On 25th August 2014, a delegation from Azad University, Iran led by Prof. Mhamed Kiani, visited Makerere University and paid a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor. Accompanied by Uganda’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Iran-H.E. Dr. Mohammad Ahmed Kisule and Mr. Akbar Tohidlou, Cultural Counsellor for the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kampala, the delegation’s discussions ended on a fruitful note with both parties agreeing to enter into a mutual relationship to share research, knowledge and skills so as to extend their contributions internationally.
Meeting in the Office of the Vice ChancellorMakerere University, the parties agreed to first sign a general Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and thereafter clearly define their relationship through discipline-specific agreements. It is envisaged that the MoU between Azad and Makerere will play witness to collaborations in the areas of; Staff and Student exchanges, Research partnerships and Curriculum development.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu welcomed Azad University’s initiative to seek partnership with Makerere University, noting that this would contribute to the a fulfillment of Makerere University’s core functions.
“One of the core functions of Makerere University is Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and Networking. So far we have one partnership in Iran with Al-Zahra University therefore it will be a great pleasure to collaborate with you,” remarked the Vice Chancellor, in reference to an MoU signed with Al-Zahra University Tehran-Iran 30th June 2014.
According to Prof. Mhamed Kiani, President of Isfahan, Azad University, the University is willing to offer short courses in dentistry to Students of Makerere University during the collaboration.
“As one of the attractive and expanding issue in the world, we have decided to create short courses for the dentists. We offer these courses from the basic, advanced and complex level involving both theory and practical lessons to help students acquire knowledge and skills in dental surgery,” he remarked.
The Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and established by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, currently has an enrollment of 1.5 million students, making it the world’s third largest. Azad University has over 100 branches across the country and has also extended to other countries like United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Lebanon and Armenia. The University also has plans to establish more branch campuses in Malaysia, Canada, Afghanistan and Tajikistan in the near future. Azan University is the only university offering a Bachelor’s degree in Kiswahili in Iran.
72 undergraduate students of Makerere University have successfully been admitted to the Millennium Fellowship Class of 2026, an initiative of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN) and United Nations Academic Impact. Makerere’s Fellows were selected from a record-breaking 76,000 applicants from over 6,000 campuses across 174 countries to participate in the ambitious programme.
According to the Fellowship website, the programme aims to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN Academic Impact Principles a reality on campuses, in classrooms and throughout communities. Millennium Fellows are university undergraduates selected for their leadership on sustainable development projects in their communities. As Fellows, they complete a semester-long leadership development programme that strengthens their student organizing, partnership-building and community-impact skills.
In his congratulatory message to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Sam Vaghar the Executive Director, MCN shared that Over 330 campuses across 60 nations have been selected to host 2026 Millenium Fellows. “Congratulations to you and Makerere University for having a cohort of Millennium Fellows from your student body again this year!”
Below is a sample of the work of the Class of 2026.
At Harvard University, a UN Academic Impact member institution in the United States of America, Millennium Fellows are expanding OpenDoor, an AI-powered platform that helps people navigate retraining, job opportunities and pathways into high-demand careers. The project grew from their work with people experiencing homelessness and from seeing how difficult workforce programmes can be to navigate even when support exists. Advancing SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, it expects to reach about 7,500 people during the Fellowship.
At the University of Ilorin, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Nigeria, Millennium Fellows are building what they describe as Africa’s first green AI policy framework, helping policymakers and developers understand how artificial intelligence can advance while reducing energy use, pollution and material waste. Aligned with SDG 13: Climate Action, it expects to reach about 75 people during the Fellowship.
At BRAC University, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Bangladesh, a Millennium Fellow is advancing SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production through a start-up replacing single-use products with environmentally friendly alternatives. Its current focus is a paper pen that uses roughly 90 per cent less plastic than a conventional pen, with a seed built in so it can grow into a plant when properly disposed of. The project expects to reach about 450 people.
At Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Moldova, a Millennium Fellow is advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being by studying how environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity may affect recovery after brain surgery. By bringing simple digital monitoring tools into postoperative care, the project aims to help doctors make timelier decisions.
We wish our Millennium Fellows an impactful fellowship.
The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released admission lists of candidates admitted under the Talented Sports Men & Women, Disability and District Quota Schemes with Government sponsorship 2026/27 Academic Year including appeals and remarked cases.
Other admission lists released include A-Level Applicants with Ugandan and those with Foreign Qualifications, Diploma in Performing Arts, Mature-Age Entry and Bachelor of Education (EXTERNAL Batch 2) for the Academic Year 2026/2027 under self sponsorship.
Makerere University‘s position in the July 2026 edition of the Webometrics Rankings has improved from 925th to 776th globally and from 13th to 11th on the Continent, compared to the January 2026 edition. Makerere remains the top-ranked University in Uganda and East Africa.
The new rankings are as a result of improved performance in the Impact Rank, which measures the number of external domains referring/linking to Makerere (from 1,593 to 1,185) and the Excellence Rank, which measures Research papers in the top 10% most cited between 2019 and 2023 (from 1,095 to 715).
Please see the attached screenshots for details or view Makerere‘s rankings online using the link below:
The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities aims to recognize and promote the digital transformation of higher education institutions by evaluating how effectively they reflect their academic, research, and societal contributions online.
We remain committed to ensuring that all our good work in teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, and partnerships continues to be reflected online through various journals and other platforms.
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