General
90 take part in Mak-SU ADA 2nd Joint Doctoral School
The Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Makerere University and the African Doctoral Academy (ADA) at Stellenbosch University (SU) have this week 12th to 16th September 2016 held the second Joint Doctoral School with two courses on Doctoral Supervision and Becoming a Lecturer. The course on Doctoral Supervision is being attended by 40 senior academics from Makerere University, Muni University, Kyambogo University, Gulu University, Ndejje University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Busitema University. Similarly, that on Becoming a Lecturer: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education is being attended by 50 early career academics from the same institutions.
The 1st Joint Doctoral School attracted over 100 participants from five public universities in Uganda and was held from 18th to 29th April 2016 at Makerere University. During the training participants tackled two cross cutting courses on Philosophy of Methods and Writing and Publishing an article.
The Joint Doctoral School is a result of discussions held between Makerere University and Stellenbosch University in June 2015. DRGT hosted Mr. Christoff Pauw, Manager, International Academic Networks and Ms. Corina Du Toit, Head, African Capacity Programme both of the Postgraduate and International Office at Stellenbosch University. After the meeting, it was agreed that cross–cutting courses through Joint Doctoral Schools should be conducted at Makerere University.
Opening the Joint Doctoral School on Monday 12th September 2016, the Deputy Director DRGT, Professor David Owiny, on behalf of the Director DRGT, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza welcomed the facilitators from SU and thanked them for offering their time to train at Makerere University. Identifying himself as an Alumnus of SU, Prof. Owiny thanked the African Doctoral Academy (ADA) for funding the joint doctoral school.
Professor Owiny also recognized the sacrifice that participants had made to attend the courses, especially on the first day which was a public holiday. He encouraged participants to stay hroughout the entire one-week course.
Commenting on the course, the Director, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza noted that over years, DRGT has realized the need to develop joint doctoral training programmes with other well ranked Universities in Africa. “To achieve our goal, we are implementing a collaborative doctoral school programme with the African Capacity Programme and International Office at Stellenbosch University, South Africa” he said.
In her remarks, Ms. Du Toit informed participants that Stellenbosch University’s long term collaborative partnership with Makerere University was the basis of hosting the Joint Doctoral Schools at Makerere. She expressed her pleasure conducting the second Joint Doctoral School and thanked DRGT for coordinating the school. She then wished participants a fruitful week of training.
The course on Doctoral Supervision was facilitated by Prof. Jan Botha from the Stellenbosch University, Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST), while the second Becoming a Lecturer: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education was by Prof Magda Fourie-Malherbe, Centre for Higher and Adult Education, SU and Dr Sonja Strydom, Centre for Learning Technologies, SU.
The course concluded today Friday 16th September with a ceremony where participants in the two courses were awarded academic certificates by Stellenbosch University.
Article by Public Relations Office and DRGT
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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