WHY UMI’S 50 YEARS HAS BEEN TIME WELL SPENT

By John V Sserwaniko

Having existed (initially as an IPA/Institute of Public Administration) since 1969, Uganda Management Institute (UMI) is marking 50 impactful years of serving the public, private and civil society organization sectors in Uganda. As an IPA, UMI operated as an Agency under the Ministry of Public Service. The original mandate then was to train public servants in Uganda. Reflecting on its evolutionary journey, it’s clear that UMI has made great strides along the way. In the first 10 years of independence, the Institute was designated as critical to the new nation’s development and transformation. Specifically it was charged with harnessing the management leadership capabilities of managers who shepherded large state bodies and entities. The year 1992 was remarkable in the UMI journey as that is when the UMI Statute (transforming it from IPA to UMI) was enacted by the legislature then known as NRC. This legislation made the new entity (UMI) more autonomous to develop its own certificate, diploma and degree programs without much interference from the Public Service Ministry though it continued to peripherally be under the same ministry up to 2001. What happened then? The Universities & Other Tertiary Institutions’ Act was enacted (later on in 2006) categorizing UMI as one of Uganda’s “Other Degree-Awarding institutions.” These could award degrees without becoming Universities like Makerere. The UTOA Act not only repealed the 1992 Statute but it also transferred UMI from Public Service to Education Ministry.

THINGS ACCOMPLISHED;

To satisfactorily continue delivering on its mandate while continuing to meet the high quality as expected by a complex stakeholder mix (whose expectations have rapidly kept changing from time to time), UMI has had to undertake many innovations including leveraging on the ICTs and as well as opening regional centers to ensure access to its services remains affordable to people in Kampala and upcountry towns. Currently regional centers are being operated in Gulu, Mbarara and Mbale. All this is aimed at ensuring equitable access for working parents living and working in those regions. Gulu has done exceptionally well and it even has a building UMI constructed with Netherlands support delivered under the Netherlands Initiative for Capacity of Higher Education (NICHE) project. As management plans a number of events to mark the UMI Golden Jubilee celebrations starting January next year, many are focusing on gains made under the Institute’s 4^th Strategic Plan (2013-2017) which was recently (June 2017) halted to enable alignment to the NPA-dictated NDP II. The halting of the 2013-2017 SP was also aimed at paving way for the commencement of the 5^th Strategic Plan lasting three years (2017-2020). Broadly speaking under the 4^th SP, rapid growth and expansion of physical infrastructure has been experienced at UMI including the completion of the magnificent building at the Gulu regional Center. In the same period, UMI also attracted support from AfDB under Higher Education Science & Technology (HEST) project. Under HEST, 34 staffers were sponsored to enroll for short and long term courses including 5 on master’s programs and 15 on PhD. Still under HEST, UMI’s new classroom and office block was also completed. It has since beautifully changed the external appearance of the UMI Main campus in Kampala along Jinja Road. Yet that isn’t all. Under the 4^th SP (2013-2018), ICT infrastructure, a Baby Care Center and a Business Incubation Center were also delivered at UMI. Progress has also been made on mainstreaming cross-cutting issues like gender equality, HIV/Aids and Special Needs Education. 5 staff members completed their PhD studies in the same 4^th SP period (2013-2018). In the same period, the research function was also strengthened with more than 35 publications being accomplished by the Institute staff. Compliance with the gender equality principle manifested in this as 49% of the 35 publications were by female staff. Two of the 35 papers got international acclaim for being among the very best. In the same 4^th SP period, UMI registered many more outputs including hosting the International Conference in which 55 staff members participated resulting into 103 papers being presented. UMI also developed a functional M&E System Guide and a robust ICT Policy and manual. The HR manual was also reviewed and strengthened to improve attraction, development and retention of high quality staff for the Institute. Staff retention has been achieved mostly through competitive salary structure, loan advances, permitting extra workload and financial support for staff personal development. Staff development interventions too have had to be strengthened resulting into 27 staff currently being on their PhD programs of whom 8 are females, further testifying to UMI’s responsiveness to gender equality requirements. Another 11 are pursuing their masters. In the same period (2013-2018), UMI produced 8 issues of the internationally-referred Uganda Journal of Management and Public Policy Studies.

THE GPE PARTNERSHIP;

With support from Global Partnership for Education (GPE), UMI intensified outreach activities and supported capacity building in schools. Under this undertaking, 1,942 head teachers were trained in leadership management skills as well as 4,405 members of school management committees (against a target of 4,000). Other accomplishments are: recovery of Shs2.19bn from long term debtors and upgrading internet bandwidth from 19 to 40Mbps. The UMI SP was, however, brought to an end in June 2017 to allow adequate alignment to the NPA-driven NDP II. Besides the NPA-aided alignment, the halting of the 4^th SP also paved way for the 5^th SP (2017/18-2019/2020) to commence.

WHAT’S IN THE 5^TH SP (2017-2020);

To UMI Director General Dr. James Nkata, the 5^th Strategic Plan (a product of the Christopher Mayanja-led Strategic Plan Alignment Committee) is an opportunity to articulate the UMI Vision which is to become “a world class Management Development Institute” with unprecedented clarity. Consequently, this becomes an opportunity to deepen the participation of academic and non-academic stakeholders in the planning and implementation of UMI programs. The 2018-2020 SP will cost Shs116bn and must 100% be rolled out and implemented in the next three years. Nkata says to realize this ambitious SP, there will have to be increased commitment to resource mobilization and frugal utilization of the available resources. The new SP requires UMI to play an increased role in the realization of the middle income status for Uganda through intensifying its quality research and training programs for management, administrative and technical leaders for public, private and civil society organizations in Uganda and beyond. To meaningfully and sustainably execute this mandate, Dr. Nkata says UMI staff and stakeholders must work towards ensuring UMI achieves corporate loyalty, visibility, competitiveness and sustainability. The DG refers to the 4 pillars on which the full realization of the new SP will depend. These are broadly captured as (a) education, research & consultancy, (b) Human Resource Management, (c) Financial Sustainability and (d) Support Management Services. Celebrated veteran educationist FX Lubanga, who chairs the UMI governing council, says the new SP is an avenue through which UMI must accelerate the shift from merely offering “management courses to [offering] academic programs in management education leading to the award of degrees up to PhD level.” He says this must become a niche area for which UMI will become renowned allover Africa. Lubanga says producing high quality managerial, technical and administrative leadership is critical to the realization of the middle income status and its one niche area through which UMI must utilize the new SP to position itself as very relevant to the country’s transformation. To become the dream Institute all its stakeholders desire to see at the expiry of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Lubanga enumerates 7 (seven) game changer areas UMI must prioritize. These are: (a) improvement and expansion of physical infrastructure, (b) ensuring 100% internet (ICTs) coverage to boost delivery of research and e-learning, (c) strengthening staff development programs to ensure PhD-holding staff numbers are increased so that by 2020, 50 (or 75%) of the 58 permanent lecturing staff the Institute currently has will have accomplished their PhDs, (d) ensuring acquisition of ISO certification, (e) ensuring all academic staff carry out research and consultancy, (f) completing the automation of academic records management by the Institute Registrar’s department and (g) distinguishing UMI as a leading center of excellence in management training, research and consultancy work. Yet Nkata acknowledges the journey to fully realize the idea UMI Lubanga envisages won’t be without challenges. “The journey is usually long and wrought with various challenges. There will be a time when the winters will be harsh, the pests will resist the spraying. Some branches will break in their bows with heavy fruit yet amidst all these challenges we must work for the best harvest,” Nkata asserted in a recent interview. Consensus is UMI must continue the focus on delivering market-driven training programs capable of strengthening it as a highly recognized management institute not just in Uganda but globally. Gratefully progress is already being made in this direction because besides awarding higher degrees, UMI already offers tailor-made executive & professional courses and high quality consultancy services in areas like public administration, management and leadership. The regional (upcountry) study centers have ensured equitable access for working Ugandans both in Kampala and upcountry. Nkata and Lubanga are determined to leverage on excellent relations UMI has with the central government (and other partners) to accelerate progress towards making UMI a truly world class institute. In the next three years, efforts to offer a two-track system (comprising of both academic and consultancy services) will be strengthened. As all this is being done, the Institute managers are careful to have growing number of participants without compromising its niche of offering high quality programs for which UMI continues to be famous. Nkata says in the next three years, efforts will be directed at ensuring UMI remains competitive, effective and relevant in the fast-changing world in order to continue meeting stakeholders’ expectations.

CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES;

Nkata says to commemorate the history the Institute has made in the last 50 years, a committee has been put in place to organize a series of activities to celebrate what has been accomplished thus far. The theme will be: “Celebrating the past & shaping the future.” Beyond the merry-making, the Golden Jubilee celebrations will be an opportunity for UMI to publicize what has been achieved and is intended to be done in the coming years to harness service delivery. Consequently, 2019 has been designated as the “Year of Jubilee” in the UMI scheme of things. To emphasis the Institute’s research & dissemination profile, a series of public debates has been planned to which eminent personalities (local and international) will be invited. There are proposals to hold one joint graduation for UMI students from Kampala and upcountry campuses. Management clinics are also being planned at the UMI campuses where pro bono consultancy services will be offered to selected organizations. There will also be a formal ceremony for the inauguration of the new imposing administration/classroom block. A number of outreach activities aimed at rejuvenating alumni engagement will be undertaken. The alumni network is being earmarked as a good avenue for fundraising. An ecumenical day of prayer & thanks giving is also being planned. A posterity monument too will be unveiled to immortalize UMI’s Year of Jubilee. Whereas in January the new block will be commissioned, March will see the 2021-2025 UMI Strategic Plan, UMI anthem and flag unveiled. May will be for the Chancellor’s dinner and joint graduation ceremony in Kampala. In June, a public dialogue will be held focusing on the “contribution of management training to national development.” Between June and August 2019, a series of CSR activities (mostly pro bono consultancy services) will be carried out in Kampala, Mbale, Mbarara and Gulu where UMI training facilities are situated. There will also be an international conference on public administration & governance aimed at increasing UMI visibility at the global scene. The Year of Jubilee will climax in December 2019 with a grand staff celebration. Nkata says UMI has each and every reason to celebrate “because 80% of officials managing the public sector have gone through UMI.” He says the alumni list comprises of Permanent Secretaries, Ministers, MPs, diplomats and even judges whose interest in UMI increased when having a diploma in public administration became a requirement for appointment by the JSC. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.