COBAMS EXPO 2026: Modest Turnout, Big Ideas

Not every exhibition needs a massive crowd to make a statement. At COBAMS Expo 2026, the turnout may have been modest, but the ideas on display offered a compelling reminder of what happens when students take their knowledge beyond lecture notes and put it to practical use. The exhibition brought together student innovations and projects spanning different fields, with **iron sprays, robotics, agribusiness and more** among the highlights. The projects demonstrated the creativity and problem-solving potential within Makerere University's College of Business and Management Sciences. From ideas addressing practical needs to innovations exploring technology and business opportunities, the expo offered a glimpse into what students can achieve when learning extends beyond examinations. The iron spray project caught attention for its practical appeal, while robotics brought a technological dimension to the exhibition. Agribusiness also featured among the areas explored, highlighting the potential for students to connect business thinking with opportunities in agriculture. Yet perhaps the biggest story was not simply what was exhibited, but what the exhibition represented.

University education is often measured through grades, coursework and academic qualifications. Events like COBAMS Expo challenge that narrow view by creating space for students to demonstrate their ideas, test their creativity and explore how classroom knowledge might translate into solutions for the real world. And this is where the challenge extends beyond COBAMS. What are the other colleges and schools at Makerere bringing to the table? Makerere is home to students studying engineering, computing, agriculture, health sciences, the arts, business and numerous other disciplines. Each field presents opportunities to create, experiment and solve problems. The question is how consistently those opportunities are being turned into visible projects, working prototypes, businesses and innovations. A modest turnout should not overshadow the value of the ideas presented. Instead, it should encourage a bigger conversation about how student exhibitions can attract wider participation, stronger collaboration and greater attention from the university community and potential industry partners. For students, the message is clear: learning should not end when the lecture ends. Ideas deserve to be tested, improved and presented to the world. For the rest of Makerere's schools and colleges, COBAMS Expo 2026 offers a timely challenge: show us what you are building.

Because the next big idea might not emerge from a boardroom or an established company. It could begin in a university classroom, a student project group or an exhibition that fewer people attended than it deserved. And sometimes, a modest crowd is still enough to reveal a big idea. Campus 360 — Your campus. Your culture. Your generation.