ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) held an Innovations Exhibition in the Makerere University Main Hall on Friday March 14th, 2014. This was an opportunity for the faculty, students, private sector, Government, NGOs and the community at large to showcase their prototypes or projects that would be considered for acceleration in the Eastern Africa’sResilience Innovation Lab (EA RILab).
This type of exhibition is one of the main ways that RAN is using to identify promising innovations from within partner universities and local innovation hubs. Such innovations will be entered into RAN’s Resilience Innovation Acceleration Program where teams will receive technical support by leveraging expertise within RAN and the HESN, mentorship, capacity building and financial support to help them, accelerate the development, piloting and scaling up of their innovations.
The Makerere University Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe graced the occasion and officially launched the EA RILab’s Resilience Innovation Acceleration Program. “It is such programs like ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) that have enormously contributed to Makerere University’s great achievements including being the 4th best University in the whole of Africa. Faculty, students and the community benefit a lot from such initiatives.”He was flanked by Prof. Celetino Obua, the Deputy Principal at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences who noted in his remarks that “Mr. Deputy Vice Chancellor, RAN is yet another testimony that we, who you sent out to do the work, are actually doing it. We pledge to further take Makerere University greater heights”. He also noted and acknowledged the great work by the students, faculty and community innovators both present at the exhibition and elsewhere.
The event was a great success and it was exciting to see over thirty projects being exhibited by both students and faculty teams. In line with RAN’s strategy to foster multi-disciplinary collaboration, these teams were drawn from six out of eight colleges, representing atleast 15 different academic disciplines from Makerere University (Software Engineering, computer Science, Data Communications and Networking, Architecture, Survey, Electrical Engineering, Forestry, Environmental Geographical Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Food Science, Nutrition and Bio-Engineering, School of Law, Animal Resources and Bio-Security, Humanities and Social Sciences, Peace and Conflict and School of Health Sciences).There was also a huge turnout from the university community and the general public who engaged the exhibitors on their innovations. In acknowledging the great turnout and vibrant atmosphere in the hall, Prof. William Bazeyo in his remarks noted,“ Look at the brains in this room, the potential this institution brings together and the ability of Africans to provide solutions to their own challenges-solutions through innovations. All is evidenced here”.
Selection of the promising innovations was done by a competent and experienced team of judges drawn from within and outside RAN. These included Prof. David Serwadda-RAN Technical Advisor, Dr. Wanjiku Nganga-RAN Director of Innovations, Dr. Roy William Mayega-RAN Deputy Chief of Party, Dr. Dorothy Okello-EA RILab Director, Dr. Julius Ssentongo-RAN EA RILab Program Coordinator and Mr. Michael Niyitegeka-Facilitator at Franklin Covey Uganda, and a well-respected innovation thought leader in the region. In making their selections, the judges were required to ascertain the potential for an innovation to strengthen resilience in line with the EA RILab thematic areas of climate change and chronic conflict, as well as establishing technical and financial feasibility and potential to scale in target communities. The judges took time to appreciate and understand all aspects of a given innovation, by interacting with the teams, asking questions, testing some of the innovations and awarding scores. It was also an opportunity to emphasize the linkage between the innovations and resilience arms of the RAN project.
Out of the thirty-two projects exhibited, six including;RootIO, KUDU, Unearthing the potential of Earth Worms as livestock feed, FINDIT, Improved Pull & Push Approach in Northern Uganda and Integrated Backyard Farming were selected after a very thoroughvetting by the judges. These six teams were further required to pitch their innovations to the judges and the public during an interactive question and answer session. Three projects,namely,RootIO, KUDU and Unearthing the potential of Earth Worms as livestock feedwere finally selected for consideration to join the EA RILab’s Resilience Innovation Acceleration Program. These innovations address key resilience aspects that were identified from the EA RILab’s community consultations including community mobilization and knowledge sharing, economic empowerment/poverty eradication, diversification of livelihoods and environmentally friendly production methods. The exhibition participants had been asked to vote for their preferred innovation with a view of enriching their experience and participation, and the team ‘Community-based legal mobile clinic’ led by female students from Makerere University’s School of Law, which provides legal assistance pro-bono to vulnerable communities received a unanimous vote for the “Peoples Choice” Award.
RAN is proudly led by Makerere University (School of Public Health) as one of the seven development labs within the USAID-funded Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN). It is a partnership of 20 African Universities in 16 countries focused on strengthening the capacities of vulnerable communities to withstand natural and man-made shocks and stresses. One of the core objectives of RAN, is to strengthen resilience at the individual, household, and community levels to natural, man-made stresses and shocks through innovative technologies and approaches to development, which will be identified, incubated, tested, scaled and evaluated through the RAN in collaboration with its partners http://www.ranlab.org.
RAN carries out its operations within four Resilience Innovation labs. These are: The Eastern Africa RILab, Horn of Africa RILab, Southern African RILab and West Africa RILab. The Eastern Africa RILab is located in Makerere University School of Public Health with a mandate to source innovative ideas in line with RAN’s thematic focus from within the academic community and support their incubation, areas of development and piloting. This was the first event organized by the Eastern Africa RILab to source for innovations that provide solutions to community challenges.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi on Thursday 29th May, 2025 held a press conference to update members of the Media on the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Medical Drone Programme, and the Kampala Status Summary 2023 on Road Safety Risk Factors, conducted under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, a collaborative effort between the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit and the Trauma, Injury, and Disability (TRIAD) Unit at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH). Also presented were updates on; Digital Certification of Academic Transcripts, Digital Supervision of Graduate Students, Inclusive e-Learning and Smart Classrooms, and Launch of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Laboratory at the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
The event held in the Senior Common Room, Main Building, was on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe presided over by the Acting (Ag.) DVC AA and substantive Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi. Presentations were made by Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Dr. Andrew Kambugu and Head of the Trauma, Injuries, and Disability (TRIAD) Unit, Dr. Fredrick Oporia. Dr. Jimmy Osuret and Dr. Esther Bayiga from TRIAD supplemented Dr. Oporia’s presentation. In attendance were; the Director for ICT Support (DICTS)-Mr. Samuel Mugabi, Deputy Chief – Public Relations-Ms. Betty Kyakuwa, Deputy Chief Security Officer-Mr. Musa Mulindwa and other university officials.
The proceedings of the Press Conference follow below;
Vice Chancellors’ Press Statement
Good morning colleagues, members of the press,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to this important media briefing, where we share compelling findings from two groundbreaking studies that reflect Makerere University‘s ongoing commitment to impactful research, innovation, and community transformation.
The first is a pioneering initiative led by the Infectious Diseases Institute—the IDI Medical Drone Programme. This project explores the use of drone technology to deliver lifesaving HIV medications and test samples to hard-to-reach populations, particularly in Kalangala District and the West Nile region. The study demonstrates how drones can overcome logistical barriers, reduce costs, and enhance access to critical healthcare in some of Uganda’s most underserved communities.
The second study is the Kampala Status Summary 2023 on Road Safety Risk Factors, conducted under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety. This collaborative effort between the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit and our Trauma, Injury, and Disability Unit here at Makerere University presents over two years of data on vehicle speed and helmet use in Kampala. It provides vital insights into the human behaviours and systemic gaps contributing to road traffic injuries and fatalities—particularly among vulnerable road users. The study also offers evidence-based recommendations for enforcement, planning, and public health messaging aimed at making Kampala’s roads safer for all.
We are proud to support this kind of research that not only advances knowledge but also drives tangible improvements in public health and safety.
Before I invite the researchers to present their findings, allow me to briefly highlight some transformative developments in the areas of academic registry and ICT advancement here at Makerere University:
Digital Certification of Academic Transcripts:
Alumni can now certify their transcripts digitally through the Makerere Academic Records System (Mak-ARS https://makars.mak.ac.ug/), eliminating the need for physical visits. This user-friendly platform allows access from anywhere in the world, supported by comprehensive video tutorials and public communications.
Digital Supervision of Graduate Students
We have introduced the Research Information Management System (Mak-RIMS), piloted at the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, to streamline the supervision of Master’s and PhD research. This initiative enhances accountability, timely feedback, and is now being rolled out university-wide to improve graduation rates.
Inclusive eLearning and Smart Classrooms
Through support from development partners and the Government of Uganda, we are establishing multimedia studios and smart classrooms across our colleges. These state-of-the-art facilities are designed to produce professional, accessible learning content, including tools tailored for students with visual and auditory disabilities. This aligns with our goal of equitable, globally competitive education.
Launch of the AI Laboratory at CoCIS:
The newly launched Artificial Intelligence Laboratory will spearhead the development of AI-enabled solutions tailored to Uganda’s socio-economic needs, including localized assistive eLearning tools and context-sensitive curriculum development.
These initiatives are part of our broader vision to transform Makerere University into a research-led, inclusive, and globally relevant institution.
The Senior Program Director, Higher Education and Research in Africa, International Program, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Prof. Omotade Akin Aina on 23rd May 2025 visited Makerere University during his short trip to Kampala. Prof. Aina was received on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe by Prof. Tony Oyana, Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
During his visit, Prof. Aina met with the Project Implementation Committee, representatives from the Consolidating Early Career Academics Programme (CECAP) phase I Fellowship Cohort, and current Fellows of phase II. The meeting discussed the progress of CECAP II, which focuses on fostering academic development and research among early-career academics.
Left to Ritght: Dr. Jesca Nakavuma and Prof. Julius Kikooma alongside Prof. Omotade Akin Aina during the meeting.
CECAP II is being implemented by Makerere University in collaboration with four other Ugandan public universities, including; Busitema University, Gulu University, Kyambogo University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza, the Project Principal Investigator was represented at the meeting by the Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma.
The Directorate of Graduate Training at Makerere University has equipped several Senior ranking lecturers with expert knowledge in a Training of Trainers’ workshop on “Philosophy of Methods”.
In his remarks at the opening of a 3-day training workshop at Level4 Conference Hall – Senate Building, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “The teaching of Philosophy of Methods gives all participants the fundamentals to extend knowledge to other learners, hence its importance in upholding the Makerere University values.”
Kikooma urged and challenged the participants to also attend and actively participate in the follow up of learners’ training of students, stating that the PhD students need support as the directorate continues to coordinate the curriculum of PhD by-research that was approved by the senate recently.
“To holistically implement the senate approved PhD curriculum, we are coordinating capacity building trainings of all stake holders in a structured approach with the different units of the University. Many more trainings including Training of Trainers in advanced research methods course are on the way.”
He further urged the participants to be intentional in their teaching profession and in whatever they were doing, adding “Apart from focusing on practices as teachers and researchers, we can engage in wider philosophical debates in our research areas so that we are relevant in the society and in the empowerment of PhD research students.”
The participants for the Philosophy of Methods training were from College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University Business School among others.
During the same training, Dr. Dickson Kanakulya stressed the need to train senior lecturers in the Philosophy of Methods, saying, “The biggest connection is that societal problems require concrete research to find solutions. Our challenge in Africa is that we employ a short barrow approach to find solutions to problems. This cannot work. We need consistent researchers to solve problems. Lasting solutions to societal issues can only be got through training such as Philosophy of Methods, where researchers come up with new models for societal solutions.”
Prof. Julius Kikooma pose for a photo with participants and facilitators.
Dr. Kanakulya said that Makerere University remains the biggest research University in Africa and philosophy of Methods helps to come up with good research tools that produce good research outputs. “Research has shown that the higher the number of PhD researchers in any given country, the higher the levels of development of that country e.g. the USA, China etc., adding that research is not limited to only medicinal or agricultural related issues.”
He said philosophy of methods, encourages philosophical creativity in research, “It is meant to bring out philosophical generation of concepts, theories and ideas. It is meant to encourage students to question the existing philosophical assumptions and status quo in a given field of knowledge such that new philosophical concepts are created.”
For successful rollout of government programs like the National Development Plan 4, Dr. Kanakulya said that Philosophy of Methods training needs to be integrated into such systems. “Philosophy of Methods focuses on ethical thinking aspects. For example, for a better rollout of the Parish Development Model, we need implementers to be ethical.” He added.
Prof. Sulait Tumwiine, the associate Dean of Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at MUBS said, “This is a discussion where new ideas are shared to guide and gauge applicability in the current knowledge diversity coupled with lots of technological development including Artificial Intelligence and Chat GPT.”
He added, “As professors of Universities, we need to understand how we leverage on what comes up so that it does not take our space, but also appreciate how we can support growth of knowledge. The Philosophy of Methods training is the answer.”
Dr. Jim Spire Ssentongo highlighted that Philosophy uses more of the critical mind than Science. He added that philosophy is more of speculation of the mind.
“Sustainability of philosophy Education encourages us to continue training. Philosophy being the oldest discipline retained special status in the academia as a pinnacle of pursuit of knowledge. All disciplines have major elements of philosophy citing examples in the philosophy of Mathematics and Physics.
Dr. Spire added, “If you do not understand philosophy, you cannot deeply investigate anything because philosophy is the reality of understanding everything. Philosophy is the basis of understanding what knowledge is and how it is arrived at.”
Also participating in the workshop was Prof. Joseph Ntaayi from MUBS, in his remarks he said PhD students need the philosophy of methods training to understand how to best to create knowledge. He added that ontological and epistemological questions that lead to good research design methods can only be answered by this training.
Dr. Robert Kakuru, a Lecturer in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences said that the Philosophy of Methods training is needed by every graduate student as well as supervisors to critically determine the choice of methods to use in academic research. For example, “If one wants to use a questionnaire as an interview approach, one should understand, why that approach and yet without this training, the why cannot be answered.” He added.