The Uganda Institute of Banking and Financial Services (UIBFS) and Nkumba University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening training, skilling, and professional development for students and practitioners in Uganda’s financial and business sectors.
The MoU was officially signed by Prof. Jude T. Lubega, Vice Chancellor of Nkumba University, and Goretti Masadde, Chief Executive Officer of UIBFS, during a ceremony held at Nkumba University.
The collaboration will focus on several key areas which include; Joint pipeline training to enhance market readiness for students, Practicing applied research in finance and banking, Joint community engagements to promote financial inclusion and Grant identification and joint publicity for institutional programs.
A key component of the partnership is the rollout of the Foundation Certificate in Banking and Finance, which will be supported by career guidance and internship placements for finance and accounting students at Nkumba University.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mrs. Goretti Masadde, CEO of UIBFS, emphasized the transformative power of such partnerships in shaping a skilled and future-ready workforce.
“This MoU reflects our commitment as UIBFS to not only train but also transform and prepare the next generation of professionals,” she said.
“By working with Nkumba University, we are creating pathways for students to gain practical skills, industry exposure, and the professional grounding that will make them competitive in the workplace.”
Masadde also echoed the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development’s goal of increasing Uganda’s GDP tenfold, noting that this can only be achieved by ensuring the workforce is well-trained — not only to take up existing jobs but to create new ones.
She emphasized UIBFS’s mandate as a center of excellence in financial services training and a driver of financial inclusion, both of which are furthered through such institutional partnerships.
Prof. Jude T. Lubega, Vice Chancellor of Nkumba University, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, calling it a timely step toward improving graduate employability and industry relevance.
“This collaboration is a major step in equipping our students with the right skills for the workplace. It is important that universities work with professional bodies like UIBFS to ensure our graduates are not only academically excellent but also industry-ready,” he said.
Through this partnership, UIBFS and Nkumba University reaffirm their shared vision to strengthen Uganda’s talent pipeline and build a future where academia and industry work hand in hand.
The MoU also reinforces UIBFS’s growing role as a strategic partner for universities that seek to embed professional, market-led training within their curricula — ultimately contributing to a more dynamic, inclusive, and skilled financial sector in Uganda.
