Bugema University, May 7, 2026. Yesterday, undergraduate students from the Social Sciences regular program gathered in the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences’ Main Hall for a hands-on, one-day workshop on Project Planning and Management, which was filled with enthusiasm and ideas. The event, offered under the course code BADS 1204, attracted students studying Development Studies, Social Work and Social Administration (SWSA), Counselling, and Public Administration.
The workshop, which ran from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., was designed to give students a practical grasp of project planning concepts and equip them with foundational tools to navigate the project cycle from initiation to closure.
The day opened with a warm welcome, devotion, and an overview of the workshop’s expectations. Dr. Clare Kyomuhendo, Dean of the School, set the tone with her opening remarks, encouraging students to embrace the day as an opportunity to bridge classroom theory with real-world application.
The first major session introduced students to the fundamentals of project planning and management. Facilitators walked participants through the definition of a project, distinguishing between projects, programs, portfolios, and operations. Students explored the role of the project manager, the famous “triple constraint triangle” of scope, time, and cost, and the key factors that determine whether a project succeeds or fails. The session blended lecture with guided activities, sparking lively discussion among students who began drawing parallels between the concepts and projects in their own communities.
After a short tea break, participants went in for Session Two, a deep look at the project cycle. The session traced a project’s journey through five phases: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Students learned how to set SMART objectives, identify stakeholders, build a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), develop schedules, plan resources, and manage risks. A case study brought the theory to life, allowing students to test their understanding against a realistic project scenario.
One of the participants on the right receiving her certificate, Dr Clare Kyomuhendo (Dean of the school) on the left
Following a lunch break, the afternoon block shifted into a more practical gear. The first afternoon session focused on project implementation in practice, coordinating people and resources, monitoring progress, ensuring quality, and handling the inevitable conflicts that arise during execution. This was followed by the tools and applications segment, where facilitators demonstrated how Gantt charts, Work Breakdown Structures, and communication plans are used in everyday project work.
The day wrapped up with a reflection session in which students shared their key takeaways, lessons learned, and lingering questions during a Q&A. Mr. Masereka Robinson, Head of Department, delivered the closing remarks, commending the students for their active participation and reminding them that effective project management is a skill that will serve them in any career path they choose.
Mr Masereka Robinson (HoD Development Studies)
Beyond the lectures and slides, the workshop achieved something that many students described afterwards as long overdue: a chance to see how project management connects to development work, social services, counselling, and public administration. Many left the venue with notebooks full of frameworks, a clearer sense of the project cycle, and a renewed appreciation for the discipline behind every successful initiative.
For Bugema University’s Social Science undergraduates, May 6th will be remembered not just as a day of learning but as a stepping stone toward becoming the planners, managers, and leaders their communities need.
