General
Makerere-Sida sign USD 25.7m Specific Agreement on Research Cooperation
Makerere University and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) signed an Agreement on Continued Research Cooperation on 18th February 2010. Phase III of the agreement slated for the four-year period starting January 2010 to June 2014 will be worth 180million SEK or USD 25.7million.
Makerere University and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) signed an Agreement on Continued Research Cooperation on 18th February 2010. Phase III of the agreement slated for the four-year period starting January 2010 to June 2014 will be worth 180million SEK or USD 25.7million.
The Director, School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Eli Katunguka Rwakishaya expressed gratitude at witnessing the signing of yet another agreement for continued research support, which started in 2000. He thanked the Government and people of Sweden for the previous phases of support valued at 300million SEK or USD 37.5million, which saw the strengthening of Makerere’s position as leading provider of Science education and research; Improvement of the quality of academic staff and graduates through PhD training and reduction of 
the degree of brain drain. He pledged that at the end of the 4 year period, Makerere was committed to have; increased the use of research outputs, technologies and innovations to contribute to national development; increased its Capacity to undertake research, generate and use new knowledge; and created an enabling environment for carrying out quality research.
Dr. Christina de Carvalho, Policy Specialist, Research, Sida Team Uganda, who was instrumental in providing valuable input for Phase III extension thanked Prof. Katunguka and the Makerere team, for their successful completion of previous phases. She lauded the Swedish Government for increasing the funding for Phase III, which will witness three more academic units namely; The Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Quality Assurance Directorate come on board.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba thanked Sida for the long term support to projects, which has indeed established Sida as partner in Makerere’s adage to build for the future. He indeed appreciated the benefits Makerere has reaped thus far such as; the Campus-wide fiber optic backbone; the improved gender terrain due to support accorded to the gender mainstreaming division and support to university efforts to reform administrative, financial, research, teaching and learning processes. Prof Baryamureeba further valued the support, which this time round also benefit the four other public universities in the area of PhD and Masters training.
In his address, the Swedish Ambassador to Uganda H.E. Andres Johnson, reiterated the importance of Research and innovations, which form the basis for Sweden’s exports “Globalisation creates more of interaction and interdependencies. As a small country, Sweden has to be internationally competitive – more than 50% of our GDP is based on exports.” In relation to Uganda “Consequently, the cooperation between Sweden and Uganda is a tangible manifestation of the importance we attach to the role of research in development” he added. He lauded Makerere’s efforts aimed at administrative reform to ensure the effective and efficient running of the university and commended the institution for becoming the highest-ranked university on research publications in East Africa, during the January webometric rankings.
The Minister of State for Primary Education, Dr. Kamanda Bataringaya, who represented the Minister of State for Higher Education Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana, expressed Government’s deliberate support to strengthen Makerere’s research capacity through Sida/SAREC funded programs. This, he admitted was done due to the university being identified as “key institution in Uganda best positioned to make a strategic contribution to the overall research capacity in the country.” He noted some of the benefits of Sida’s support such as “the Demographic Surveillance Site at Iganga/Mayuge, the biochemistry lab in the College of Health Sciences, the GIS lab in the Faculty of Technology,” which benefit not only Makerere but server researchers across Uganda and the globe.
On behalf of government of Uganda, Hon. Bataringaya thanked the government and people of Sweden for their continued support to the government of Uganda and Makerere in particular in building research capacity.
Click here to view Hon. Bataringaya's full speech
Click here to view H.E Ambassador Andres Johnson's full speech
Click here to view Prof. Katunguka-Rwakishaya's full speech
The Director of Makerere University Jinja Campus, Associate Professor Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala, has urged students to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding policy aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment.
Speaking during the safeguarding policy sensitization meeting held today Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at the Civil Service College, Jinja, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, emphasized the importance of awareness and adherence to the policy, which seeks to protect students, staff, and other stakeholders from all forms of abuse, harassment, exploitation, and discrimination.
“As Management we want every student to enjoy their stay at the University without being tormented and that can only happen, if students know their rights by reading about different policies on our website. You are meant to be living in a safe environment. We do not want anybody’s dream to be shattered or somebody to drop out from University,” Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, said.
In his speech, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, also called upon students who have complaints but do not know the reporting lines, to approach staff safeguarding champions to make sure that they live in a safe environment.
Addressing guests, Emmanuel Muchake, the Guild Administrator at Jinja Campus, pointed out that the launch of the safeguarding policy is timely because as a University, without creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning, they will not have students graduate.
On Friday, April 4,2025, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Right Honourable Lukia Isanga Nakadama, officially launched the Safeguarding Policy and commended Makerere University for crafting a policy that lays out the University’s framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and act swiftly on safeguarding risks.
The Safeguarding Policy was developed in response to the growing need for institutions of higher learning to implement proactive measures that address concerns related to student welfare, mental health, gender-based violence, and power imbalances in academic settings.
Some of potential safeguarding risks in Institutions of higher learning include emotional distress, Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH); material loss, financial exploitation, discrimination and neglect, unfair and illegitimate response to civic engagements, cyber security/threats, psychological and emotional harm, substance abuse and physical assault. Discrimination and neglect which are often high risks for students with disabilities and international students.
The safeguarding policy sensitization meeting in Jinja Campus brought together students and staff in a meaningful dialogue on safeguarding issues affecting learning.
The event was graced by Dr. Rodney Rugyema, from the Dean of Students Office, who emphasized the University’s commitment to the well-being of all its members. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of safeguarding policies in preventing abuse, harassment, exploitation, and other forms of misconduct within the Jinja Campus community.
“Safeguarding is not a one-time action, but a continuous culture of care and accountability. We all have a role to play in ensuring a safe and respectful space for learning and growth,” Dr Rugyema, said.
The sensitization session covered key topics including; recognizing signs of abuse, understanding reporting procedures on the MakSafeSpace and fostering mutual respect among peers.
Participants were encouraged to actively engage and reflect on their roles in upholding safety standards both on and off campus.
Students who attended the sensitization welcomed the initiative, with many expressing optimism that the policy would improve campus safety and encourage victims to come forward without fear of retaliation.
“We have seen issues go unreported in the past because students didn’t know where to turn. This policy provides clarity and assurance that the university is taking these matters seriously,” noted, a third-year student.
The University plans to conduct a series of sensitization workshops and distribute printed copies of the policy to ensure that every member of the campus community is well-informed. This initiative is part of Makerere University‘s broader strategy to reinforce its values of integrity, respect, and protection for all.
The Safeguarding Sensitization Meeting concluded with a collective pledge to uphold safety, dignity, and mutual respect within the University community.
-
General5 days agoGovernment Sponsorship Undergraduate Admission Lists 2025/26
-
General3 days agoApplications for Admission to Undergraduate Programmes 2025/26 AY
-
General2 weeks agoMSc Scholarship Opportunity: Biomedical Engineering
-
General2 weeks agoPresident Museveni Lauds RIF Progress, Promises More Funding
-
General2 weeks agoProf. Nawangwe encourages Mastercard Foundation Alumni to support each other in advancing their careers