General
MAK- UiB launches P.H Greenwood Research consortium to boost fisheries and aquaculture
Makerere University together with the University of Bergen (UiB), have today launched a Greenwood Research Consortium and Collaboration codenamed; “P.H Greenwood Research Consortium”, to boost fishery production and aquaculture in Uganda and East Africa.
According to the Head of Consortium Dr. Gladys Bwanika, the consortium intends to bring together researchers in fish ecology and systematic, biomathematics, aquaculture and fish health from both institutions, to train and teach people and students about fisheries and aquaculture.
“In our five years work plan, we are aiming at running a tropical fisheries school, where we can bring together people interested in learning about fisheries and aquaculture. This will also help us to train and share ideas with local students at Makerere University ,” she added.
The Principal College of Natural Sciences Prof. Joseph Y.T. Mugisha said that, the desired training and developing the fisheries industry in the region will be reached at, through organizing different lectures and seminars.
“We are planning to have an annual lecture that is the P.H Greenwood Annual Lecture. We shall also be running two seminars in a semester to interact with different resourceful people, share knowledge and information on fisheries and aquaculture,” Prof. Mugisha remarked.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor Makerere University Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu, recognized the opportunity presented to Makerere University by the consortium to be the centre of excellence for research and training in fisheries and aquaculture in Uganda and East Africa.
We all are aware that fish is a lead export and foreign exchange earner for Uganda. This therefore presents an opportunity for Makerere University to become a centre of excellence for research and training not only for the country but for the East African region and Africa as whole. It is my hope that the results of the work of the consortium will contribute to policy-making and improvement of the sector.
The Rector of the University of Bergen, Prof. Dag Rune Olsen, emphasized the importance of fisheries when he said that fishery is the most important sector to the feeding world.
“When we look at fisheries and food, fish is well gifted in proteins as compared to other animals; the food print of fish is very different. Fish has a priority in feeding the world with proteins from lakes and oceans which is much eco-friendly.” And he advised that, “we therefore need to explore and develop this idea in order to reduce on the competing challenge of food security globally,” advised the Rector.
Greenwood Research Consortium and Collaboration, is part of the long term and fruitful collaboration Makerere University has with the University of Bergen, Norway. Named in the memory of Peter Humphry Greenwood, who greatly contributed to the fisheries research in the in Uganda, this research collaboration arose from the realization that one of the major hurdles to improved production to fisheries and aquaculture is the lack of science based; sustained campaign of pro-active, collaborative research to support the decision making processes and the development of the industry in Uganda and in the entire East African region.
Speaking on behalf of the Greenwood family, Ms. Jennifer Greenwood appreciated Makerere University for welcoming the idea of developing a consortium in collaboration with University of Bergen in memory of her father, Peter Humphry Greenwood. She therefore promised to work hand in hand with the University Management and College of Natural Sciences to meet the long term goal of the consortium.
“The long term goal of this consortium is to bring together various areas of research and to develop collaborations to the center of excellence in the whole of East Africa,” she said.
By Nabatte Prossy
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Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
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