On 5th November 2025, the Makerere University School of Engineering hosted a one-day Competence-Based Curriculum Mapping training for all its staff at Piato restaurant. Held under the theme “Transitioning engineering curricula to Competence-Based Education: From learning outcomes to demonstrable competencies,” the event marked a significant step in updating the university’s academic frameworks. The primary expected outcome of the workshop was to produce a draft competence-based curriculum map for every engineering program and to establish a clear roadmap for completing the comprehensive alignment process.
The training featured a robust lineup of expert facilitators, including Dr. Richard Ouma from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and Ms. Jalia Nasaza from the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB). They were joined by Assoc. Prof. Timothy Tebenkana and Dr. Dorothy Kyagaba from the Makerere University College of Education and External Studies (CEES), alongside representatives from the Quality Assurance Directorate. These experts guided staff through crucial regulatory expectations, focusing on how to align engineering curricula with workplace functions, occupational standards, and overarching university quality assurance requirements.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in intensive, hands-on working sessions designed to put these educational principles into practice. In the first session, department groups worked to identify graduate competencies, map existing courses against them, and pinpoint any gaps, overlaps, or redundancies within their current programs. A subsequent session shifted the focus to the course level, where staff mapped specific learning outcomes to teaching activities, assessment methods, and broader industry competencies. This constructive alignment ensured that educational strategies would actively foster the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required in the modern engineering workplace.
The collaborative effort culminated in program teams presenting their draft maps, highlighting key gaps, and receiving constructive feedback from the facilitation panel. To ensure the continued momentum of this initiative, the School of Engineering leadership and curriculum committees agreed on a concrete school-level roadmap before the closing remarks. This roadmap outlines the specific responsibilities, peer review processes, and strict timelines necessary to finalize the curriculum mapping, ensuring that future Makerere engineering graduates are fully equipped with demonstrable, industry-ready competencies.