General
A-Level History Literature Divinity performance can predict Law CGPA
As part of the programme to nurture the next generation of academics, the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs (DVCAA) held the 11th PhD Dissemination series on 14th March 2014. The topic of the day “Do UNEB results predict competencies required to excel academically in Law School?” promised a good intellectual debate and indeed drew stakeholders from the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), Office of the Academic Registrar, Makerere University as well as Staff, Students and members of the general public.
In his opening remarks, the Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Prof. Bernard Bashaasha who represented the DVCAA Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang, welcomed participants and stressed the importance of PhD Dissemination series as an avenue for breaking down complex research findings and formulae into understandable facts that the public can take home. He commended the day’s Presenter Dr. Robert Wamala for once again offering to disseminate his research.
To kick start his presentation, Dr. Wamala first of all clarified that the day’s presentation was not derived from his PhD thesis but rather from the combined work of several researchers and Masters Students. He further emphasized that his mission was not to give a yes or no answer to the question posed by the day’s topic but to present the facts for all present to digest. He noted that as a researcher, he was triggered by the 2011 findings of the School of Law that showed some candidates who had excelled with over 24 points at Advanced Level (A-Level) were not faring equally as well when it came to the more rigorous Law courses hence the introduction of the pre-entry examination.
“Looking at the mean entry points for Law showed that all these students qualified competently. But the question that remained was that were these students competent for Law? About 65% of enrollees did not do Literature while only 15% did not do History. The findings showed that those who did Literature, History and Divinity at A-Level had a higher Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) at graduation than those who did not,” observed Dr. Wamala in emphasis of the relevance of certain subjects as a precondition for excellence in Law School. He however noted a surprising reverse trend for students that came in with an A in Economics as the findings showed that they ended up with lower CGPAs compared to those who did not do it at A-Level.
He further noted that “Students on the Government entry scheme had a higher CGPA than those on private. The weighted score was highest among Government students, second highest among private day and lowest among the evening class. Results also showed that students in the 2006/7 cohort got lower CGPAs compared to those in the 2005/6 one. The question that arises then is; could it be that students in the later cohorts are increasingly taking on A-Level subjects that they can easily pass rather than those they require to excel academically in Law?” pondered Dr. Wamala.
As Dr. Wamala continued to share his findings, a question that gradually begged to be answered was that should we continue to use any best done of any A-Level subjects as the essential for Law School applicants? He then took time to also evaluate the 2012/13 cohorts that were admitted to Law School on the basis of the pre-entry exam unlike the previous examples which featured admission based on higher grades obtained at A-Level in any of the best done subjects. “When we assessed the students that came in on the basis of grades, the majority were female but when it came to those admitted on the basis of the pre-entry exam, the majority were male. Additionally, majority of those admitted on the basis of pre-entry had scored Bs unlike the previous case where majority of those admitted on the basis of grades had As,” shared Dr. Wamala in yet another interesting statistic.
Further examining the findings, he also noted that Ugandan students performed better in the pre-entry exam than their International counterparts while those with Bachelors degrees performed better than Mature Age, Diploma or Certificate holders in the same assessment. He however noted that the subjects taken at A-Level in no way predicted what students eventually scored in the pre-entry but surprisingly, those who did not do Literature at A-Level had higher scores in the pre-entry exam than those who did. From all these findings, Dr. Wamala had this to summarily share.
“Pre-entry exams are not meant to assess academic ability. They are meant to assess the mental or reasoning ability as applied to Law and so getting something statistically insignificant should not be a surprise. Similarly a comparison with complete first year results shows that pre-entry exam results in no way determine CGPA. The outcome of the pre-entry exams does not predict the competences required to excel academically in Law School although there are other factors it predicts,” concluded Dr. Wamala.
The topic discussant Dr. Saverio Pido-Head, Department of Research and Data, UNEB commended the researchers for indeed statistically proving that subject combinations like History, Literature in English and Divinity were indeed good predictors of academic excellence in Law School. “To me, these research findings suggest that pre-entry exams may not be the right tool to use as the sole basis for admission on the Law programme. On the other end, the A-Level results seem to predict the academic achievement as well as the competence required in Law,” Dr. Pido noted.
He also strongly agreed with the recommendation that History, Literature and Divinity should perhaps be used as essential subjects for selection and admission to Law School and therefore requested the School of Law and the University Senate to take this recommendation very seriously and revisit the decision use the pre-entry exam as the sole procedure for Law admissions.
Dr. Pido further shared that preliminary evidence from independent research undertaken by UNEB revealed that “There was a positive correlation between A-Level and predicting academic excellence at Law School, and that the University of Dar es Salaam that pioneered pre-entry exams has also dropped the scheme in favour of A-Level results.” He underscored the need to conduct further research in the process of training Law enrollees, as the findings so far had only investigated the input (A-Level results) and output (CGPA).
Quoting a famous Educator and Assessor Dr. Pido said “’Schools should not only provide opportunities for students to learn but should also ensure that the students take the opportunities and learn’ in other words, whatever inputs you have are supposed go through that process so that you mould them into what you want. We need the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) to come in as well especially on curriculum. What are we doing with these students in Secondary Schools?” he wondered. He concluded by agreeing that he found the research very useful and relevant to UNEB, MoES, National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), Makerere University and the School of Law.
In the reactions that followed from the audience, participants however cautioned stakeholders not to use the findings based on only one cohort of the pre-entry exam to make conclusive decisions about their efficiency. Contributions further emphasized the need to come up with a pre-entry exam that gauged applicants with the aim of admitting a student who would become a well-rounded professional at the end of the day. Commentators further stressed the need for the University to ensure that appropriate checks and balances are put in place to guarantee that the pre-entry exam gives valid and reliable results.
Other comments that came in from students of statistics thanked Dr. Wamala for ably demonstrating how they could apply the various formulae and theories they learn in class to validate the data that is daily being accumulated by society, thereby helping communities to make informed decisions. The tables however turned on the National Board when commentators noted the issue of examination leakages and also stressed that the only reason why Universities needed pre-entry exams was due to the facts that the A-Level students were not performing as excellently at University as they did at Secondary level. In defence of UNEB Dr. Pido stressed that the Board had put in place several restrictions to reduce examination leakages to almost non-existence and challenged those with evidence to bring it forward. He however admitted that there were still some forms of exam malpractice recorded, which were not only unique to UNEB but also common at other Institutions.
More officials from UNEB present further elucidated on negative correlations on performance in pre-entry exams attributed to subjects like History. They noted that this could be due to a growing trend by A-Level candidates to opt for those papers that were easier to pass hence gunning for grades rather than competencies that would build a good foundation for the studying Law. They therefore requested future researchers to further examine the relationship between any reported negative correlations and the History paper sat for. Other members of the audience further stressed the need to have well-trained teachers at all levels who would then equip students to become good candidates for professional shaping by Universities. The gap in facilitation between rural and urban schools was also noted as great contributor to the differences in quality of candidates eventually admitted to Higher Education Institutions.
The Chairperson of the day’s session and Dean-School of Statistics and Planning, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Dr. Atuhaire Leonard commended the former DVCAA Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza for initiating the PhD dissemination series. “Quite a lot of research is being done in this University but not many of us get to learn what our peers are doing because we tend to publish in specialized journals,” he noted. He therefore commended the current DVCAA for carrying on the good tradition of according researchers a dissemination forum.
Regarding the day’s topic, Dr. Atuhaire noted that “it would be interesting to find out how competencies required for all other different programmes in the University do predict performance once students have been admitted. This research is something that can be replicated across other programmes and we look forward to this.” He concluded the day’s proceedings by thanking the Presenter, audience, discussant-Dr. Pido and other officials from UNEB for contributing to the topic.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Strengthening South-South Academic Partnerships: Makerere University and Binary University Chart a Strategic Path for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Women’s Leadership
A New Chapter in Uganda–Malaysia Higher Education Collaboration
Makerere University has started preliminary discussions with Binary University of Management and Entrepreneurship (Malaysia) to deepen its global partnerships through high-level engagements, aimed at fostering innovation-driven education, entrepreneurship, and women’s leadership. Chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, the meeting explored a structured framework for collaboration that responds to Uganda’s urgent need for skills development, job creation, and industry-aligned learning.
This emerging partnership reflects a shared vision: to move beyond traditional academic models towards a practical, industry-integrated, and entrepreneurship-focused education system that equips graduates with real-world skills and global competitiveness.
Responding to Uganda’s Employment Challenge Through Entrepreneurship
“While chairing the meeting, Prof. Sarah Ssali noted that Makerere University and other Universities, together, currently graduate over 35,000 students annually, yet the private sector creates only about 700 new jobs per year. With an expanding population and intense job competition, where a single vacancy can attract over 4,000 applicants, the urgency for alternative employment pathways is clear.
Makerere’s Innovation Hub and Centre for Entrepreneurship have become critical pillars in addressing this challenge. Through platforms such as the Innovation Expo, now in its third edition and featuring over 600 student exhibitions, the university continues to nurture problem-solvers, innovators, and job creators. This ecosystem aligns strongly with Binary University’s entrepreneurial philosophy, making the Centre for Entrepreneurship a natural anchor point for collaboration.
Binary University’s Industry Specialist Professional (ISP) Model
Binary University brings a unique global model that directly integrates industry practitioners into the classroom. Its Industry Specialist Professional (ISP) programme, operational since 1999, ensures students graduate with skills tailored to specific industry needs. Industry experts with decades of practical experience teach across disciplines such as: Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy, Engineering, Film and Media Production to mention but a few.
“ With over 10,500 practising entrepreneurs in its ecosystem in Malaysia, Binary offers students direct mentorship and exposure to active business environments, ensuring graduates are not only employable but also entrepreneurial.” Tan Sri Dato Professor Joseph Adaikalam, the Executive Chairman and Founder, Binary University of Management and Entrepreneurship, noted.
Key Areas of Proposed Collaboration
The discussions outlined a structured and scalable partnership model anchored on the following areas:
1. Dual and Joint Degree Programmes
- 2+2 Joint Bachelor’s Degrees in specialised fields through an International Department structure.
- 1+1 Joint Master’s Programmes including: MBA for Engineers, Renewable Energy MBA and Semiconductor MBA
- Dual award systems to ensure international recognition and student mobility.
2. PhD and Staff Development Programmes
- Winter/Summer PhD models in Renewable Energy and Waste Management
- Nominated students to benefit from 50% tuition waivers
- PhD pathways tailored for academic staff development
3. Executive Development Programmes (EDPs)
High-impact, short-term programmes targeting senior leaders, featuring joint certification with a focus on AI for CEOs, Global Issues & Entrepreneurship. These EDPs are designed to empower leaders with strategic insight into global trends, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Placing Women’s Leadership at the Centre
A key pillar of the proposed collaboration is engagement with Malaysia’s Centre for Women’s Leadership (CWL), which focuses on empowering women through entrepreneurship and gender compliance mechanisms.
Puan Sri Datin, Prof. Dr. Rohini Devi, the co-founder and Vice Chairman, Binary University, highlighted the unique opportunities this partnership presents for a Joint women’s leadership training initiative, feminist academic exchanges, gender-responsive entrepreneurship models and an initiative to strengthen Makerere’s Institute of Gender Studies as a regional hub.
This aligns with Malaysia’s progressive gender compliance policies for public funding and women’s leadership development, a model that holds strong relevance for African institutions.
Learning from Regional and Global Best Practices
The meeting underscored valuable lessons from global contexts, including Nigeria’s model, where every graduate leaves with a practical vocational skill, Zambia’s Winter-Summer academic model with tuition waivers, Malaysia’s government investment in higher education and entrepreneurship
These case studies reinforce the need for practical skills as survival tools while graduates transition into formal employment or entrepreneurship.
A Win-Win Partnership for the Future
This collaboration is envisioned as a mutually beneficial model that complements Makerere’s academic strengths while leveraging Binary’s industry-driven approach. It will enhance student mobility, staff exchange, joint research, innovation transfer, and entrepreneurship development, all while maintaining strong quality assurance mechanisms.
As Makerere University continues to reimagine higher education in a rapidly changing world, this partnership signals a transformative shift towards globally competitive, innovation-led, and socially responsive learning systems.
With optimism and strategic intent, both institutions commit to open dialogue, structured implementation, and long-term impact. The Makerere-Binary partnership stands as a powerful example of how South-South collaboration can redefine education, accelerate entrepreneurship, and empower future leaders, especially women, for Africa’s development trajectory.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
General
Strengthening the Makerere–Nottingham Trent University Partnership: Building More Legs on a Stable Chair
On 21st November, 2025, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, hosted a delegation from the Nottingham Trent University (NTU). The meeting underscored the need to re-model what purposeful, equitable and future-oriented international collaboration can look like between Universities. What began as a 15 year focused engagement in Public Health is set to evolve into a mature, multi-dimensional partnership guided by a shared commitment to knowledge exchange, cultural sensitivity, innovation and community transformation. With the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) running until 2028, now in its third iteration, both institutions are deliberately reimagining the next phase of collaboration, extending its impact over the next 15 years and beyond.
Moving Beyond Public Health: A Broader Vision for Collaboration
While past collaborations have significantly advanced areas such as community health, microbial research, leadership among health managers and non-communicable diseases, the future partnership envisions a more diversified and resilient framework.
Prof. Neil Mansfield, the Executive Dean, Research and International Reputation, NTU, noted that this growth strategy is anchored in building additional “legs” onto the partnership chair; creating stability through cross-disciplinary engagement involving the School of Science and Technology, Department of Engineering, Business School, the Makerere University Gender Institute, and the creative arts at both Universities.
The expanded scope reflects a shared belief that sustainable development and innovation demand integrated approaches that bring together engineers, social scientists, anthropologists, business leaders, climate scientists and creatives among others disciplines.
Equitable Partnership as a Guiding Principle
Both institutions reaffirmed the importance of equitable partnerships that prioritise shared ownership, mutual benefit and contextual relevance.
Prof. Linda Gisbon, Director, Global Public Health, NTU highlighted the importance of the shared ownership model for joint projects. She further noted that this approach has already gained scholarly recognition through published work advocating for afro-centric collaboration models, positioning the partnership as a benchmark for ethical international engagement.
The NTU–Makerere shared ownership model ensures that all projects are jointly created, jointly led and jointly benefitted from. Both institutions participate equally in decision-making, resource management, knowledge generation and dissemination, ensuring the partnership strengthens capacity on both sides rather than reproducing unequal power dynamics.(Gibson et al., 2023)
Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurial Readiness
Dr. Hellen Karditsas, a senior lecturer at NTU, extensively shared about a possible flagship proposal which could be integrated within the expanded collaboration.
“NTU’s Engineering Challenge is an intensive three-week program engaging first- and second-year students in real-world product development. Students, supported by academic staff, conceptualise solutions, develop business models and transform ideas into market-ready products.” She noted.
Dr. Hellen, concluded by sharing that the Challenge engages students and staff from disciplines such as Mechanical, Electrical, Sport, Biomedical and Aerospace Engineering, this initiative exposes participants to the full innovation ecosystem, nurturing a generation of engineering entrepreneurs equipped for both industry and enterprise.
Prof. Sarah Ssali complimented the conversation when she noted, the growing interest in anthropological engineering and vernacular architecture – an interdisciplinary lens that examines how cultural practices and people’s way of life shapes their construction techniques and designs.
She further noted that, by recognising that “development is anti-people” when detached from lived realities, this partnership should seek to integrate cultural sensitivity into infrastructure design, ensuring that modernisation aligns with community needs and values.
Expanding into Arts, Design and Creative Industries
Another strategic leg of the partnership is strengthening ties between NTU and Makerere’s School of Performing Arts and Film. Plans include equipment-sharing initiatives, joint creative labs and collaborative production spaces aimed at enhancing capacity, storytelling and community engagement through visual and performing arts. These collaborations will also support public health communication through creative multimedia approaches and capacity building.
During the meeting, Makerere University Press partnerships and writing summer schools were also proposed to nurture scholarly publishing, academic writing and creative expression, further strengthening intellectual exchange between the two institutions.
Future projects will continue to integrate sociologists, anthropologists and social scientists to shape interventions that are not only technically sound but socially responsive and culturally aware.
Industry Linkages and Global Networks
Recognising the importance of industry engagement, the partnership seeks to connect with British-owned companies operating in Uganda as well as Ugandan enterprises with footprints in the UK. These linkages will enable practical learning opportunities, internships, applied research and joint innovation ventures.
Exchange visits for business students will also be prioritised to foster global exposure, entrepreneurial thinking and cross-cultural competence, equipping students to operate in increasingly interconnected economies.
A Partnership for the Future
The future Makerere–NTU collaboration will be defined by diversity, scalability and shared vision. By pulling together multiple schools and centres from Business and Natural Sciences to Engineering, Gender Studies and the Creative Arts the partnership is positioned to evolve into a holistic, long-term platform for knowledge production, innovation and people-centred development.
As both institutions reaffirm their commitment to constructive dialogue, joint planning and continuous evaluation, this partnership stands as a testament to how international cooperation can move beyond transactional engagement into transformative, sustainable impact.
In building more legs onto the partnership chair, Makerere University and Nottingham Trent University are not only strengthening institutional ties – they are shaping a resilient model for global academic collaboration that is equitable, agile and firmly rooted in shared purpose.
Reference;
Gibson, L., Ikhile, D., Nyashanu, M. & Musoke, D., 2023. Health promotion research in international settings: A shared ownership approach for North-South partnerships. In: L. Potvin & D. Jourdan, eds. Global Handbook of Health Promotion Research. Vol. 3: Doing Health Promotion Research. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp.263-272.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
General
Makerere University Hosts Delegation from Nottingham Trent University to Deepen Collaborative Ties
Makerere University has hosted a delegation from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) for high-level discussions focused on strengthening and expanding the long-standing collaboration between the two institutions. The team that was received by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs was led by Prof. Neil Mansfield, the Executive Dean for Research and International Reputation, accompanied by Dr. Helen Karditsas, a senior lecturer in the Department of Engineering; Prof. Linda Gibson from Global Public Health at NTU; Ms. Mazeda Hossain, Director of the Eastern Africa Centre; and Dr. Damilola Omodara, Senior Lecturer in Public Health.
For over fifteen years, NTU has maintained a strong partnership with the Makerere University School of Public Health, working in areas such as community health, leadership development among health managers, and research on non-communicable diseases. This collaboration has supported student mobility, staff exchanges, and joint research initiatives that have contributed significantly to capacity building on both sides.
During the meeting, the NTU team expressed readiness to broaden this relationship beyond public health, noting that the existing achievements offer a strong foundation for expansion. Their vision is to build an interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together multiple colleges and fields of expertise, including engineering, environmental sciences, business, arts, and digital media. The team emphasized that diverse academic partnerships offer more stability and create wider opportunities for innovation, student training, and impactful research.
NTU is now seeking to establish a broader, university-wide Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will enable the two institutions to explore a wider range of synergies across disciplines. This approach is expected to make future collaborations more flexible, allowing different units to initiate joint projects, exchange programs, and research activities under one institutional framework.
Prof. Ssali welcomed the delegation and affirmed Makerere University’s commitment to deepening partnerships that strengthen teaching, research, and community engagement. She noted that an interdisciplinary model is essential for addressing emerging global challenges, and highlighted opportunities in areas such as climate science, engineering innovation, creative arts, and publishing.
The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to position Makerere University as a hub for impactful global collaborations that advance academic excellence and societal transformation.
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