General
Mak now home to World Bank’s Public Information Center
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba officially launched the Uganda Development Information Center (UDIC) at the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), Makerere University. The launching of the center heralds a new avenue to researchers and readers because it is an open access reference library that serves a one-stop for persons seeking World Bank documents and information on the Bank’s operations.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba officially launched the Uganda Development Information Center (UDIC) at the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), Makerere University. The launching of the center heralds a new avenue to researchers and readers because it is an open access reference library that serves a one-stop for persons seeking World Bank documents and information on the Bank’s operations.
This array of resources includes; Project and Operational Documents, Data and Statistics Publications, Current World Bank published documents, Audio-Visual Materials, Ugandan Government Publications, Statistical Abstracts, Budget Estimates, Economic Survey, and the Online Treasure Store.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Sarah Ssewanyana , Executive Director, EPRC said that, the launching of the Center came as a result of the partnership between the World Bank and the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC). The World Bank decided to entrust EPRC with its Public Information 
Center (PIC) which is now UDIC and its benefits include; Enhancement of capacity of the EPRC researchers, improvement in quality of research output from University students and academia, enhancement of quality of university teaching and instant access to information.
The EPRC conducts; high quality and policy oriented research which is guided by a medium term strategic plan research agenda; core research initiated by in-house researchers; and commissioned research which is demand driven but always in line with research thematic areas. Additionally, collaborative research with Makerere has yielded an internship program targeting undergraduate students. She paid tribute to the World Bank for deciding to host its PIC at the EPRC noting that “The launching of the UDIC at EPRC will therefore increase the Center’s visibility and interaction with a large number of researchers, scholars and the general public.”
The Acting Chairperson of the EPRC Board and Commissioner for Economic Development Policy and Research, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr Keith Muhakanizi noted that the center has both physical and online library facilities and its addition to the EPRC will go along way in enhancing its online information resources. He encouraged EPRC to embark on initiatives aimed at transforming itself into a knowledge based institution. Some of the initiatives include; Developing a corporate taxonomy, standards and practices, enhance external partnership and networking with other libraries and information centers. He urged for collaboration between UDIC and other institutions like; the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), Uganda Christian University, Mukono (UCU), The Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Gulu University to enable them access and profit from this important information resource.
World Bank Country Manager, Uganda Ms. Kundhavi Kadiresan lauded the Management and Staff of EPRC for putting in place the necessary infrastructure to house the World Bank’s PIC in Uganda. Citing her own experience as a student in New York, she extolled the role played by the PIC then in inspiring her to pursue her studies diligently and scale the academic and corporate ladders. She therefore trusted that the UDIC would be of similar influence to hundreds upon thousands of aspiring students. The Country Manager then proceeded to sign a Memorandum of Association (MoA) with the Executive Director, EPRC .
The Chief Guest Prof. Baryamureeba congratulated the EPRC upon signing MoA, noting that “as researchers, academicians and development partners often need to come up with a common agenda 
on how to tackle development problems, the EPRC a well-known independent and internationally recognized “think tank” through UDIC will provide a favourable atmosphere to make this a reality.” He added that the fountain of knowledge, facts, figures and opinions as wells as theories on development was now strategically located at the Makerere Community’s doorstep.
Prof. Baryamereeba emphasized that no one can dispute the fact that knowledge is power. “Knowledge from books, journals, reference books, the mass media and institutions of learning play a big role in empowering our people, enlightening them, liberating them, motivating them and even developing them materially and intellectually.” He shared his quest to witness thirteen thousand students leave Makerere with good research skills and he pledged the University’s support to the EPRC, noting that the Center’s success would also positively impact on Makerere.
The presentation of a paper on “Managing expectations of Oil discovery in Uganda ” by Dr. Lawrence Bategeka, EPRC and subsequent discussions by the panelists constituted the next session. Panelists were Mr. Godber Tumushabe Executive Director, Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba Consultant, REEV Consult International and Mr. Angelo Izama, Senior Reporter, Daily Monitor. The lively session was chaired by Mr. Ernest Rubondo, Commissioner for Petroleum Exploration and Production , Ministry of Energy.
The UDIC was officially launched on 2nd March 2010 at the EPRC and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:45pm and closed on weekends and public holidays.
Click here for Dr. Ssewanyana's full opening remarks
Click here for Prof. Baryamureeba's full speech
Click here for Dr. Bategeka's presentation and here for the full paper
Mr. Godber Tumushabe's Reactions to the paper can be found here as well as Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba's presentation
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.
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