High-profile personalities, including Patience Malaika Mutoni and music manager Martin Beta, were among the 2,559 students who graduated during Victoria University’s 10th graduation ceremony, which concluded on October 20, 2026, at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo.
Held under the forward-looking theme “The Future Is Here,” the two-day event celebrated academic excellence while issuing a strong call for African graduates to spearhead digital and technological innovation.
The graduation featured several notable figures from Uganda’s media and entertainment landscape:
Patience Malaika Mutoni wife of prominent businessman Frank Gashumba graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), specializing in Human Resource Management. Celebrating her milestone on X, she credited hard work, perseverance, and faith, writing, “Officially a Master of Business Administration graduate… All glory to God.”
Martin Beta the manager of star musician and Uganda National Musicians Federation president Eddy Kenzo successfully walked away with his credentials.
Francis Isano the Next Media photographer earned a master’s degree in Diplomacy and Global Studies, using his social media platforms to express gratitude to his family, Next Media CEO Kin Kariisa and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lawrence Muganga.
The Ruparelia Group-owned private institution, located along Kampala’s Jinja Road, revealed outstanding metrics regarding its student body. Notably, 89% of the graduands from the first day were already employed, a success the university attributes to a flexible learning model that balances classroom theory with real-world workplace experience. Furthermore, over 40% of the class pursued science-related disciplines.
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Lawrence Muganga highlighted the institution’s exponential growth, noting that enrollment has skyrocketed from 180 students in 2020 to 16,000 today. He urged the government to implement a One Laptop Per Child policy to ensure all learners are prepared for a digital economy.
Addressing the congregation, University Chancellor Professor John Lawrence Opuda-Asibo warned that graduates risk losing their competitive edge if they ignore emerging tech. He emphasized that understanding and applying artificial intelligence (AI) is mandatory to remain relevant in the modern job market.
Dr. Muganga echoed these sentiments, challenging the new alumni to embrace a “new world order” heavily driven by tech, blockchain innovations, and AI, rather than dismissing these advancements as developments meant only for Western nations.
He emphasized that the country must radically modernize its education sector to keep pace with a global economy driven by artificial intelligence (AI), digital literacy, and blockchain innovation.
The 10th graduation ceremony of Victoria University marks a significant milestone in Uganda’s higher education landscape. By graduating over 2,500 students in 2026, the institution has signaled a shift away from traditional, theory-heavy academic models toward a modern, tech-driven curriculum.
Shifts the focus of higher education from traditional rote learning to mandatory digital literacy. It proves that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain are no longer optional additions but core economic requirements.
Proves that flexible learning models work. Achieving an 89% employment rate among graduates challenges the traditional belief that students must choose between a job and a degree
Plans for the future
The University is preparing graduates to compete in a global digital market by ensuring tech innovation remains central to all academic disciplines.
Management is also expanding hybrid learning structures to allow more working professionals to upgrade their skills without leaving the workforce and advancing national infrastructure advocacy, such as calling for a government-backed “One Laptop Per Child” policy to prepare early learners for advanced digital training.
