Mountains of the Moon University is proud to participate in the PLEDGE Project, which stands for Proliferation of Local Expertise in Development of Green-growth Economy.
The project aims to strengthen higher education in Uganda so that it can support green growth, practical skills development, and sustainable economic transformation. It also seeks to improve the link between universities, government, industry, farmers, and tourism actors.
Through this project, MMU will support skills development in key sectors such as coffee, horticulture, tourism, sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship, and green jobs. These areas are important because they contribute to employment, income generation, environmental protection, and national development.
Uganda depends greatly on agriculture and tourism. These sectors create jobs, support households, and provide raw materials for agro-industrial development. However, several challenges still affect their growth.
Many graduates leave university with strong theoretical knowledge but limited practical skills. In addition, some academic programmes do not fully match the needs of employers, farmers, and industry players. Climate change, low productivity, limited value addition, and weak university-industry linkages also affect progress.
Therefore, the PLEDGE Project seeks to address these gaps through practical training, work-based learning, industry engagement, and curriculum improvement.
The main objective of PLEDGE is to support the development of a coherent, inclusive, and sustainable higher education system in Uganda.
The project will help higher education institutions produce graduates who can support Uganda’s green economy. It will also promote innovation, practical learning, and stronger partnerships with key development sectors.
The PLEDGE Project will focus on three major objectives.
First, it will support the introduction of green sectoral skills, strategies, and teaching methods in higher education.
Second, it will support the creation of three sectoral university-academic councils. These councils will focus on coffee, horticulture, and tourism.
Third, it will promote teacher Continuous Professional Development using EntreComp methods. This will help lecturers support entrepreneurship, sustainable value chains, and green jobs.
The project will promote competence-based education and training. It will also support placements, internships, practical study activities, and work-based learning.
In addition, PLEDGE will strengthen teacher training, curriculum development, and university-industry cooperation. It will also promote sustainable practices in agriculture, tourism, and agri-food value chains.
As a result, students will gain more practical skills. They will also understand how classroom knowledge applies to real work environments.
The project is expected to improve graduate employability and strengthen practical skills among students. It will also help universities design programmes that respond better to labour market needs.
In addition, PLEDGE will create stronger platforms for collaboration between universities, government, industry, farmers, tourism stakeholders, and development partners.
Through these partnerships, research and training can lead to practical solutions for communities and the economy.
The PLEDGE Project brings together universities, training institutions, government agencies, and industry partners. The partners include:
Mountains of the Moon University will contribute academic leadership, research experience, and community engagement expertise to the project.
As a participating institution, MMU will support the development of green skills and practical learning approaches. The University will also work with partners to promote sustainable development, innovation, and employability.
Through PLEDGE, MMU continues to strengthen its role as a university committed to practical education, green growth, and service to society.