Uganda’s premier institution of higher learning, Makerere University and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are in partnership to hold the Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 on 6th and 7th October, 2023 under the theme, “Fostering Innovation for Uganda’s Transformational Development.”
Aimed at showcasing outstanding youth innovations and youth enterprise, the Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 will be held on those days from 9:00am to 5:00pm at the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility, in the heart of Makerere University. The Expo is sponsored by the United Nations Development Fund and MTN Uganda with Start Hub Africa as the curator for all the knowledge sessions in the two-day Expo.
Since inception in 1922, Makerere University has been able to transform communities and societies through its wealth of human capital, numerous research outcomes and technological innovations that have served Uganda, East Africa, Africa and the world at large.
Being the oldest and biggest University in Uganda, the university is uniquely positioned to be a hub of many youth innovations through end-of-year course research projects. Together with UNDP, Makerere intends to showcase a number of youth innovations and youth start-ups which have successfully made the transition from research to commercial enterprises.
In a telephone interview with Campus Bee, Lorna Magara, the Makerere University Council Chairperson revealed that the university intends to use the exhibition to foster entrepreneurship among young people and help narrow down the youth unemployment gap by facilitating job creation.
“Through this exhibition, we also hope to create viable forward and backward linkages that will facilitate the creation of jobs and foster entrepreneurship by supporting access to an integrated mix of finance products, business management skills and market access to young women and men entrepreneurs and youth-owned MSMEs.” She said.
The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 will bring on board a number of activations from its sponsors, Makerere@100 partners, University Internal and External partners such as MTN Uganda, Stanbic Uganda, Bank of Uganda, Absa Bank, Bank of Uganda to mention but a few.
The line-up of activations for the Expo includes, Master classes especially relevant for the youth and students, panels sessions involving regulatory and compliance institutions for innovators, an Art exhibition, a fashion show curated by Axarya Trends and the Margret Trowel School of Fine Art, a medical camp, Food vendor stalls, exhibitions from all ten colleges of the University and other University institutions.
The two-day event will consist of a very comprehensive, insightful, and engaging program with an opening ceremony, a student-inspired fashion show, curated performances from the school of Performing Arts and Film, a showcase of student innovations, exhibitions of Innovations turned enterprises from the Youth4Business program led by UNDP.
The Guest of Honour for the exhibition will be Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament. The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023, conference program and master classes will broadcast live on all Makerere social media platforms.
