General
Highlights of the 66th Graduation Ceremony at Mak
The Makerere University 66th Graduation Ceremony successfully closed after a four day period, 19th– 22nd January 2016, during which the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma conferred degrees and awarded diplomas to 14,318 grdauands. The breakdown is as follows: 1,444 graduands from the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS); 1,909 graduands from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), 516 from the College of Health Sciences (CHS), 3,853 from Makerere University Business School (MUBS), 3,064 graduands- College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS); 1,292- College of Education and External Studies (CEES); 628- College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology (CEDAT), 349- College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), 268- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio Security (CoVAB), 688- CAES and 308 from the School of Law.
The ceremony closed with 64 attaining Doctorates and 286 first class degrees. The overall best student, Tabani Rashid, with a Bachelor of Business Administration from MUBS had a CGPA of 4.91. The best student in Sciences, Aine Brian Willy, had a CGPA of 4.84, from the College of Computing and Information Sciences.
In his message to the graduates, the Chancellor emphasized the need to embrace volunteerism. “I encourage you to always embrace the spirit of volunteerism. As a volunteer, you may not eventually be considered for employment in that particular organisation. But even so, the most important thing that you should value is the knowledge, skills and experience that you have acquired. Use any opportunity as a volunteer to build that much needed experience that all jobs require,” he said.
The Chancellor further raised optimism for employment opportunities in the much anticipated oil sector in Uganda arguing that Uganda will reach full employment with oil prospects. “This may sound overly optimistic by all standards but allow me to share my reason for this. In my book, “Advancing Uganda’s Economy: A Personal Account,” I share my concerns on unemployment and the plight of the young people. Nevertheless, my philosophy of full employment is premised on a well-managed oil sector and its correlation with job creation and socio-economic transformation,” he said.
Chancellor Suruma was further grateful to the advances across all Colleges of Makerere University, as presented by the Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu. According to the Vice Chancellor, it is these continuous breakthroughs in research and innovations that have seen Makerere University reach third position on the continent as per a Times Higher Education Report, January 2016.
The Vice Chancellor pointed out a number of developments in the Colleges including the recently launched MV Mulimi tractor from CAES, breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS and malaria research from CHS, AFRISA model in CoVAB, Moot Court Competitions from the School of Law, Kiira Motors Corporation from CEDAT, a mushroom training facility at CoNAS among others.
“To all our Graduands today, I bring you warm greetings and congratulations from the entire Makerere University community upon successfully fulfilling the requirements for the award of degrees and diplomas of Makerere University. Your success is indeed the joy of Makerere University. This is your achievement but you should always remember the sacrifices others have made to ensure that you stand here today. Therefore to all parents and guardians, we thank you for the support and sacrifices that you have made throughout the period of study of your children to make sure that they succeed. The best gift you can give your children is education, and you have done so. We thank you and may the Almighty God bless you abundantly,” he added.
“May I also express my sincere appreciation to the entire Staff of Makerere University for their dedicated service to this great institution and the entire nation. Your contribution towards this nation is priceless and Makerere University is forever grateful,” he said.
The ceremony was organized by the Makerere University Ceremonies Committee headed by Prof. Anthony Mugisha, and had indefatigable input from all members of Staff of Makerere University.
Compiled by Marion Alina
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.
-
General1 week agoCall for Applications: Admission to Postgraduate Programmes 2025/2026
-
General6 days agoAccommodation during the Recess Term: 2024/2025
-
Humanities & Social Sciences2 weeks agoOver 2,000 Attend Makerere’s Dialogue on Traditional Spirituality, Herbal Medicine, Witchcraft and Questions of Truth
-
General6 days agoMak Targets 30% Graduate Student Enrolment
-
General2 weeks agoPhase 1 of e-Learning initiative at Makerere University registers remarkable achievements