The Virtual University of Uganda, the first online university in Africa and Sanlam General Insurance, a leader in insurance services, on Tuesday announced their support for Innovation Series.
Innovation Series is a thought-leadership event hosted by brainchild BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe), the country’s most awarded public relations agency.
Mr. Walter Wafula, the Business Unit Head-PR, brainchild BCW while addressing journalists at the company offices in Kololo, commended Virtual University of Uganda and Sanlam General for their support to the agency’s innovation drive.
“We welcome you to our partner network as we make strides towards making the third edition of Innovation Series, a reality and the invaluable thought-leadership event for Ugandans. Your support demonstrates your strong resolve to help Ugandan businesses address the current bottlenecks in the tourism & hospitality sector through gamechanging creativity,” Wafula said.
Brainchild BCW will host the third edition of Innovation Series on March 07th, 2019, at Golf Course Hotel, under the theme, “Game-changing Creativity: The Road to Hypergrowth in Hospitality. The industry plays a critical role in facilitating tourism in Uganda. According to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, tourism revenue is forecasted to double to US$ 2.7 billion by 2020 from US$ 1.4 Billion in 2017, representing 10% of our national GDP.
Announcing the investment that has been made towards the next edition, Wafula said, “Our partners and sponsors have committed approximately Ushs.80 million in cash and kind, towards the organisation of the event, and awareness drive.”
Mr. Brian Ntambirweki, the Marketing Director, Virtual University of Uganda, said the University is pleased to collaborate with brainchild BCW as part of efforts to revolutionalize how the hospitality and industry operates especially through research as well skills and talent development.
“Virtual University of Uganda is proud to be part of the vanguard in the technological revolution in university education. We deliver high quality and affordable postgraduate courses, that are delivered online and enable the student to have a work and study balance, as well as on-the-job application of the skills they learn,” Ntambirweki said. He stressed that, “We recognize that tourism is contributing 10% to Uganda’s GDP and have developed a Tourism & Hospitality specialization in our MBA programme at Virtual
University of Uganda to develop better managers and leaders in the sector.”
Ntambirweki explained that, “All of our programmes and subject areas are applicable to Tourism and Hospitality in one way or another. We have also developed a range of tailor-made short courses that cover the entire value chain in tourism and hospitality, through our Corporate Academy,” adding that, “Innovation Series gives us the appropriate platform to discuss innovations in the sector with industry players, and offer the right training solutions to the industry.”
Speaking at the sponsorship announcement, Mr. Donato Laboke, the General Manager Marketing & Brand at Sanlam General Insurance noted that Sanlam is proud to be associated with innovations that will help spur growth of businesses in Uganda.
“Sanlam offers a broad range of general insurance solutions for both commercial and corporate clients and partnering with brainchild BCW for the 3rd edition of Innovation Series will give us a platform to promote innovation in the hospitality industry while building the much needed strategic networks with businesses in the sector,” Laboke said.
He also noted that insurance as a service is an integral part of the tourism & hospitality sector, its growth and development through innovation. “Insurance is one of the key support industries to the sector in light of the looming risks, insecurities and potential exposures the businesses there-in are faced with.”
Besides Sanlam and Virtual University of Uganda, other sponsors of the event include; Roke Telkom, fireworks Advertising, Golf Course Hotel, Quicket Uganda, Garage Group, Vacker Media, Riley Media, Pizza Hut, Total Uganda, Capital FM and Seamless. The event is expected to attract a number of companies, and individuals in the hospitality sector while the support industries will also showcase their products and works relevant to the theme.
