As artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy, one Kampala-based university is making a clear and deliberate bet on the future — and it is not waiting for the rest of the world to catch up.
Victoria University (VU) has positioned itself at the forefront of AI-driven education in Uganda, anchored in a stark warning from the World Economic Forum: over 85 million jobs will be displaced by AI by 2030, while 170 million new roles will emerge in their place. The question the university is asking Uganda’s youth is simple: which side will you be on?
Vice Chancellor Dr. Lawrence Muganga announced the launch of a free AI training programme for Ugandans, aimed at preparing young people for the fast-evolving digital economy. He compared AI’s coming impact to that of the mobile phone. “Even if we choose not to learn artificial intelligence, it does not mean the world will stop,” he warned. “The world will move on, and the difference will be that we shall remain behind.” Already, about 10,000 young people have expressed interest in the free programme.
The university has gone further than short courses. In June 2025, VU unveiled a partnership with EON Reality, introducing a “Third Way” education model that blends AI and extended reality (XR), enabling students to design virtual prototypes, explore digital ecosystems, and simulate business ventures.
What sets Victoria University apart is its philosophy. Where many universities treat AI as a subject of theory, VU treats it as a medium of instruction — embedding practical, hands-on digital skills into the learning experience itself. In a region where youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge, a university that takes employability seriously as a core design principle may well be the most consequential institution of the coming decade.
