IUIU female students urged to blend skills, values, and integrity to excel

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Female students at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), Kabojja campus, have been tipped to merge values, integrity, and practical skills as they prepare for the saturated job market.

The appeal was made during a career clinic held on Tuesday by BrighterMonday Uganda under the GenKazi project in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The event, themed “Her Path, Her Power: Empowering Young Women for the Future of Work,” brought together employers, private sector leaders, and students for discussions on career readiness, with over 1,000 women attending.

Imma Grace Audrey, Head of Learning and Development at BrighterMonday, emphasised the need for holistic support to navigate the job market.



“What this means is we’ve been able to support over a thousand female students at the university in terms of advancement of their career prospects, looking at what the current workforce requires. We are here to empower the youth for them to discover that a career can take the shape of employment or entrepreneurship,” she explained.

She highlighted the significance of soft skills in complementing technical training.

“Key from BrighterMonday is that we support the youth in terms of them acquiring soft skills training and entrepreneurship training, which forms a 360 around backing up the technical skills that they have acquired.”

She noted that IUIU Kabojja, the female campus, is the only campus for higher education in sub-Saharan Africa dedicated solely to women. The institution identified the need to support female students’ access to education, and we are here to further support them beyond academic life into work life.”

Frank Katusiime, CEO of Business Initiatives International Limited, urged students to combine practical abilities with integrity and strong values.

“One thing that is important to the youth these days is that they should know that education is more impactful if you make it holistic. Holistic education means you are looking at the head, the heart, and the hands,” Katusiime noted.

Prof. Madinah Nabukeera, Director of the IUIU Female Campus in Kabojja, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to closing the graduate skills gap, commending partners for the bold step they have taken.

“We are hosting BrighterMonday to equip our learners with ready-to-work skills. Research shows a gap between what students study and what employers want in the market.

Shadia Nalubega, a third-year student, lauded the initiative and called for more programs that merge education, skills, and values.

“This clinic has shown us that success is not just about knowledge; it is about using our skills responsibly and with integrity.”

Communication, personal development, digital etiquette, and workplace interaction are critical for employability, yet they are often not fully covered in university teaching. BrighterMonday is helping students bridge the gap the industry has identified.