A total of 1,050 students are set to graduate from Cavendish University Uganda at the institution’s 15th graduation ceremony scheduled for Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Speke Resort Munyonyo Convention Centre in Kampala.
The graduates will receive awards at different academic levels, including 703 bachelor’s degrees, 285 master’s degrees, 61 diplomas and one certificate.
Of the 1,050 graduates, 577 are male and 473 are female, representing 55 per cent and 45 per cent respectively. The graduating class includes students from 33 nationalities, reflecting the university’s international student population.
The ceremony will be presided over by the university Chancellor and former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Minister Sanjay Tanna will be the chief guest, while Dr Kosmas Mukirizae, Superintendent of Industry Value Chain Development at the Science, Technology and Innovations Secretariat in the Office of the President, will deliver the commencement address.
The graduation will be held under the theme, “Graduating Global Talent for Employment, Entrepreneurship and Impact.”
Speaking at the launch of the graduation activities, Cavendish University Academic Registrar Michael Okopa said the institution was encouraged by the composition of this year’s graduating class.
“The 15th graduation will have 45% female and 55% male. These are only Ugandan nationals but from 33 nationalities,” Okopa said.
The university’s Executive Director, David Mutabanura, said the graduation reflects its focus on preparing students for employment, entrepreneurship and further education.
He congratulated the graduating students, noting that they would join more than 14,000 people who have previously graduated from the institution.
“We promise to prepare and help each student to achieve gainful employment and entrepreneurship globally,” Mutabanura said.
He said internal assessments conducted by the university indicate that about three-quarters of its students complete their studies on schedule.
“When we last did studies in the area of graduation rates, meaning students who start and finish on time, we found that three quarters of our students start and finish on time. That is 75%,” he said.
Mutabanura also said the university’s assessments indicate that 87 per cent of its graduates either enter employment, start businesses or pursue further studies after graduation.
Mutabanura attributed the university’s emphasis on graduate employability partly to its investment in artificial intelligence, digital skills and entrepreneurship.
He said the institution has introduced programmes specifically focused on artificial intelligence and data science while also integrating AI-related learning across other academic programmes.
“We have a bachelor’s program in data science and artificial intelligence, and we have got a diploma in data science and analytics,” he said.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics and Students, Prof. Olutayo Osunsan, said the university’s academic model is centred on equipping students with skills that can help them compete for opportunities and contribute to society.
“Our academic model emphasises the learner, we’re learner-centred. So we’ve done everything in our power to equip them, to empower them, of course, to be employable, to be entrepreneurs, and most importantly, to have impact,” Osunsan said.
He said the graduating class includes students who studied through different modes, including distance learning, weekend programmes and campus-based programmes.
The students also come from diverse backgrounds, including first-generation university students, working professionals, civil society members and Members of Parliament.
The university’s Director of Quality Assurance, Prof. Molara Oluwanyi, highlighted the role of scholarships in expanding access to higher education for academically strong students who may face financial challenges.
She said the university offers several scholarship opportunities, including an academic merit scholarship awarded based on academic performance.
According to Oluwanyi, successful beneficiaries of the academic merit scholarship receive full academic funding.
She, however, stressed that financial support alone does not guarantee academic success, saying students must remain responsible for their studies and meet academic requirements.
“The scholarship itself does not guarantee success. The students must still put in the work. They must attend classes, they must study, they must seek evaluators, they must meet academic requirements,” Oluwanyi said.
She cited graduating student Joanita Nakawooya as an example of how financial support, academic commitment and leadership can combine to shape a student’s university experience.
Oluwanyi said Nakawooya received a merit-based scholarship, excelled academically and took on leadership responsibilities, including serving as an academic peer mentor and class representative.
She said the university expects scholarship beneficiaries to use the opportunities provided to them to support others and contribute to society.
“We want to produce graduates who are capable, who are confident, who are responsible, and who are willing to contribute to the development of others,” she said.
Oluwanyi also urged the graduating students to view the completion of their degrees as the beginning of another phase of their careers and personal development.
“We congratulate our graduating students and we encourage them to remember that a degree is an achievement, but it is also a beginning. What you do with the knowledge and skills that you have acquired is very important,” she said.
