Tag Archives: UCU students

Bridget Aber, a student in the UCU School of Business, on court

UCU basketballer crowned best defensive player of the year


Bridget Aber, a student in the UCU School of Business, on court
Bridget Aber, a student in the UCU School of Business, on court

By Pauline Luba
Bridget Aber’s introduction to basketball came from an unexpected route – through her passion for traveling first, the sport second. She quenched her travel thirst in high school when she discovered that members of the school’s basketball team often traveled out of the school to play. 

Aber, therefore, hatched a plan to start playing basketball, so she, too, could get travel opportunities. When she got to the basketball court, the game became too enticing for her to leave, thanks largely to coach Koma Hendrix Iverson. The year was 2019.

All the sweat that Aber has broken since then has now earned her a national accolade – the country’s best defensive player for 2024 in Uganda’s national basketball league, named by the Federation of Uganda Basketball Association.

Bridget Aber during one of the games
Bridget Aber during one of the games

Aber, a standout basketball player for the Uganda Christian University (UCU) women team, the Lady Canons, feels recognitions like what she’s just earned, push her to grow stronger and to improve in the game. Uganda’s basketball season is usually a long one, typically lasting anything from nine to ten months. During all that time, Aber and her teammates competed against 11 teams from both universities and clubs. 

Despite the challenges of balancing her academics and sports responsibilities, Aber is determined to excel in both areas. She acknowledges the difficulty of managing time, especially when traveling for games, but remains committed to prioritizing her studies and training.

At UCU, Aber is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Mentally, Aber has grown significantly since she first started playing basketball. In the early days, she would panic or get frustrated easily, but over time, she has learned to stay calm and focused. Understanding that not every game can be won, she has developed the ability to handle losses with grace, as they keep pushing for more wins.

Just like it is the case with many athletes, injuries are part of the trade. For Aber, they have been a significant challenge in her basketball journey. She has experienced several, including an ankle injury that took her a month for recovery and a healing  knee injury she sustained not long ago. 

Aber credits her growth in sports to the guidance from the athlete’s siblings around her. Her two brothers — Phillip Wokorach and Gwokto Thomas Innocent — are always available for inspiration. Wokorach plays for Uganda’s national rugby team and also plays professional club rugby in France with Club Orléans. Gwokto plays rugby for a Ugandan club, the Heathens. 

Additionally, she says the UCU basketball coach, Nick Natuhereza, has played a significant role in her development as a basketball player. 

Bridget Aber recently was named Uganda’s best defensive player for 2024 in Uganda's national basketball league.
Bridget Aber recently was named Uganda’s best defensive player for 2024 in Uganda’s national basketball league.

Aber is the youngest of seven siblings. She grew up under the care of a single mom in Kampala. Despite the challenges she faced following the loss of her father while in Primary Seven, she has been resilient to life’s obstacles. This resilience, she says, was implanted in her by her mother, Ayot Lillian Rose. Aber’s late father, George Ojok Gwokto, worked as a salesperson at an insurance company.

Aber attributes much of her strength to the valuable life lessons her mother imparted in her. From Ayot, Aber learned to be kind, God-fearing, and generous without expecting anything in return. These lessons shaped the person she is today, both on and off the court.

Aber encourages young girls to remain prayerful, focused, and passionate about the game while avoiding distractions that could derail their progress. For her, the journey in basketball has just begun. With passion, determination and faith, she says the sky’s the limit.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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The pioneer students of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Management program with some School of Business administrators

UCU launches PhD in business management


The pioneer students of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Management program with some School of Business administrators
The pioneer students of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Management program with some School of Business administrators

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has introduced a new PhD program — the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management. The program, which is the first PhD in the UCU School of Business, started with four modules. The module leaders are professors carefully sourced from some of the world’s best universities. 

By benchmarking against world-class universities worldwide, such as the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom and the University of Agder in Norway, UCU aims to generate a new model of PhD training and elevate the standard of PhD education in the East African region.

Rev. Assoc. Prof. John M. Kitayimbwa, the UCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs, addresses the pioneer PhD students during orientation.
Rev. Assoc. Prof. John M. Kitayimbwa, the UCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs, addresses the pioneer PhD students during orientation.

The Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa, the UCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, commended the Dean and the administration of the School of Business for developing the program, noting that the university conducted extensive research and market analysis, which revealed the need for innovative business education. 

Kitayimbwa explained that unlike historical PhD training models, where African scholars are often paired with retiring professors, limiting exposure to cutting-edge ideas, this program brings together experienced and young professors. 

“Traditional PhD models tie scholars to retiring professors, limiting them to outdated ideas,” Kitayimbwa said. “Pairing students with seasoned and young professors ensures they receive up-to-date research training to tackle challenges and provide relevant solutions for the next 30-40 years.”

This unique approach ensures research relevance, fostering innovative ideas. The ultimate goal is to unlock research potential for sustainable development and prosperity across the continent. 

Kitayimbwa urged the pioneer students to strive for excellence and aspire to do work that can appear in well-respected journals.

“The PhD is as short or as long as the quality of the student,”  Kitayimbwa said. “The students are given a maximum of seven years to complete the PhD, but you can also complete it in two-and-a-half years.” 

Dr. Henry Mugisha, the Head of the Department of Post-Graduate Programs in the School of Business, led the team that developed the program. He said that the program was inspired by the need to initiate a new way of PhD training that focuses on generation or research content worthy of publication in well-respected academic journals during the training. This is a shift from the monograph PhD model that characterizes PhD training, at least in Uganda at the moment.

(From left to right) Professor Danson Kimani from the University of Sheffield;Dr. Henry Mugisha, the Head of the Department for Postgraduate Programmes; Mrs Elsie Mirembe Nsiyona, the Associate Dean of the School of Business; and Winnie Thakker Kasujja, one of the pioneer students.
(From left to right) Professor Danson Kimani from the University of Sheffield;
Dr. Henry Mugisha, the Head of the Department for Postgraduate Programmes; Mrs Elsie Mirembe Nsiyona, the Associate Dean of the School of Business; and Winnie Thakker Kasujja, one of the pioneer students.

He noticed that the School of Business did not have a PhD program, yet UCU needed to engage in and contribute to knowledge creation in business at an advanced level. 

Mugisha said his inspiration was to debunk the misconception in Uganda that you cannot have a PhD if you are not subjected to periodic sit-in examinations. This makes this PhD unique because the mode of delivery is new in the country.

“We are using a practice-relevant approach, focusing on writing, disseminating research findings, and solving societal problems,” Mugisha explained. “Unlike traditional coursework and examination methods, our program yields a paper addressing a specific concern at the end of each module.”

This program aims to generate knowledge, address business-related problems, and equip students with first-class research, writing and dissertation writing skills.

The first cohort was welcomed with an October 10, 2024, orientation session. With 30 enrolled students, the first class commenced on October 19, 2024

The program has specialized tracks in Finance, Strategic Management, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Human Resource Management, International Business, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Accounting — all of which are critical areas for driving positive change in business ecosystems in Africa and beyond.

Participants in the program are expected to benefit from a collaborative learning environment that offers mentorship. Students will have the opportunity to work closely with distinguished faculty on research projects, publications, and teaching opportunities.

The program has two options to accommodate the candidates’ backgrounds and goals. First, there is a PhD in Management by Coursework and Research, and a PhD in Management by Publications.

The PhD in Management by Publications is a tailored program that examines the foundational principles and evolutionary dynamics of the management field, alongside key catalysts driving change within the discipline. It requires a minimum of three years and a maximum of seven years to complete.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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