General
Mak Students Receive USD 90,000 from Saudi Arabia
On 4th November 2015, Makerere University received a USD 90,000 grant from King Abdalla Bin Abdul Aziiz International Centre for Arabic Language- Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; to enable 20 students to study Arabic language for a period of three years. The donation was handed over to the Acting Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang by the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Uganda H.E Dr. Jamal Rafah at a colourful ceremony held in the Makerere University Council Room.
According to the Head, Department of European and Oriental Languages, Dr. Edith Natukunda, the donation will help the institution to boost and promote the teaching of Arabic Language in the Colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) and Education and External Studies (CEES).
The Mak-Arabic Scholarships will also enable students to learn and master the Arabic culture and norms as well as explore the historical background of Arab countries and the longstanding relations between Uganda and the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the sponsorship will facilitate the development and promotion of Arabic both nationally and internationally, so as to enhance communication and friendship between the people of Uganda and the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
As an incentive to encourage the learning and the usage of international languages in Uganda, Arabic language was introduced at Makerere University in 2011 under the Department of European and Oriental Languages. The Arabic language is taught at three stages of learning i.e. beginner, advanced and Postgraduate Diploma with education.
“We have beginners who start Arabic at the University; the advanced group, which studied Arabic at secondary level and those who are doing a Post Graduate Diploma in education. Most of the time, those who do Advanced Arabic are taking it with education, which explains our close collaboration with the College of Education and External Studies,” Dr. Natukunda stated.
She also explained that the Department of European and Oriental languages hosts four international languages, with French being the oldest, The Department also teaches German followed by Arabic which has been on students’ curriculum for approximately fifteen years.
“The younger daughter is Chinese and the very special daughter is Spanish, that we are set to teach as soon as approval from the University Management is granted. We are happy that today the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has come out to support our Arabic students. I am glad that the USD 90,000 will fully cover all basic requirements of 20 students for the three years they are to spend learning Arabic,” she said.
She thanked the College of Education and External studies for the efforts they have rendered in co-teaching Arabic with the Department of European and Oriental Languages.
“I am grateful that through our strong collaboration, you have been able to equip our students with the Arabic methods as we teach them the content. Currently we have also partnered with the Department of Peace, Conflict and Religious Studies to help us teach our students the religious concept of Islamic culture and civilization. We also service the PhD Programs at Makerere Institute of Social Research,” she said.
On behalf of the Makerere University Community, the Acting Vice Chancellor Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang extended his sincere gratitude to King Abdul Aziiz International Centre of Arabic Language for the generous support that aimed at supporting the University’s core functions of teaching and learning.
“We recognise the support that the Centre and the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have offered us to fulfil one of our core functions of teaching language. Language is a form of communication, a part that builds up culture and language is civilization. Therefore Arabic as a language has contributed a lot to Humanities and Sciences such as Architecture and Astronomy. It is of great importance that our children also get this knowledge so that this culture is extended and perpetuated to our community,” said the Acting Vice Chancellor.
Dr. Okello Ogwang further acknowledged the mutual relationship that Makerere University has with the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is in line with the University core function of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and Networking.
“Another core function of Makerere University is to foster partnerships and networking. We therefore greatly value the relationship we have built with the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is through our collaboration that we acquired linkages with King Abdalla Bin Abdul Aziiz International Centre for Arabic Language, which has eventual led to this USD 90,000 donation,” he added.
Speaking to the Makerere University Management and Staff present, H.E Dr. Jamal Rafah said, “One very important thing in life is a friend, I therefore feel and I have always considered myself as a true friend to the people of Uganda. I am happy that Makerere University Management is willing to support and extend Arabic language and culture among Ugandan Academic and Saudi Arabian institutions of education. With much respect, I would like to say that this institution deserves to be supported. As Ambassadors of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is our obligation to develop and cement relationships with other nations as assigned by the Custodian of the two holy mosques. I therefore promise you by the will of Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala that we shall have more collaborations and understandings.”
The Ambassador encouraged people to embrace education as the only way to liberate the world from ignorance and economic backwardness. “Education is very important to all of us. And in Islam the first thing Allah ordered to Prophet Muhammad was ‘Iqra’ which means read. By reading we can know each other, and also know more about our culture. Nothing is more of an enemy to us than ignorance,” he said.
Remarking on the importance of language in communication, the Ambassador encouraged institutions to teach several languages so as to ease international communication. Reiterating the usefulness of multilingualism in international business as well as developing international relations, Dr. Jamal Rafah said that humans should also consider the language of love and peace to promote unity and stability among their societies.
“Language is very important and those who don’t know, I will be delightful to tell you that the Arabic language is the language of people in paradise. It is also my pleasure to say that the two languages that are most important in our society are; peace and love. Language can help in creating understandings among people as well as extending relations,” he noted.
He requested the Makerere University Management to develop a vision upon which distant collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the people of Uganda can be developed, assuring members that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is willing to support people of Uganda regardless of their faith.
Emphasizing the importance of international languages on the secondary school curriculum, the Principal of College of Education and External Studies Dr. Fred Masagazi Masaazi mentioned that the College is working hard to see to that Arabic as a language is included on the new secondary school curriculum to be introduced in 2017.
“When we talk about Arabic, it is hard to separate it from teaching. So as the College of Education and External Studies, we are trying to expand the teaching of the languages to many schools in Uganda. Per now we have gone as far as Kitgum. Today, the secondary curriculum is changing and we are getting a new curriculum which is starting in 2017 and one of the areas which are very important is the area of international language. During the interaction with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports, we were able to discuss on how we can make Arabic a core language on the students curriculum due to the strong communication and interaction we have with the Arabic people,”
According to the Deputy Principal of College of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Abasi Kiyimba, teaching and promoting Arabic language at Makerere University marks the realization of the college’s mandate of overseeing the teaching of languages through its subordinate units.
“To this end, we have come a long way which has taught me that when we see successful projects, we have to know that so many people have contributed towards their achievement. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has six in which the need for language teaching cannot be overlooked. We therefore look forward for a fruitful collaboration in this area with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he mentioned.
In his speech, the Chairperson of Makerere University Academic Staff Association Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu- Musoke thanked the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Uganda and the Royal Government of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the support they have given to Makerere, which has enabled the institution to explore a new academic area.
“We are so grateful that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has now opened up all the doors to support us in academics. This wouldn’t have been possible if it was not for your openness, the love you have for Uganda and the love you have for international diplomacy. Makerere University enjoys explorations in terms of academia. So when we interacted with you, we discovered that we have got a friend who is reliable. The academicians of Makerere University are very happy that we are opening up and very soon with your corporation we shall have Memorandum of Understandings between Ugandan universities and the Universities of Saudi Arabia,” he happily remarked.
Giving a brief background about the Arabic language in Makerere University, The Language Coordinator,-Department of European and Oriental Languages Mr. Ssali Ebraheem said that despite its being late at the institution, Arabic as a language has received an overwhelming support and attention from the Makerere University Community.
He therefore advised the members to look at Arabic as a language other a religion. “We should not look at Arabic from the religious perspective only, but rather as any other language that binds the world together internationally,” he remarked.
The ceremony was graced by Makerere University Management and Staff and these included; the Makerere University Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge Finance and Administration Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Academic Registrar Mr. Alfred Namoah Masikye, the University Librarian Dr. Helen Byamugisha, Principals and Deputy Principals of various colleges and Heads of Department among others.
Article: Nabatte Proscovia and Iga Charles- Interns, Mak Public Relations Office.
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has challenged newly admitted postgraduate diploma and master’s students to take ownership of their academic journey, produce knowledge that addresses Africa’s challenges and use their training to create opportunities for society.
The call was made on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during the orientation of postgraduate diploma and master’s students held at the Main Hall, Main Building, Makerere University. The orientation was conducted under the theme “Harnessing the Power of Graduate Training to Transform Africa’s Research Trajectory.”
Addressing the students, Prof. Sarah Ssali, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said admission to postgraduate education marked an important transition from undergraduate study and should come with greater independence, critical thinking and responsibility.
“Postgraduate study is not just the accumulation of knowledge. You are now active researchers, critical thinkers and creators of your own knowledge,” Prof. Ssali said.
She said postgraduate training should enable students to deepen their expertise, strengthen their analytical abilities and develop solutions to real-world problems.
“Through your projects, dissertations, innovations and professional practice, you have the opportunity to contribute knowledge that can influence policies, improve services and transform lives. Your research matters, and your contribution matters,” she said.
Prof. Ssali urged students to see their studies beyond the pursuit of a degree, encouraging them to ask themselves why they had chosen postgraduate education and what contribution they intended to make to their communities and professions.
“See your coursework as an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills that will help you propose new solutions to real-world challenges,” she said.
She also encouraged students to embrace collaboration with communities and non-academic partners, saying many of them were already coming to the University with professional and community experiences that could enrich their research.
“Don’t think that your scholarship is only for those who look academic. Embrace community, embrace networks,” she said.
Prof. Ssali further cautioned the students against wasting time, noting that many postgraduate students have employment, family and other responsibilities alongside their studies.
“Make the most of your time and don’t waste it,” she said, urging students to use available study time productively even when there are changes in their lecture schedules.
She also emphasised the need for students to take responsibility for their progress instead of waiting for lecturers or supervisors to push them.
“Postgraduate education requires independence, independent inquiry, independent research, independent interrogation and also active participation,” Prof. Ssali said.
Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of Graduate Training, told the students that their admission was a significant achievement given the large number of applicants seeking postgraduate opportunities at Makerere.
“We received over 12,000 applications to our postgraduate programmes, but we are only able to take just a small percentage of that. That means you are just the few people who are able to do this,” Prof. Kikooma said.
He urged the new students to appreciate the opportunity and understand that graduate education carries responsibilities beyond attending lectures and completing examinations.
According to Prof. Kikooma, Uganda and Africa require highly trained human capital capable of driving national and continental development priorities.
“The country needs more highly trained people if it is going to achieve its aspirations and priorities for national development,” he said.
He challenged the students to consider what Uganda and Africa would look like in the coming decades and to question whether the continent would continue relying on ideas, innovations and creations generated elsewhere.
“Will it still be a country that always depends on ideas, innovations and creations that come from outside?” he asked, before urging the students to become part of the generation that develops home-grown solutions.
Prof. Kikooma said much of what Uganda would need in the future would depend on what the country invests in today, particularly in human capital and research.
He also explained that the Directorate of Graduate Training works with colleges, schools, departments and central University units to strengthen the quality of graduate education.
“We want to make sure that what you are taking away from here is of a certain quality,” he said, adding that the University has established policies, standards and systems intended to create an environment in which postgraduate students can succeed.
However, Prof. Kikooma stressed that the University cannot take responsibility for the entire academic journey on behalf of students.
“We will not replace your programme. We will not replace your lecturers. We will not replace your supervisors. Each of those has a different role to play along your journey,” he said.
He encouraged students to be proactive by understanding their programmes, colleges and the various support services available to them.
“Successful graduates tend to be proactive rather than reactive. So don’t wait until you have a problem, then you start running from it,” Prof. Kikooma said.
He further urged the students to work within the stipulated programme period, noting that most master’s programmes take about two years while postgraduate diploma programmes generally take one year.
Prof. Robert Wamala, Director of Research, Innovations and Partnerships, urged the newly admitted students to use their graduate training to produce knowledge capable of addressing challenges facing their communities, Uganda and Africa.
He challenged them to move beyond consuming knowledge generated elsewhere and instead become producers of knowledge and solutions.
Prof. Wamala emphasised the importance of connecting research to society, innovation and professional practice, encouraging students to identify problems within their workplaces and communities that could become areas for meaningful research.
He said Africa needed researchers capable of generating evidence, innovations and practical solutions to support development rather than simply importing solutions from other parts of the world.
The Director encouraged the students to build collaborative networks during their studies and to regard the University as an ecosystem in which researchers, professionals, communities and other partners can work together.
Dr. Kizito Ongaya, Deputy University Librarian, introduced the students to Makerere’s extensive library and information resources, urging them to make the library a central part of their postgraduate studies.
He said the University Library operates a hybrid system combining physical collections with electronic resources.
“We have over 200,000 types of books in our library, with 45 e-journal databases,” Dr. Ongaya said.
He encouraged students to make use of the University’s electronic databases, noting that substantial resources are invested in providing access to scholarly journals.
“If you don’t use e-journals, you are unacceptable,” he told the students, emphasising that postgraduate research requires extensive engagement with scholarly literature.
Dr. Ongaya also highlighted the University’s archival collections, specialised libraries and information centres located across its colleges.
He said students would be guided on how to access both physical and electronic resources and encouraged them to explore specialised collections that could support their individual research areas.
Dr. Mike Barongo, Team Leader ICT, Department of the Academic Registrar, told the new students that Makerere had increasingly digitised its academic and administrative processes and urged them to complete their online registration as an immediate priority.
He said students could access their provisional admission letters through the online application system and use the student number provided to activate their student portals.
“The student portal is very, very critical,” Dr. Barongo said.
He explained that students must enrol and register in order to access key University services, including institutional email and Wi-Fi.
“Once you enroll, you create an institutional email address. That institutional email address is the gateway for you to access so many things, like Wi-Fi,” he said.
Dr. Barongo also informed students that ICT support centres were available to assist those experiencing challenges with enrolment, registration or access to digital services.
He urged students to ensure they enrol and register every semester so that the University systems can accurately capture their academic and financial information.
Others senior members in attendance include the Deputy University Bursar Mr. George Mugabi Turyamureeba and Mr. Henry Nsubuga, the Manager Makerere University Counselling and Guidance Centre.
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has challenged its newly admitted PhD students to go beyond pursuing academic qualifications and become independent scholars capable of generating knowledge, solving societal problems and contributing to Africa’s transformation.
The call was made by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, during the orientation of the 2026/2027 PhD cohort at Makerere University’s Main Hall in the Main Building on 10th August 2026.
Prof. Ssali told the new scholars that a PhD marks a fundamental shift from previous levels of education, requiring students to take greater responsibility for their academic progress rather than depending entirely on lecturers and supervisors.
“You will have to push yourself and also push your supervisor to move with you,” Prof. Ssali said, urging the students to take ownership of their doctoral journey.
She acknowledged that many PhD students have to balance their studies with employment, family responsibilities and community leadership, making doctoral training demanding. However, she urged them to remain focused on completing their programmes within the prescribed three, four or five years.
Prof. Ssali said Makerere expects its doctoral training to produce scholars who can create knowledge, challenge existing ideas and develop solutions to societal problems.
She encouraged the students to embrace ambiguity and become comfortable questioning what they already know, noting that doctoral education requires scholars to identify important questions, investigate them and generate answers that advance knowledge.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor also urged the students to develop interdisciplinary collaborations and scholarly networks rather than confining their research to their individual disciplines.
She said the success of doctoral education should not be measured merely by the number of dissertations completed or papers published, but by the extent to which research contributes to society.
With Africa facing complex challenges, including climate change, disease, population growth and development pressures, Prof. Ssali said PhD scholars have a responsibility to generate evidence that can influence policy, strengthen institutions and advance innovation.
She challenged each scholar to continually ask what problem their research addresses, what solution it advances and whether that solution can create sustainable value.
The Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma, said the new cohort was joining Makerere at a time when the University is implementing reforms aimed at strengthening graduate education and improving completion rates.
Prof. Kikooma revealed that Makerere received close to 12,000 applications across its master’s, postgraduate and PhD programmes but admitted about 6,000 students.
He said graduate education has been placed at the centre of the University’s efforts to strengthen research capacity and prepare scholars to contribute to knowledge production and innovation.
Under the reforms, PhD students will undertake compulsory cross-cutting courses designed to provide foundational knowledge and skills for doctoral research. They will also be required to undertake teaching in either their second or third year under the guidance of their supervisors.
In addition to completing their theses, students will be required to produce at least two publications before graduation, a requirement intended to prepare them to become the next generation of researchers, innovators, inventors and creators.
Makerere has also introduced a digital system to monitor the progress of every PhD student each semester. The system is intended to enable students, supervisors and university officials to identify challenges early and intervene in real time.
Prof. Kikooma urged the scholars to write regularly, think critically, maintain open and constructive relationships with their supervisors and protect their academic integrity and professional reputation.
He also encouraged them to build scholarly networks and remain resilient, noting that rejected papers, disappointing data and unexpected challenges are normal aspects of doctoral training.
The Director of Research, Innovations and Partnerships, Prof. Robert Wamala, challenged the scholars to ensure that the knowledge they produce is trustworthy, responsible and ethically sound.
Prof. Wamala emphasized the importance of respecting the dignity, rights, safety and autonomy of research participants, particularly where studies involve individuals, communities and personal information.
He highlighted informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, justice and accountability as critical principles of ethical research and urged students to maintain transparency throughout the research process, from developing research questions and collecting data to analyzing and reporting findings.
Prof. Wamala also cautioned the students on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in research.
He said although AI can assist researchers with activities such as language improvement, it does not remove the researcher’s responsibility for the final product.
Researchers, he said, must verify AI-generated information and remain accountable for inaccurate statements, misleading interpretations and incorrect references.
He further urged students involved in international and other research collaborations to establish clear agreements on roles, authorship, data ownership, access and intellectual property before commencing their research.
The Deputy University Librarian, Dr. Kizito Ongaya, meanwhile, urged the new scholars to make full use of Makerere’s library and information resources throughout their doctoral journey.
Dr. Ongaya said the University operates a hybrid library system combining physical and electronic resources, with more than 200,000 books, 45 e-journal databases and over 16,000 archival materials available to researchers.
He encouraged the students to participate in library training to learn how to access and effectively use electronic resources and to explore specialized libraries and information centers across the University’s colleges.
These include resources covering natural sciences, agriculture, veterinary medicine, health sciences, education and humanities, as well as museums, botanical gardens, specialized collections and other research facilities.
The newly admitted doctoral students were also addressed by Mr. Henry Nsubuga, the Manager Makerere University Counselling and Guidance Centre, Mr. George Mugabi Turyamureeba, the Deputy University Bursar and members of Makerere University Convocation.
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