MUBS Partners with Cocacola Beverages to enhance practical training for students

Makerere University Business School (MUBS) held a meeting with officials from Coca-Cola Beverages to explore the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two institutions. The meeting was chaired by the Acting Deputy Principal, Prof. Rachel Mindra Katoroogo, who represented the Principal of MUBS.

Discussions focused on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding covering student internships, graduate training, consultancy and professional training, guest lectures, job shadowing, plant tours, technology sharing and other areas of mutual interest. The meeting also explored opportunities for Coca-Cola Beverages to support major MUBS activities, including career fairs and the MUBASA Festival. The Coca-Cola team provided guidance on the procedures that MUBS may follow when submitting sponsorship proposals.

The proposed partnership directly supports the aspirations of the DESIRED Project, particularly its focus on Work-Integrated Learning and stronger collaboration between higher education institutions and industry. Through internships, job shadowing, plant tours and graduate training, students will gain practical exposure to workplace operations, professional expectations and contemporary business practices.

Guest lectures and technology-sharing initiatives will also enable industry professionals to contribute to classroom learning, curriculum improvement and the development of relevant employability skills. Such engagement will help students connect academic knowledge with real organisational challenges while strengthening competencies in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, professionalism and digital literacy.

The partnership represents an important step towards institutionalising industry engagement at MUBS. It will also create opportunities for employers to participate in preparing, mentoring and identifying talented graduates who are better equipped to meet changing labour-market demands.