General
EAIHESD holds first UNESCO-IIEP graduation
The International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) was created by UNESCO in 1963 in Paris, France, with a Mission-To strengthen the capacity of countries to plan and manage their education systems. It is supported by grants from UNESCO and by voluntary contributions from Member States and others.
The International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) was created by UNESCO in 1963 in Paris, France, with a Mission-To strengthen the capacity of countries to plan and manage their education systems. It is supported by grants from UNESCO and by voluntary contributions from Member States and others.
It also aims to meet the needs of countries in the development of their education systems by:
- Training planners and managers in skills to analyze and plan, manage and implement, monitor and evaluate.
- Supporting institutions and improving administrative routines, organization, leadership skills.
- Fostering an enabling environment through policy forums, international co-operation and networking.
To date, more than 5000 experts and education officers have been trained by IIEP and the first batch of ten graduates from the Makerere chapter were hosted to a certificate award ceremony at the Makerere University Guest House yesterday evening.
On behalf of his fellow graduands, Mr. Cuthbert Mulyalya appreciated the Ministry of Education & Sports and the Assistant Commissioner, Education Planning, Mr. Godfrey Dhatemwa in particular for selecting their lot to be the pioneers of the course. He also thanked Mr. John Wabwire , Director, Planning & Development Department (PDD), Makerere University and IIEP Country coordinator for facilitating excellently during the 9months course. He acknowledged that after receiving this training, the participants were better equipped so solve Education Planning tasks in the Ministry hence less funds would be spent on hiring consultants.
Mr. John Wabwire, The National Coordinator IIEP and Director PDD thanked participants for staying the 9months course, which started in October last year. He appreciated their diligence throughout the course, despite the busy working schedules.
He noted that the African Chapter consists of six countries namely Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana and Malawi and the focus of this chapter is to provide the tools to improve planning, policy analysis and management processes in Africa. The training programme explores fields such as statistical tools for educational planning, the educational planning cycle, strategies and policy options, projects, budgets, and monitoring and evaluating educational quality and access. The course’s simulation & choices module was undertaken in Ethiopia, where a regional workshop to share participants’ experiences was also held.
Despite the challenges of time constraints on the parts of the participants, Mr. Wabwire commended them for coming second overall in Africa, where they were beaten to the first place by Malawi by a 0.5point difference. He thanked the sponsors for funding the course and choosing Makerere University through the East African Institute of Higher Education Studies and Development (EAIHESD) as hosts for the training programme.
Dr. David Onen, who spoke on behalf of the Institute’s Acting Director, noted that the programme was received with open arms at the Institute and appreciated the vote of confidence in Makerere University and EAIHESD in particular by choosing it to host the programme. He noted that the course provided an avenue for capacity building for the staff of EAIHESD as it lent a hands-on approach to the training programmes already being offered at the Institute. He then thanked Mr. Wabwire for ably facilitating at EAIHESD and the Ministry of Education and Sports for opening the door to the programme to be held at Makerere. He echoed that Uganda as s whole stood to benefit immensely from this programme and requested the Country coordinator to enable the pioneers complete further training, beyond the Certificate level. He then introduced Dr. Augustine Ezenne from the University of West Indies, Jamaica, who was visiting EAIHESD.
Mr. Godfrey Dhatemwa, Assistant Commissioner, Education Planning in the Ministry of Education and Sports , who represented his Permanent Secretary thanked the National Coordinator and participants for attending the training programme. He acknowledged that as an Assistant Commissioner for Education Planning, his Department stood to benefit the most as a good number of his staff had attended the inaugural training.
He opined that the programme will continue to build a skilled stock of Education Planners in Uganda and as such, Makerere University should be encouraged to partner more with IIEP to offer custom training programmes that are fit for policy makers. The custom programmes should be shorter and more intensive, seeing as we are dealing with employed participants. Mr. Dhatemwa challenged the National Coordinator and all stakeholders present to lobby for Makerere University to host the Regional Training Center (RTC) as India does for the Asian region. He challenged the participants to apply their newly acquired knowledge to improve the Education Planning sector and expressed his gratitude to UNESCO and IIEP in particular, whose impact has been greatly felt in the Ministry of Education and Sports. Mr. Dhatemwa then proceeded to hand over certificates of participation to successful graduands.
Click here to view the full Concept Note of the programme
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
Makerere University on Tuesday, 7th October 2025 hosted a delegation from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), South Africa in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom in a bid to strengthen academic partnerships and operationalize their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The delegation, led by Prof. Azwinndini Muronga, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation, NMU, aimed to turn earlier agreements into actionable collaborations and build sustainable partnerships with various colleges.
The Acting (Ag.) Deputy Vice Chancellor; Finance and Administration, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, provided an overview of the institution’s structure—nine colleges, two schools, and two institutes—while acknowledging the challenges of maintaining excellence amid resource limitations and post-pandemic recovery. He emphasized that collaboration must serve the broader goal of research-driven development, calling for teamwork and resilience among African universities. “We have to work together to sustain high academic standards and contribute to the continent’s progress,” he noted.
Prof. Muronga spoke passionately about the NMU’s “African footprint agenda.” He urged both institutions to start with small, practical projects that can build confidence and momentum for larger initiatives. “We must grow partnerships within Africa first,” he stated, “before we expand globally. True collaboration begins when both sides contribute equally, share capacity, and build self-reliance.”
Prof. Muronga also expressed interest in joint research projects, doctoral supervision, and shared grant applications, noting that NMU and Makerere are strategically positioned to lead regional academic innovation.
In her remarks, Prof. Judy Peter, Senior Director in the International Office at NMU emphasized the University’s commitment to African-centered collaboration and the importance of internationalizing the curriculum and expanding research capacity.
Prof. Peter underscored the importance of student mobility, joint supervision of postgraduate students, and the recruitment of talented African scholars, noting that such exchanges enrich both institutions’ academic communities. She also emphasized the need to internationalize the curriculum, particularly through virtual learning platforms and co-teaching models, to ensure broader accessibility and shared expertise.
Contributions also came from Prof. James Wokadala, Deputy Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), further amplified the need to “start small and build on existing collaborations.” He proposed developing a clear roadmap that defines short-term goals and identifies areas for mutual growth.
From the College of Health Sciences, Dr. Richard Idro, the Deputy Principal highlighted opportunities for fellowship, training and collaboration in clinical subjects, emphasizing the need for practical exchanges that benefit students and staff alike. He also addressed logistical challenges such as transportation and coordination, urging for targeted partnerships that can yield tangible results.
The meeting reaffirmed the universities’ commitment to collaboration in areas including faculty exchange for guest lectures, seminars, and sabbaticals; joint research and grant applications for regional and international funding; co-supervision of postgraduate students; virtual classroom exchanges; curriculum internationalization and exchange of academic materials; and capacity development for academic and administrative staff.
The teams also identified “quick-win” projects that could be implemented in the short term and agreed to establish a joint implementation team to monitor progress. Further discussions will explore funding mechanisms, including the possibility of leveraging programs like Erasmus+, to support student exchange and joint research initiatives.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Muronga reaffirmed Nelson Mandela University’s commitment to ensuring that the partnership yields visible outcomes. Both universities agreed that future engagements will be structured around mutual respect, accountability, and measurable results.
The meeting concluded on a note of optimism, with both institutions expressing confidence that their partnership will not only advance academic excellence but also contribute to Africa’s broader vision of educational and research self-reliance.
The meeting was attended by several officials from Makerere including; Prof. Eric Awich Ochen-Deputy Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Prof. Godfrey Akileng-Dean School of Business, Dr. Geoffrey Nuwagaba-CoBAMS, Mr. Martine Rugamba-Ag. Chief Advancement Office, and Ms. Hawa Kajumba-Advancement Office.
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