Connect with us

General

Mak-CARTA Workshop Day Three concludes on a Digital Note

Published

on

On Wednesday 23rd July 2014, over 100 participants from Institutions in Africa convened in the Conference Hall at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University for the 5th Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) Workshop plenary session and closing ceremony.

The 5th CARTA Capacity Development Training workshop, which kicked off on Monday 21st July 2014 at Makerere University (Mak), was aimed at supporting research and postgraduate programmes in African Universities.

Professor Mukadasi Buyinza, Director of Research and Graduate Training (RGT) at Makerere University, thanked the participants for their valuable contributions during the training sessions held on Monday 21st July 2014 and Tuesday 22nd July 2014 respectively and further encouraged them to remain with the same level of energy during the presentations lineup for day three.

The highlights for day three of the training workshop focused on recruitment and enrolment of postgraduate students, and Educational Technology in Universities/institutions.

Prof. Buyinza leads Mak team in the discussion.During the training session focusing on recruitment and enrolment of postgraduate students, participants were divided into groups and tasked to develop a recruitment plan for postgraduate students.

 The guidelines for developing recruitment plans required participants to: consider the level of planning at Institutional, School and Individual levels; current context in which the university operates; develop a strategic aim, SMART goals and an action plan; and come up with a realistic budget.

Professor Buyinza chaired the group discussion during which the Makerere University team developed a plan for increasing the intake for postgraduate students. Mr Tito Okumu  Manager of E-learning, Makerere UniversityPresenting on behalf of the team, Mr. Tito Okumu from the College of Education and External Studies (CEES), highlighted the following:

  • The strategic aim is to increase recruitment and retention of quality postgraduate students by 2018.
  • The SMART goals are to: increase postgraduate population by 15% by 2018; increase International postgraduate student popuation by 10% by 2018; increase recruitment of female students in science based programmes by 5%.
  • The recruitment plan for postgraduate students is institutional in scope.
  • The current context is premised on the 10 year Makerere University Strategic Plan which stipulates the need for Makerere University to be a research-driven university.
  • The Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) is mandated to coordinate graduate training and research in the University in liaison with Departments, Schools and Committees, College Academic Boards and the University Senate.
  • The Action plan focused on seeking approval from the institutional hierarchies; improving the learning and research facilities; communication to colleges; sensitization of key stakeholders on the need to increase postgraduate students; aggressive advertising, marketing and promotional campaigns, calling for applications, evaluation of applicants and admission; and continuous engagement sessions with the postgraduate students.

The aforementioned interactive group discussions set the pace for a captivating presentation on “Education Technology”, by Professor James R. Carey from University of California, USA.

Professor James R Carey, University of CaliforniaProfessor Carey who advised the University leadership, scholars and participants to embrace digital technology and the concept of hybrid and online instructions in academic institutions, equipped the participants from various African institutions with new knowledge on the management of online teaching and code named as ‘going digital in academia.’

Professor Carey added that the new idea “going digital in academia’ is related to education technology in the digital environment discovered to simplify education processes and ease the access of information.

Focusing on the global changes and the evolution of technology, Professor Carey stressed that technology is part and parcel of an individual’s life, and as such, could not be avoided.

 “The world is developing and technology is evolving, it is high time Africans adopted academic digitalization for a proper and modern research. Apparently many institutions in the North have adopted the idea and are benefiting,” he said.

To attain this, the Professor Carey introduced new e-learning software known as camtasia   to participants. This software encompasses the standard learning systems including Microsoft Word, Power point and Excel, a digital stream of recordings for audio and video plus a screen to enable a learning management system.

“You can manage a class room program, short courses, pedagogy curriculums and degree programs using digital education, and while using camtasia software, you are able to record a video, or audio for a lecture or even using the power point or a combination of all. This makes things easy because you can teach a class while you are far away from the institution. Through technological education, I have managed to teach classes in California while at the same time attending to the workshop here,” he remarked.

Giving his closing remarks,Dr. Jane Kengeya-Kayondo, the Wellcome Trust, Special Adviser for Africa participates in the workshop. Professor Buyinza, Director, RGT at Makerere University said: “The CARTA Capacity Development Training Workshop for University Faculty and Administrators has been a rewarding engagement. It has been focused and topical, and I therefore call upon all the participants to implement the knowledge they have acquired in their home institutions. I am looking forward to more collaborations and synergies among the partner institutions.”

The CARTA Board Chairperson, Prof. Akinyinka Omigbodun also emphasized the need for networking engagements among the participants to ensure the implementation of the knowledge obtained from the work shop.

On behalf of the participants, Dr. Justine Sikuku, Senior Lecturer, Moi University-Kenya, thanked the CARTA team, APHRC, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, Makerere University for considering researchers and postgraduate students in African institutions for this educative workshop.

“We have really learnt a lot from this workshop. I hope that each one of us is going to implement the same skills gained from this workshop in our institutions. These memories of the warm welcome and hospitality Makerere University gave us since the first day of our arrival will always remain with us,” he remarked amidst applause.

Related Stories:

DRGT-CARTA Career Development Workshop for Africa Kicks Off
MAK-CARTA workshop day one examines research governance in Africa
CARTA's 5th Faculty and Administrators' Staff Workshop, Makerere University Kampala

Article by:   Ritah Namisango and Prossy Nabatte, MAK Public Relations Office

 

Elias Tuhereze

Continue Reading

General

Admission Lists for Diploma Holders under Government Sponsorship for 2025/2026 AY

Published

on

One of the First Class Graduands Shafik Senkubuge (2nd Right) in a group photo with part of the BEHS Class of 2024. 74th Graduation Ceremony, Day 1, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences (CHS), 29th January 2024, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released lists of Diploma holders admitted under the Government Sponsorship Scheme for the Academic Year 2025/2026.

Under the Diploma Holders Government Sponsorship Scheme admission does not exceed 5% of the intake capacity to the respective Degree Programme.

The list can be accessed by following the link below:

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

General

Call For Applications: AlphaFold Workshop Uganda 2025

Published

on

Are you a researcher or student working in protein-related research, structural biology, or bioinformatics?

The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Intensive Sciences (ACE) Uganda with support from Google DeepMind, invites researchers and students seeking to integrate AlphaFold into their work to apply for the AlphaFold Workshop to be held at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University-Kampala, Uganda from 16th to 20th June 2025.

Deadline: 30th April 2025

Apply here: AlphaFold Workshop – Uganda 2025

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

General

Makerere Alumnus Named 2025–2026 Schwarzman Scholar

Published

on

Emmanuel Akandwanaho, BSLE’22 Alumnus, to attend a master’s program at Tsinghua University, China Asia. College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.

Emmanuel Akandwanaho, a Bachelor of Science in Land Economics (BSLE) graduate from Makerere University’s Class of 2022, has been selected to join the Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2026. He will pursue a fully funded, one-year Master’s degree in Global Affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University, in Beijing, China.

Emmanuel makes history as the first undergraduate alumnus from Makerere University and the second Ugandan to be awarded the Schwarzman Scholarship, one of the world’s most competitive and globally renowned graduate fellowships. The Schwarzman Scholars Program was founded in 2015 by Stephen A. Schwarzman, Co-founder and CEO of Blackstone, to equip the next generation of leaders with a deep understanding of China’s role in global trends. Each year, 150 exceptional young leaders from across the world are selected for their academic excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to building a better future.

About Emmanuel Akandwanaho

Emmanuel studied Land Economics from 2017 to 2022 and graduated with Second Class Upper Honours. Throughout his time at Makerere, he was deeply involved in student leadership and campus initiatives that shaped his personal and professional growth. He served as Class Representative for five consecutive years, Speaker of the Makerere Association of Surveying Students, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission at the College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT), and Student Representative on the 31st Governing Council of the Institution of Surveyors of Uganda.

Recognizing a gap in communication and personal development on campus, Emmanuel founded the Makerere Gavel Club in 2019, an affiliate of Toastmasters International to improve student’s public speaking skills. The club has since helped students build confidence, become effective communicators, and develop leadership skills. The club continues to thrive as a leading platform for personal and professional development, nurturing confident communicators and emerging leaders. Today, the club is one of the most active student-led platforms on campus, having trained over 200 students since its inception.

Emmanuel Akandwanaho, BSLE’22 Alumnus, to attend a master’s program at Tsinghua University, China Asia. College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.
Emmanuel Akandwanaho, BSLE’22 Alumnus.

Outside leadership, Emmanuel’s curiosity led him into entrepreneurship. He co-founded a startup aimed at improving student access to accommodation by helping them search and book hostels online. The project won Best Student Project at the 2019 International Engineering Students’ Conference at the University of Nairobi, and later received regional recognition, winning Best East African PropTech Startup at the 2021 Africa PropTech Competition.

Reflecting on his journey, Emmanuel shares:

“I saw my time at Makerere as more than just academics—it was an opportunity to grow, lead, and solve real-world problems. From my first year, I threw myself into leadership roles that stretched me and helped me discover what I was capable of. These experiences laid the foundation for my Schwarzman Scholarship journey.”

After graduating, Emmanuel explored a range of professional interests. He worked with a microfinance institution, volunteered with the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction on land governance projects, and served as Partnerships and Community Lead at Hindsight Ventures, supporting African tech startups. He also authored a policy paper on the role of public venture funds in financing startups.

“I’ve never seen myself as just one thing. My education in Land Economics was foundational, but I’ve always asked myself: what problems do I want to solve? That question has guided me into new spaces—policy, entrepreneurship, technology—all connected by a deep desire to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s future.”

Now preparing for Schwarzman College, Emmanuel is eager to explore China-Africa policy relations, understand China’s urbanization and infrastructure development, and experience Mandarin language immersion and cultural exchange. He is especially interested in exploring how China has managed its rapid urbanization and lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty—areas that resonate with Uganda’s own developmental challenges.

“What excites me most about Schwarzman is its holistic approach. You don’t just study; you engage. You travel across China, study Mandarin, explore cities, and collaborate with some of the most brilliant minds from over 40 countries. It’s the perfect place for someone like me—curious, ambitious, and eager to make sense of the world.”

He also sees this experience as an opportunity to build a truly global network.

“You live and study with 149 other scholars; engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, diplomats, all passionate about changing the world in different ways. These are the people I’ll learn from, collaborate with, and build lifelong friendships with. That, to me, is priceless.”

Emmanuel encourages other Makerere students to consider applying:

“If you’re a final-year student or recent graduate and you’re curious about the world, the Schwarzman Scholars program is worth exploring. My leadership experience at Makerere played a crucial role in my application. Applications for the next cohort are already open, and I would love to see more Ugandans and Makerereans apply. We need more African voices in global conversations.”

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

Trending