The Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) has introduced a strategic program to assist university students in developing their well-conceived ideas and concepts into successful businesses. Dr. Apollo Buregyeya, the coordinator of the Engineering Students Scholarship Program (ESSP), outlined the initiative during a ceremony at Makerere University where students received cheques for presenting innovations to UIPE.
Dr. Buregyeya emphasized the program’s focus on supporting ideas that are not only innovative but also scalable and integral to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He expressed the importance of creating knowledge and technology, even if not patented, and highlighted the potential for students’ ideas to be promoted and financially supported.
“The youth are at their prime to become innovators, and the partnership with UIPE and other strategic partners is fruitful,” he stated. Dr. Swaib Ssemiyaga, a Senior Lecturer at the school, praised the initiative, suggesting that it could help students bring their concepts to fruition. He recommended UIPE to establish capacity-building programs and partnerships with international universities for enhanced collaboration.
Eng. Diana Keesiga, the UIPE Head Kampala Branch, shared that the institution has shifted its focus from supporting students struggling with tuition to encouraging innovation projects undertaken by students. The program supported five projects this year, each receiving funding capped at sh2m. The goal is to expand the fund to sh150m annually to support students from various universities collaborating closely with UIPE.
Andrew Kiddu Kawuki, Secretary UIPE – Kampala, provided insight into the ESSP Programme, describing it as a cooperative education framework where the engineering community, contractors, and private individuals contribute resources such as materials, money, mentorship, and special industrial supervision. The program also includes guest lectures, private workspaces, and research tools to support students conducting innovative and relevant academic research.
The UIPE initiative aims to create an environment conducive to nurturing student concepts, contributing to Uganda’s economic development, and fostering innovation among the youth.
