at breathtaking speed, the Class of 2026 was reminded that the future will belong not to those who wait for opportunities, but to those bold enough to create them. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
