Public lecture

Lira University Hosts Public Lecture on Social Entrepreneurship Competence in Uganda

On 13 November 2025, Lira University hosted a public lecture titled “The Competence Profile of a Social Entrepreneur: The Context of Uganda” at the EMBA Lecture Hall. The event was organized under the ADVANCE Project and aimed to raise awareness about social Innovation and Entrepreneurship while introducing the forthcoming Postgraduate Diploma in social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE).

The lecture featured insightful presentations by Ms. Ursula Abwot and Mr. Ogwang John, moderated by Mr. Ogo Emmanuel. The event was graced by the Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Lira University, the Director of Quality Assurance, the Manager of the Presidential Skilling Hub – Lango Zone, lecturers, students, representatives from the ADVANCE Project partner organization—Facilitation for Peace and Development (FAPD)—and other distinguished stakeholders from academia, banking, civil society, and the community.

The team delved into discussing and unpacking the competence profile required for effective social entrepreneurship in Uganda, grounded in empirical research conducted across Uganda and Tanzania. The findings emphasized that social entrepreneurs must combine competences such as Ethical and transformative leadership, Innovation and opportunity recognition, Problem-solving, critical thinking, Community engagement and participatory approaches, Financial and managerial acumen, Resilience and adaptability in resource-constrained environments among other.

A significant portion of the lecture also focused on identified barriers and gaps that hinder the growth and effectiveness of social entrepreneurship in Uganda. These include funding and market access, conceptual confusion, training gap, gender and youth underrepresentation among others. 

The ADVANCE Project directly responds to these barriers by promoting a competence-based, experiential learning approach to social entrepreneurship education through post graduate Diploma in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) in East Africa. At Lira university, the program will be administered under the Faulty of management science and will be accessible to graduates from diverse academic background or disciplines.

The Public lecture also created a platform for critical dialogue on youth empowerment, community-driven innovation, and sustainable development in Uganda and East Africa in general. Participants reflected on how universities can move beyond knowledge transmission to become active and critical agents of societal transformation. By integrating research, policy engagement, and experiential learning, Lira University reaffirms its commitment to cultivating visionary-driven leaders capable of addressing societal challenges such as; poverty, service delivery gaps, and environmental challenges through innovative enterprise solutions.