General
Makerere University Selected to host Carnegie African Diaspora Scholar
Collaborative Project will focus on strengthening Food Safety Training in Uganda, East African Community and sub-Saharan Africa.
Makerere University was selected by the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program to host an African Diaspora scholar from the United States to work on a collaborative project of reviewing the Master of Science in Animal Products Processing, Safety and Entrepreneurship (MAPPES) curriculum, training in food safety and mentoring students of COVAB, Makerere University and Iowa State University. Dr. Baluka Sylvia Angubua, a lecturer at COVAB will lead the project, together with Professor Wilson Rumbeiha from Iowa State University, Ames, USA.
In addition to reviewing the MAPPES curriculum, the project will establish research collaborations to foster joint graduate student training and mentoring between Makerere University and Iowa State University. Based on MAPPES curriculum review, the project will develop curricula for Food Safety at Certificate, Degree, MSc and PhD levels. The project will also develop a proposal for a Food Safety Institute at Makerere University and the greater East African Community. In support of graduate training, the project will identify joint research projects in areas of Food Toxicology and Epidemiology of Foodborne Diseases. The project will also produce policy briefs that will be shared with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Ministry of Health and government institutions particularly, the National Food and Drug Authority that is in the offing.
The Makerere University project is one of 59 projects that will pair African Diaspora scholars with higher education institutions in Africa to collaborate on curriculum co-development, research, graduate teaching, training and mentoring activities. Professor Wilson Rumbeiha is one of sixty African Diaspora scholars who have been awarded Fellowships to travel to Africa beginning next month to conduct the projects, which span an impressive range of fields across the arts and humanities, social sciences, education, sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics. The winning projects in this second round of awards were submitted by 47 institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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