General
Chancellor Proposes Strategic Mak-UNISA Partnership at 6th SARChI
The Chancellor, Professor George Mondo Kagonyera has proposed strategic partnerships between Makerere University and the University of South Africa (UNISA), especially in promotion of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and innovations in Science and Technology. The Chancellor made these remarks at the 6th SARChI Academic Retreat hosted by UNISA from 23rd-26th November 2013.
The 6th South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Retreat was held under the theme “Establishing the Discourse and Protocols for innovations from below as Restorative Action to the Communities.” The retreat was underpinned by three main concepts: how scientists can crystallise the discourse on cognitive 
justice as it relates to the recognition and protection of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), how to expand the notion of innovation to include knowledges that are produced in the grassroots, and how the parameters of innovation are to be redrawn if IKS is taken into account.
At the same occasion, Professor Catherine Odora-Hoppers, a Ugandan who serves as the incumbent of the Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation South African Research Chair in Development Education at UNISA was presented with her Golden Jubilee Medal by Prof. Kagonyera. Prof. Odora-Hoppers was awarded the honorary medal at the 51st National Independence day celebrations on 9th October 2013 in recognition of her research and scholarly contributions to Uganda and Africa’s development.
The Chancellor expressed his gratitude to UNISA for hosting Prof. Odora-Hoppers all these years saying, “Thank you for giving a home away from home to our distinguished daughter of Uganda, Professor Catherine Alum
Odora-Hoppers! Although her cultural tap roots are in Gulu, Northern Uganda, her philosophical main stem has grown strong and tall like the giant Shea-nut tree of her native Acholiland in South Africa,” said Prof. Kagonyera, further adding “Her intellectual and scholarly productions, like her Shea-nut tree branches, have now spread out and cover the whole of Africa.”
Prof. Kagonyera concluded his well-received address by calling upon Makerere and UNISA to make the partnership a reality “As a concrete way forward: may I propose that a delegation led by the SARCHI Chair in Development Education comprising UNISA leaders, DST Officials and IKS Advisory Faculty leaders, and South African Private Sector/Business leaders plan to visit Makerere University and Uganda as soon as is practicable,” he concluded.
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Compiled by Public Relations Office
By Moses Lutaaya
The Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) has in collaboration with Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors.
Participants were academic staff from two colleges namely, College of Engineering, Art and Design (CEDAT) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The three-day training that took place at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building ended on Friday 20thJune 2025.
In his closing remarks to the participants, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “This is the first cohort we are working together with the Center for Teaching and Learning to put together continuous professional development Program so that we are able to enforce the new teaching and learning policy.”
He said that before lecturers are allocated students for supervision, they must first go through this form of formal teaching and learning training to equip them thoroughly with certification required of supervision of graduate students.
“We are coming up with process to ensure that the certificates earned by participants allow you to supervise graduate students. This is the direction of the university and we must ensure that such trainings are concluded and completed successfully by all participants”, Prof. Kikooma.
“We can only have you certified upon completing all the exercises in the training process. This is when you will be eligible to receive the work load for supervision”, He added.
“This training of Supervisors is going to be continuous so that all academic staff in colleges and schools are equipped. This first cohort is going to be our building block to the future trainings in the colleges.”
With such capacity building trainings, Prof. Kikooma said that the university is on the right path to achieving its targets in the new strategic plan of increasing the number of graduate students while progressively reducing the under graduate students.
He further hinted that, “We are in the process of writing a curriculum on this, which will be presented for approval before it is rolled out.”
He echoed all participants to share the knowledge they have acquired adding, “Share all you have learnt, do not keep it. Be open minded, have proper communication channels and the sky will be the limit for you.”
Dr. Robinah N. Kulabako, The Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CEDAT welcomed the training adding, “This training is very pertinent. I have had the opportunity to supervise Masters and PhD students for over 15 years and I must say that the need to be subjected to this training cannot be over emphasized because there is need to learn, unlearn and relearn many aspects involved in the supervision process.”
She added, “We are moving towards knowledge-based supervision rather than experience-based supervision. This means we must be informed and equipped to be able to advise, guide and mentor to be able to lead a successful supervision journey for both supervisor and supervisee.”
Dr. Andrew Gilbert Were – a lecturer at CEDAT and a participant said, “It is important that all supervisors of graduate students receive this certification from Makerere University through a systematic training process that enables them to attain diverse skills to facilitate learning of graduate students from diverse cultures and with unique set of circumstances.”
“This training is long overdue. In fact, it was an oversight that we could be allowed to supervise students without undergoing supervisors’ training.”
Dr. Dorothy Ssebowa, The Director Centre for Teaching and Learning support- CEES said, “The training this time round has had a mix of early career professionals including Lecturers, Supervisors and Professors share experiences. We have learnt a lot more from experienced supervisors who have shared practices on how they have done supervision over the years.”
“The knowledge and experience-based approaches have made this collaboration very active, interactive and learner centered which has resulted into a collaborative learning from the interdisciplinarity of staff from CEDAT and CAES. The issue now is to continue with professional development across all levels.” She added.
The Makerere University Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors. This activity was supported by the iCARTA – Institutionalization of Advanced Research Training in Africa, a NORHED II Project at Makerere University.
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