Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) have agreed to collaborate and advance the agenda for building a national quality culture.
While giving his remarks during a follow-up meeting held at MUBS main campus in Kampala on December 5, 2025, and attended by key staff from both institutions, UNBS’ Executive Director, Eng. James Kasigwa said the move is intended to promote safety and quality standards in line with its current five-year’s strategy.
“One of the initiatives over the next five years is to build the national quality culture where the population embraces quality and standards. UNBS is in the business of growing quality enterprises. We shall ensure that students and all stakeholders appreciate the role of standards in economic transformation at individual,enterprise and national level, “he said.
Eng. Kasigwa asserted that Under UNBS Act cap 210, Section 3, the bureau has a responsibility of encouraging and promoting educational work in standardization, noting that evoking that function necessitates collaboration with educational institutions to design and deliver relevant standards related trainings. He reiterated UNBS’ commitment to set up a National Standards and Quality institute to spearhead
education about standardization. He also outlined the bureau’s plan to commence personnel certification to increase Uganda’s labor competitiveness, which directly leads to increased investor and tourist confidence.
Eng. Kasigwa is optimistic that this collaboration will help enterprises create awareness and build competences that will ensure that Ugandan products including human resource comply with the required quality and standards requirements at the national, regional and global level.
He also noted that achieving Uganda’s ambitious ten-fold growth strategy that rides on increased exports, import substitution, and industrialization would only be successful if the required standards and quality of products is maintained.
Prof Moses Muhwezi, the Principal of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) noted that as a business school, it is important for them to nurture the right quality of graduates, staff and products.
“As a government institution and a key player in the education sector, we are committed to assist government to achieve a ten- fold growth. We are collaborating with UNBS and other government entities to ensure that we undertake standards in businesses, labourforce, and our processes. We should be academically knowledgeable in the area of standisation,” he noted.
Prof Muhwezi said MUBS committed to sponsor one staff member to pursue a PHD in standards in an effort to cascade the standisation agenda among staff and the students.
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a Government Agency responsible for developing, promoting and enforcing national standards in protection of Public Health and Safety, and the Environment against harmful and sub-standard products, ensuring fairness in trade and precision in industry through reliable measurement systems; and Strengthening the economy of Uganda by assuring the quality of locally manufactured products and services through product certification (Q mark) and systems certification.