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.
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The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) on Thursday 17th June, 2021 commenced celebrations to mark 50 Years of Veterinary Higher Education, Science, Technology, Innovation and Services (HESTIS) in Uganda. The blended event held at the Industrial Livestock Research, Incubation and Skilling (ILRIS) Center at Nakyesasa, Namulonge as well as online was presided over by the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma and First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports (MoES), Hon. Janet Museveni both represented by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
The event, held as part of Makerere University Centenary Celebrations (1922-2022) was a moment of celebration for 1,930 skilled livestock agribusiness entrepreneurs who were awarded certificates in recognition of completion of their respective courses. Owing to the strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) instituted by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to curb the spread of COVID-19, the students from Incubation Hubs in Atiak, Butaleja, Mubende, Nakyesasa, Sheema and Wakiso were awarded their certificates virtually.
In her remarks read by Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Hon. Janet Museveni thanked Makerere University for supporting grassroots level development through groundbreaking innovations under the Africa Institute for Strategic Services and Development-Skills for Production Enterprise Development and Accreditation (AFRISA-SPEDA) model.
“I am extremely pleased that Makerere University, through those innovative approaches, has developed and launched the alternative approach to building human capital and transferring knowledge to enterprises in communities.
“I would like to encourage all those involved in skills development to adopt methodologies that transform those trainees that go through these programs in ways that enable them also transform the societies they live in” read the Minister’s remarks.
She further noted that commissioning of the CoVAB@50 celebrations was both timely and rewarding. “The commissioning of the college innovations indeed has made meaning. This is a true path to growth of an Academic and Development College of the University, and we congratulate you again.”
Addressing the congregation as Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated CoVAB alumna and incoming Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MoSTI) under the Office of the President, Dr. Monica Musenero upon her recent appointment. “We thank His Excellency the President for identifying you. Science is in good hands.”
Prof. Nawangwe urged Dr. Musenero to address the structures of managing research and innovation in Uganda, “including the role of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology and the apparent need to establish a Research Council for Uganda.”
In the same breath he thanked the outgoing and pioneer Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Elioda Tumuwesigye, for his role in ensuring that the ministry is empowered to carry out its mandate.
The Chancellor congratulated CoVAB upon training the bulk of Veterinary Doctors in Uganda over the last 50 years and more recently, Laboratory Technologists at the highest level. He recognised Makerere University‘s obligation to contribute to the economic self-determination of Uganda and thanked CoVAB for conducting research that addresses hindrances to national development, especially in the livestock industry.
“The anti-tick vaccine is one of such innovations which will solve the huge problem of tick-borne diseases that have caused enormous losses to our farmers. There are many other problems on which the college is researching and we thank you for the enthusiasm” he added.
The Chancellor commended CoVAB for being the vanguard of transformation of the grassroots communities through the SPEDA model. “I urge Government to fund this important initiative so that it can more meaningfully contribute to solving the big problem of youth unemployment.”
In her remarks, Dr. Monica Musenero commended the Principal, CoVAB, Prof. John David Kabasa for fulfilling the College’s dream of enabling the masses who drop out of the education value chain as well as those who complete education but have no skills for livelihood, to attain certification in agribusiness entrepreneurship.
“Many people attain academic success and write papers, publish and they become professors but without demonstrable impact on their nation. You have shown by the thousands that you have touched nationwide that indeed you are a professor of national transformation. Congratulations,” remarked Dr. Musenero.
She therefore congratulated the teams at CoVAB and AFRISA upon successfully conceiving and executing a model that is non-traditional, informal, not easily understood and not documented in any textbooks.
As Minister, Dr. Musenero noted that witnessing thousands of individuals from across the country whose skills had been honed through a university programme receiving certificates gave her a lot of hope and material to embark on her tenure with. “I will be looking forward to harnessing these resources as we initiate work on the next leg of Science, Technology and Innovation in the country under the President’s Office.”
The invitation to the Principal, CoVAB to present students for the award of the ordinary diplomas, ordinary certificates and artisan certificates was given by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Dr. Umar Kakumba. He congratulated the awardees upon successfully completing their respective courses and graduating with evidence on an enterprise.
Prof. Kabasa clarified that the approach used to train the day’s awardees was not simply a vocational skilling. “The combination of action research with knowledge transfer, skilling, plus assessment and accreditation processes done by organs like the DIT (Directorate of Industrial Training, MoES) has given us this result, for the University to provide true leadership and transformation of the community.”
Present at the celebrations were the Director, DIT, MoES-Mr. Byakatonda Patrick and the Deputy Commissioner Social Services Development, MoES Madam Elizabeth Bateme who have worked through the Academic-Community-Public-Private-Partnership model to ensure that students graduate as entrepreneurs with micro enterprises.
Prior to presiding over the ceremony, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, on behalf of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports officially commissioned the SPEDA Training, Incubation and Research Centre – Nakyesasa.
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