African swine fever (ASF) is a highly infectious disease, endemic to Sub‐Saharan Africa. The ASF virus circulates in two cycles; a sylvatic cycle and a domestic cycle. The sylvatic cycle involves African wild pigs, such warthogs Phacochoerus africanus and bushpigs Potamochoerus larvatus, and endophilic Onrithodoros tampans. Wild pigs do not display clinical signs of the disease unlike domestic naive pigs, for which the ASF virus has a near 100% mortality rate. Ndumo Game Reserve (NGR) is located within the Swine Fever Control Area of South Africa, on the border with Mozambique in KwaZulu‐Natal Province. The aim of this study is to assess the potential risk of the presence and maintenance of ASF in Ndumo Game Reserve and the NGR wildlife‐livestock Interface.
Thee is a position for an MSc candidate to execute an exciting Research MSc degree to study the ecology of the potential sylvatic cycle of African swine fever in the NGR. The research is funded and suported by the University of Pretoria and Agricultural Research for Development CIRAD Research activities will consist on:
Census of wild pigs (warthogs and bushpigs) in the NGR
Collection of tampans in warthog burrows
Analysis of the presence of ASFV in tampans (optional) at ARC‐OVI
Implementation of questionnaires among small scale farmers at the interface of NGR
Conditions: A living stipend of 3000 ZAR/month will be provided during field activities Basic accommodation is available at the premises of KZN Wildlife in NGR Vehicle and fuel for field work will be provided by UP Basic training on line transects census, tampan collection and laboratory analysis of ticks for thepresence of ASFV will be provided to the student.
Requirements: A degree in veterinary science, biological science, ecology or natural science. Previous field work experience with wildlife will be an advantage. Basic knowledge in statistical analysis using R, STATA or another software package The candidate should be able to spend approximately 4 month/year in NGR. Applicants should provide their CV as well as a letter of interest to either Prof Ferguson or Dr Etter, below. Deadline: Friday October 31st 2014.
Prof. Willem Ferguson, CFES, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria. E‐mail: willemferguson@zoology.up.ac.za
Prof. Eric Etter, Epidemiology Unit, Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort. E‐mail: eric.etter@cirad.fr
The Nottingham Trent University (NTU) Global Summer School will run from 7 July – 1 August 2025 in the heart of England.
Why join this summer?
A diverse range of credit-bearing courses The Global Summer School offers a variety of exciting courses, from cybersecurity to creative industries, and space science to entrepreneurship – truly something for everyone! With two distinct blocks of courses, students can either dive deeper into their passions or broaden their horizons by exploring new subjects.
A truly international experience Students will join peers from many countries across the world, creating a vibrant and multicultural learning environment that enhances the global student experience.
An exciting cultural and social programme Beyond the classroom NTU offers a full schedule of activities, including visits to iconic UK cities, sports and evening events ensuring that students make the most of their time in the UK.
A safe and welcoming destination Nottingham is a city renowned for its safety, having earned the prestigious Purple Flag award for its excellent night-time safety and vibrant atmosphere, ensuring your students feel at home both on and off campus.
Don’t miss out! This is the perfect chance for students to develop new skills, make new friends and experience the best of British culture. NTU looks forward to welcoming students this summer!
On behalf of Makerere University Management, I congratulate and thank you for the successful completion of Semester Two: 2024/2025.
2.End of the Second Semester
The second Semester holiday break will begin on 17th May, 2025 up to Saturday 9th August, 2025.
3. Resident Students
All resident students are expected to vacate the Halls of Residence by mid-day on Saturday, 17th May, 2025.
4. University Property
Please hand over all University property in your possession (such as: room keys, Sports & Games equipment, College property etc) before you leave the Hall of Residence.
5. Security of personal property
Please make sure that you carry with you all your property.
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
One of the preliminary rounds in session at Lumumba Hall.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Daphine Kemigisha submitting at the debate grand finale.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
Debate Winners; Daphine Kemigisha (Right) and Jibril Sekandi (Left) from the School of Law (SoL).
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.