Resilient Africa Network (RAN) is one of the eight university-based Development Labs making up the Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and existing within its Global Development Lab (http://www.usaid.gov/GlobalDevLab). RAN’s core partners include Stanford University, Tulane University, and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Within Africa, RAN brings together 20 Universities in 16 countries. The Network is led by Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and the secretariat is located at Makerere University’s School of Public Health. RAN is structured around four core establishments referred to as Resilience Innovation Labs (RILabs) which include: the Eastern Africa RILab (EA RILab) based in Uganda and hosted by Makerere University, the West Africa RILab (WA RILab) based in Ghana and hosted by the University for Development Studies, the Horn of Africa RILab (HoA RILab) based in Ethiopia and hosted by Jimma University, and the Southern Africa RILab (SA RILab) based in South Africa with University of Pretoria as host.
By applying science, technology, innovation, and partnerships, and using evidencebased approaches, RAN seeks to identify, develop and scale innovative solutions that will strengthen the resilience of African communities afflicted by natural as well as man-made shocks and stresses.
This call focuses on the sourcing, developing, and scaling of transformative technologies and approaches that will strengthen resilience to food insecurity and limited opportunities for income generation that are associated with climate variability and limited infrastructure overlay by high burden of HIV/AIDS. In particular, SA RILab is looking to select and incentivize the development of solutions that will impact on entrepreneurial and life skills, agricultural production and access to markets, as well as promote livelihood diversification while ensuring improved financial inclusion and community engagements.
Grants ranging between US$15,000 to US$35,000 are anticipated to be awarded in Phase 1 of this call. Winners of Phase 1 Grants will then qualify to compete for Phase 2 grants (which will likely range between US$35,000 to US$65,000); while winners of Phase 2 grants may subsequently compete for Phase 3 grants (Awards will likely range between US$75,000 and US$125,000). The grants will support development of innovative approaches and technologies that will strengthen resilience to food insecurity and limited opportunities to generate income arising from climate variability and limited infrastructure within target communities in the Southern African region. [Note: RAN reserves the right to change the projected award amounts or the number of anticipated awards at any time.] The Southern Africa RILab will fund projects in three priority intervention pathways for building resilience to food insecurity and limited opportunities for income generation in target communities, including those communities affected by high burden of HIV/AIDS: • Intervention Pathway 1: Improve Life and Entrepreneurship skills (changing mindset while providing entrepreneurial skills set!) In our communities, there is lack of education and skills and the inability of people to get employment in skilled or better paying jobs. This limits human capital in the face of adversities. In addition to over-reliance on social grants and other social safety-nets provided by government and non-governmental organizations, there are psycho-social problems, including stigma associated with disease such as HIV/AIDS that is eroding social capital. Unemployment in particular has also created a ‘hopeless’ situation particularly among the youth and some youths engage in criminal acts to ‘survive’. Owing to their desperate situation, some members of the communities also resort to drug abuse. We are looking for solutions that will empower target communities with life and entrepreneurial skills that promote optimism (positive outlook) and a sense of self-determination while encouraging community connectedness (a social infrastructure). • Intervention Pathway 2: Diversify local economy for resilience The target communities are highly dependent on rain-fed subsistence farming that is vulnerable to adverse effects of climate variability. Nonetheless, the communities have a lot of potential to thrive under this natural resource limitation. This is evident from years of positive adaptation and coping strategies. However, adaptation is constrained by limited livelihoods options and limited financial inclusion and engagement. We are looking for solutions that will substantially empower target communities by diversifying their livelihoods using simple but highly profitable farm and non-farm businesses and solutions that also create opportunities for better financial inclusion through savings and access to credit. • Intervention Pathway 3: Transform agricultural practices and markets for resilience Most of our communities rely on agriculture for livelihood. However, because of prolonged dry spells, drought and sometimes floods, the agricultural methods employed are usually not effective to grow sufficient crops and raise livestock. The communities are stuck in a cycle of low productivity and skewed markets in which they have limited leverage. Therefore, we are seeking innovations that will make changes to the current situation.
Submission of applications will be done online at http://grants.ranlab.org. All applications must be submitted via this platform and RAN will not accept applications submitted via any other means. Complete instructions on how to submit applications are provided on the website. Applicants must ensure that their applications are successfully submitted on the platform in their entirety, and they will receive a confirmatory email from the online platform as proof that their application has been successfully submitted. If the Applicant experiences any difficulty with submitting an application through the online Application Platform, the Applicant should send an e-mail to the Southern Africa RILab RIC4FIG support team at: support.sarilab@ranlab.org
Applications must be written and submitted in English.
Applications must be submitted via the web-based platform at grants.ranlab.org/.
Those submitted via regular mail, facsimile, or email will not be accepted.
Complete concept note applications must be submitted by the RIC4FIG call Concept Note submission deadline (5:00 pm South Africa Time on 30th January 2015) using the online platform (grants.ranlab.org). No additions or modifications to the applications will be accepted after this submission deadline. Full applications must be submitted by the RIC4FIG Full Application submission deadline (5:00 pm South Africa Time on 31st March 2015) using the online platform (grants.ranlab.org). No additions or modifications to the applications will be accepted after this submission deadline. This deadline applies to only those applicants who are invited to submit full applications after the concept notes are evaluated.
RAN bears no responsibility for any transmission errors associated with electronic submissions. If no application meets the required threshold to receive a grant, the call may be reopened at the sole discretion of RAN, the SA RILab, and USAID.
Liability: Participants agree to assume any and all risks, and waive claims against RAN and its related entities and partners for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in this innovation challenge.
Teams can submit more than one application. In such instances, each of the different projects will be submitted and reviewed separately.
Questions during the pre-submission period Applicants will have an opportunity to pose questions regarding the innovation challenge or any part of the application process. The question submission period will run from 1st December 2014 to 15th December 2014 and from 5th January 2015 to 23rd January 2015. Applicants may submit questions to support.sarilab@ranlab.org during this timeframe. The Questions and Answers will be posted on the FAQ section on the platform website (grants.ranlab.org) by 3rd December, 2014. Note that Applicants can reach the SA RILab at any time via our support email, support.sarilab@ranlab.org. Webinar RAN will host a public webinar on 9th December, 2014 to allow potential RIC4FIG applicants to ask any pertinent questions and seek clarifications for anything that may not be clear regarding the call.
More information is provided in the documents provided below:
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 has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
Hon. Henry Musasizi unveils the Makerere University Strategic Plan (2025-2030).
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Lorna Magara.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
Hon. Henry Musasizi (3rd R) and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (2rd L) display an autographed dummy of the signed Strategic Plan as L-R: Hon. Kadondi Gracious, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Rt. Hon. Daniel Kidega, Dr. Lorna Magara, H.E. Mubiru John Bosco and Prof. Sarah Ssali witness.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
Hon. Henry Musasizi.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Mr. Samuel Kasule.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
Visionary Blueprint to Drive Excellence, Innovation, and National Development.
Kampala, Uganda – July 2, 2026. — Makerere University today officially launched its Strategic Plan 2026–2030, outlining a bold roadmap for academic excellence, research innovation, and transformative impact on Uganda and the region. The high-profile launch event, held at Makerere University Main Campus, brought together government leaders, university stakeholders, development partners, and academia.
The Chief Guest, Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, presided over the official launch. In his presentation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe Barnabas highlighted the University’s past achievements and the new Plan’s strategic vision. “This Strategic Plan builds on our rich legacy while positioning Makerere University as a leader in addressing contemporary challenges through cutting-edge research, quality education, and innovation,” he stated.
The Plan was developed through an inclusive process led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, with input from across the University community. It aligns closely with national development priorities, as affirmed by Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of the National Planning Authority.
University Council Chairperson Dr Lorna Magara emphasised the Council’s oversight role and commitment: “The University Council is fully committed to providing the strategic leadership and oversight necessary for the successful implementation of this Plan. It will strengthen Makerere’s role as a driver of Uganda’s socio-economic transformation and ensure we remain a beacon of excellence in higher education across Africa.”
Development partners, Vice Chancellors from other public universities, college principals, deans, professors, and student representatives attended the event, underscoring broad stakeholder support.
Key Pillars of the Strategic Plan 2026–2030 include enhancing excellence in teaching and learning, advancing research and innovation, strengthening infrastructure and sustainability, promoting inclusivity, and deepening engagement with industry and government. Following the formal proceedings, guests participated in a networking breakfast and media engagement session.
Additional Quotes:
“Makerere University remains Uganda’s flagship institution. This Strategic Plan will further harness our intellectual capital to contribute meaningfully to the National Development Plan and Vision 2040.” — Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
“We are excited to embark on this new strategic journey. With the support of our dedicated staff, students, alumni, and partners, we will achieve even greater heights in the next five years.” — Prof. Nawangwe Barnabas, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University
Makerere University is Uganda’s oldest and largest public university, established in 1922. It is a world-class institution recognised for academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and cross-disciplinary innovation. With over 35,000 students and a strong alumni network, Makerere continues to shape leaders and solutions for Africa and beyond.
For more information, contact:
Ms. Eunice Rukundo, Deputy Chief, Public Relations