KAMPALA: The Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo has urged universities across the country to promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence in student training. Alupo who is also the Chancellor for St. Lawrence University made the remarks during the 16th graduation ceremony of the University.
She has called on universities across the country to ensure rational use of artificial intelligence in training students.
Alupo explained that in a rapidly changing world driven by artificial intelligence and digital technologies, education must prepare graduates who can think critically, innovate responsibly, and respond effectively to community and national challenges.
“Competency-Based Education, supported by Artificial Intelligence, enables learners to acquire practical skills, entrepreneurial mindsets, and adaptive capabilities that are essential for job creation and sustainable development,” Alupo said.
The vice president further said that through ICT and AI, graduates can transform agriculture, improve service delivery, modernize businesses, and solve pressing community problems, stressing that this is the kind of graduate St. Lawrence University seeks to produce.
“St. Lawrence University recognizes that meaningful education can not be delivered in isolation. We are committed to establishing and strengthening collaborative partnerships with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry, and community organizations,” she said.
She expounded that through these partnerships, they aim to co-design and co-deliver competency-based, community-engaged programmes that ensure learning remains relevant, applied, and impactful. Alupo told the students that artificial intelligence, digital tools, and innovation platforms will open many doors for them. However, she reminded them that technology without values is dangerous, urging integrity, compassion, and professionalism to guide them always.
She asked the students to be bold, creative, solution-driven, and never stop learning. She thanked parents and guardians for the sacrifice and support, saying investing in these young people has made today’s graduation ceremony possible.
She noted that today’s graduation aligned closely with the Government’s policy on liberalising higher education and the recommendations of the Education Policy Review Commission, which emphasizes a shift toward competency-based and skills-oriented education.
“The future demands graduates who can think critically, create solutions, and address real community challenges—not merely memorize content.Therefore, our focus as a country is on skills, innovation, and job creation. We are committed to producing graduates who solve problems practically, create employment rather than wait for it, and use knowledge to transform their communities,” she said.
The vice president told graduands that as they receive their certificates and degrees today, they should be reminded more importantly that they’re receiving a responsibility.
“Responsibility to use your knowledge ethically. Responsibility to embrace technology wisely. Responsibility to serve your communities faithfully,” she said.
She further said the government, through its policy of liberalising higher education, has made a deliberate and strategic decision to expand access to university education while encouraging innovation and private sector participation.
The chairperson University Council Mike Ssebalu asked the graduands to remember that their competence must be matched with integrity, knowledge with character, and innovation with responsibility. He further noted that as Council, they’re committed to promoting ethical, inclusive, and sustainable community engagement practices.
The Vice Chancellor Dr. Charles Masaba said the university is deliberately aligning itself with the global shift if embracing competency based education to address the needs of the labour market. In order to achieve this, the Vice Chancellor said all academic programmes at the University are now being redesigned and to be delivered using a competency-based approach.
This year’s graduation was organised under the theme, “Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Competence-based Curriculum,”. According to the Dr. Masaba the theme is timely and transformative. “AI is transforming every sector: health, agriculture, business, education, governance, and finance. As a leading ICT-driven institution, we must ensure our students are not just consumers of technology, but creators of it,” he said.
Chairperson Board of Directors Justine Maria Tuliana said the university is deliberately planning for the future. “We are committed to strengthening the learning environment and expanding opportunities for our students through construction of a modern hostel block in line with our Master Plan, establishment of sports facilities for several games and recreation and setting up an endowment fund to ensure long-term financial sustainability,” she said.
