Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile: An e-learning initiative for Ugandan financial
institutions
Speech by Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, Governor of the Bank of Uganda, at the launch of
Barclays University, Kampala, 20 July 2006.
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The Board of Directors, Management & Staff
Barclays Bank of Uganda Ltd
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me begin by expressing my appreciation to the Board of Directors and Management of Barclays
Bank of Uganda Limited for inviting me to launch the Barclays University in Uganda. Barclays
University, which is an initiative of the Barclays PLC, is an internet based learning concept, was first
hatched out in 2002 and has since been rolled out in Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana and
Ghana. Today, Uganda joins the above mentioned African countries in hosting Barclays University
learning centre. The opening of Barclays University learning centre in Uganda at this particular time is
an indication of the confidence Barclays PLC has placed in Uganda.
I have been made to understand that the key objective of the Barclays University, is to avail learning
opportunities to all the bank's staff in various areas of banking operations in order to empower them
with superior skills and expertise for attaining competitive advantage to match the escalating
competitive strategies being rolled out by the various providers of financial services in the local,
regional and global markets.
Barclays University will employ e-learning to provide educational opportunities to staff to acquire
leadership skills. The move to e-learning provides more people with access to leadership development
opportunities at their local work stations, hence being cost effective. The programme aims at
influencing staff attitudes to view learning as a continual development opportunity that can be
achieved through a range of channels.
Barclays University learning centre will create a unique learning environment, which is relaxed yet
inspiring, buzzing yet contemplative and will be equipped with the state of the art learning technology.
The programmes offered by Barclays University are designed to be highly flexible, allowing users to
adapt to whichever form of learning they find appropriate to their specific needs. The University will
employ personal computers designed to run business focused courses with CD-ROM access, internet
based e-learning courses, as well as access to the Barclays University Website to provide a wide
range of learning menu to the bank's staff. The learning centre has been designed as an informal
meeting point, a central information point and an exciting visual space featuring one large plasma
screen providing information about Barclays University or can be used to conduct group presentations,
learning videos or programmes.
As you all know, Uganda's financial sector has registered positive developments over the last five
years. While applauding these positive developments, it is necessary to learn that such achievements
have in turn raised new managerial challenges of instituting prudent risk management systems
necessary to match the complexity of risk profiles that have emerged in the financial institutions.
Operational risk, which largely occurs on account of lapses in systems and processes, is increasingly
posing serious managerial challenges, hence calling upon financial institutions to institute
comprehensive risk management framework. I am sure that the establishment of Barclays University
will definitely go a long way in promoting training opportunities for developing strategies and
techniques of combating infiltration of unscrupulous practices into the financial sector.
Bank of Uganda therefore most heartily congratulates Barclays Bank of Uganda Limited on this
auspicious occasion of launching Barclays University in Uganda. It my sincere hope that over time, the
learning facilities at Barclays University could be tapped by other financial institutions in Uganda as a
way of enhancing the development of risk management skills that is very vital in fostering safety of
depositors' funds and stability and soundness of the financial system as a whole.
With those few remarks, it is now my singular privilege to declare Barclays University in Uganda open.