General
Sida PhD beneficiaries share their success stories
The Quality Assurance Directorate, QAD, is set to release a pioneer publication ‘Mapping the careers and mobility of Makerere University doctoral graduates’. The publication contains success stories of some of the Sida sponsored students, 2000 -2012, who are at the height of their careers both within and outside Makerere University.
One of these students, Dr. Julius Ecuru, was part of a team of experts selected to serve on President Barack Obama’s international research panel to advance ethical science. The experience has since opened up many doors for him, including adding value to his current work and team at the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, where he is in charge of research and technology management.
Back home in Makerere University, one of the beneficiaries, Dr. Henry Alinaitwe, heads the illustrious College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, CEDAT and brings a wealth of experience on board. Also from the same college is Dr. Charles Niwagaba, who has gone ahead to start an NGO and is tirelessly in search of solutions to improve the condition of slum dwellers. In one of his innovations, Dr. Niwagaba explains how grey water (water from household chores) can be put to alternative use after purification.
From the College of Health Sciences, CHS is Dr. Noeline Nakasujja who has found a way of explaining psychotic disorders in people living with HIV/AIDS. “I discovered that there are certain psychiatric disorders in HIV positive patients that do not fall in any of the major categories of mental illness,” she says.
Dr. Peter Walekhwa from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), is restlessly searching for ways through which biogas can sustainably be used across Africa. He has since teamed up with a team of equally zealous researchers from other parts of the world including Scotland and Cameroon.
Dr. Lillian Namuganyi on the other hand is disturbed by how the ongoing developments in Kampala city have disadvantaged the common man, who in most cases is pushed out of the city. “We researchers are not consulted by authorities before they make certain decisions. City planners have paid attention only to the function of the city, with less consideration for the practice of the city,” she explains. The publication contains many more voices of how doctoral holders are putting their vast knowledge to use.
The richly packaged publication categorizes PhD holders by age, gender, field, College and mobility. In relation to Colleges, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, CAES, stands out with the highest number of PhD holders, most of whom are male. The gender gap stands at 23% of female PhD holders in Makerere University, compared to the 77% male counterparts. The publication among other things recommends that Makerere University mobilizes more external resources for training, to supplement the internal resources, in the medium term.
The Director QAD, Dr. Vincent Ssembatya is optimistic that the Directorate will conduct similar studies when funds allow. “This type of exercise is crucial in helping us determine the impact of graduate training, especially now that Makerere University aspires to be graduate led. We are glad that the PhD beneficiaries we spoke to are grateful to have pursued further studies and I take this opportunity to encourage as many people as possible to take this path,” he said. The Directorate will officially launch this publication at a date to be communicated later.
Please click here to view the Sida PhD Graduates Tracer Study 2014
By Marion Alina, Public Relations Office
By Moses Lutaaya
The Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) has in collaboration with Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors.
Participants were academic staff from two colleges namely, College of Engineering, Art and Design (CEDAT) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The three-day training that took place at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building ended on Friday 20thJune 2025.
In his closing remarks to the participants, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “This is the first cohort we are working together with the Center for Teaching and Learning to put together continuous professional development Program so that we are able to enforce the new teaching and learning policy.”
He said that before lecturers are allocated students for supervision, they must first go through this form of formal teaching and learning training to equip them thoroughly with certification required of supervision of graduate students.
“We are coming up with process to ensure that the certificates earned by participants allow you to supervise graduate students. This is the direction of the university and we must ensure that such trainings are concluded and completed successfully by all participants”, Prof. Kikooma.
“We can only have you certified upon completing all the exercises in the training process. This is when you will be eligible to receive the work load for supervision”, He added.
“This training of Supervisors is going to be continuous so that all academic staff in colleges and schools are equipped. This first cohort is going to be our building block to the future trainings in the colleges.”
With such capacity building trainings, Prof. Kikooma said that the university is on the right path to achieving its targets in the new strategic plan of increasing the number of graduate students while progressively reducing the under graduate students.
He further hinted that, “We are in the process of writing a curriculum on this, which will be presented for approval before it is rolled out.”
He echoed all participants to share the knowledge they have acquired adding, “Share all you have learnt, do not keep it. Be open minded, have proper communication channels and the sky will be the limit for you.”
Dr. Robinah N. Kulabako, The Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CEDAT welcomed the training adding, “This training is very pertinent. I have had the opportunity to supervise Masters and PhD students for over 15 years and I must say that the need to be subjected to this training cannot be over emphasized because there is need to learn, unlearn and relearn many aspects involved in the supervision process.”
She added, “We are moving towards knowledge-based supervision rather than experience-based supervision. This means we must be informed and equipped to be able to advise, guide and mentor to be able to lead a successful supervision journey for both supervisor and supervisee.”
Dr. Andrew Gilbert Were – a lecturer at CEDAT and a participant said, “It is important that all supervisors of graduate students receive this certification from Makerere University through a systematic training process that enables them to attain diverse skills to facilitate learning of graduate students from diverse cultures and with unique set of circumstances.”
“This training is long overdue. In fact, it was an oversight that we could be allowed to supervise students without undergoing supervisors’ training.”
Dr. Dorothy Ssebowa, The Director Centre for Teaching and Learning support- CEES said, “The training this time round has had a mix of early career professionals including Lecturers, Supervisors and Professors share experiences. We have learnt a lot more from experienced supervisors who have shared practices on how they have done supervision over the years.”
“The knowledge and experience-based approaches have made this collaboration very active, interactive and learner centered which has resulted into a collaborative learning from the interdisciplinarity of staff from CEDAT and CAES. The issue now is to continue with professional development across all levels.” She added.
The Makerere University Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors. This activity was supported by the iCARTA – Institutionalization of Advanced Research Training in Africa, a NORHED II Project at Makerere University.
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