General
Prof. Maria Musoke a solid bridge between Health and Information Sciences
On 27th September 2016, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda Rt. Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda hailed Prof. Maria Musoke for her tremendous work in bridging the gap between health and information. This was at a high profile launch of Prof. Maria Musoke’s book Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care attended by renowned dignitaries, scholars, and academicians who convened in the Makerere University Main Hall. The launch was indeed a befitting celebration of their own; a renowned researcher, academician and mentor.
In a speech read by the Cabinet Minister in Charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister congratulated Prof. Maria Musoke for adding to a body of knowledge by authoring a book that clearly articulates the great power that is embedded in information.
“This book is very relevant and timely, it is written in the language that does not need deciphering. It highlights the value of information and confirms that indeed information is power,” he said.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for being selected by the author to write a foreword to the book when he said, “I am happy to write the Foreword to Dr. Musoke’s book and I pledge to be the one of the key marketers not only in Uganda but in the global village.”
In her own words, Hon. Karooro Okurut observed that whoever has worked with Prof. Maria Musoke can testify to her “Perennial hard work, dedication to duty, and focused and committed leadership,” further adding “she is endowed with a tickling brain which she has put to good use.”
In the same spirit, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu applauded Prof. Maria Musoke’s scholarly achievement in coming up with the book; a must-read for students and information professionals, Librarians and Professors of Information Science.
“Prof. Maria Musoke is an information authority in her own right, who made the most of her sabbatical leave to produce this important resource. Her work encourages us to achieve value for time during periods of research and sabbatical,” he said.
Through her book the Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care, it is hard to underestimate the academic and scholarly efforts by Prof. Maria G N Musoke, to bridge the gap between health and information among people in the rural areas.
Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care is an asset focusing on the value attributed to information by users and its effect on health care. The book also provides a new model of information behavior in which the value of information drives various information activities. According to the author, the book also demonstrates the value of having an informed audience when it comes to health issues.
“The book confirms that when people are informed they are healthy and when the health workers apply the knowledge in their work, there are many benefits to health care. It is a valuable resource for health professionals, planners, and policy makers, as well as researchers interested in health information systems and their applicability in different environments,” said Prof. Musoke.
To the Author, the book uses a case study of the health information system in Uganda and expands the analysis by comparing it to other systems utilized by different countries in diverse levels of development. It demonstrates the fitness of the value model for the phenomenon of information access.
Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care was compiled and completed basing on research on women and health workers in four districts of Uganda which included Lira, Mukono, Masaka and Bushenyi. It focuses on the distribution of information pertaining to health among rural people.
"If we have an informed society, the health status must improve… If all Ugandans were informed that we should wash our hands after visiting the toilet, there would be minimum disease spread," she said.
The book is currently on market in the various bookshops in Uganda at UGX 100,000 and can be accessed online at US$ 56.95.
During the launch, two renowned Scholars; Prof. Grace Ndeezi from College of Health Sciences (CHS) and Dr. Joyce Bukirwa Muwanguzi from College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) added value to the day’s proceedings by authoritatively discussing Prof. Maria Musoke’s Book.
In her discussion Prof. Grace Ndeezi a Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health said that Informed and Healthy: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives on the Value of Information to Health Care is a vital book that addresses a big gap most of other scholars have reluctantly over looked. According to Prof. Ndeezi, the book is very instrumental to information delivery, access, and use of critical information for public health.
“So many diseases and other related health problems can be solved by information. I therefore state that the title of the book is befitting,” she remarked.
In addition, Dr. Joyce Bukirwa Muwanguzi observed that Prof. Musoke’s book portrays a paradigm shift of information. Heralding the book as a great contribution to Information Science as a discipline, Dr. Bukirwa Muwanguzi noted that the publication also affirms Prof. Maria Musoke’s passion for information dissemination. She highlighted the need to translate the book into several languages so as to benefit all the different people in the country. “Since the country is multilingual in nature, there is need to translate such literature for the benefit of all citizens,” she said.
Citing the importance of authors in addressing the several challenges in this country and the world at large through scholarly writings and publications, Lady Justice Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza said there is a need to improve the policies and laws governing authors and publishers in the country. This, she noted, would encourage more writers to come forth on the scene. She commended Prof. Musoke’s commitment in translating knowledge into practice and examining the value of information and its ability to affect the bottom line of better health.
“I therefore say, if you want to author another book and another, you should focus on the joy and thrills that you meet on your journey as a writer,” she said. The Lady Justice further said that authorship is a mark of academic growth and shared with the audience the challenge to write her own book describing her experience as a female Member of the Makerere University Management.
Introducing the author, the Deputy Principal, College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Dr. Agnes Semwanga Rwashana presented Professor Maria G N Musoke as a lady of many firsts. She is and will always be remembered as the first Ugandan woman to get a PhD in Information Science in 2001, which she obtained from the University of Sheffield, UK. She was the first Ugandan woman to become a Professor of Information Science in 2010, the first Librarian from the Sub-Saharan Africa to chair the Health and Bioscience Section on the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA), and the first Ugandan woman to head Makerere University Library Services in 2004, a post she held for two terms until December 2014.
Prof. Musoke holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a concurrent Diploma in Education, a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science (LIS) from Makerere University, a Masters degree from University of Wales and a PhD in Information Science.
The guests were treated to a series of entertaining folk compositions by the Department of Performing Arts and Film (PAF), Makerere University, led by their beaming Head, Dr. Sylvia Nannyonga-Tamusuza.
Arrticle by: Mak-Public Relations Office
General
Mak and University of the West of England Sign MoU to Advance Research, Innovation and Skills Development
Makerere University and the University of the West of England (UWE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening collaboration in research, innovation, and enterprise development. The signing ceremony took place on Friday, 17th October 2025, in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom, Main Administration Building, Makerere University.
The partnership will focus on joint research initiatives in climate science, early childhood development and elderly care, wildlife ecology and conservation management, technology, and sustainable agriculture.
The Uganda High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.E. Nimisha Madhvani, who witnessed the signing, congratulated both institutions and reaffirmed the Government of Uganda’s commitment to strengthening international collaborations that enhance education, innovation, and investment.
“We are not only promoting education, but also tourism, business, and investment. This partnership is a great bridge between Uganda and the United Kingdom,” said H.E. Madhvani. “With the full support of His Excellency the President and the First Lady, we look forward to building on this momentum to establish impactful initiatives, including a proposed teaching hospital.”
Speaking during the event, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to producing graduates who are not only employable but also capable of creating jobs and transforming their communities.
“Our goal is to train students who go out to create their own jobs and employ others who have not had the opportunity to attend university,” said Prof. Nawangwe. “We are working seriously on issues of food security, health, and conflict management — particularly in the Great Lakes region, which has one of the highest numbers of conflicts per capita. Through research and collaboration, we aim to address these challenges while ensuring Africa is not left behind in the digital economy.”
Prof. Nawangwe also highlighted Makerere’s initiatives in the digital and peace sectors, including the work of the Rotary Peace Center, which plays a vital role in promoting peace across the world by equipping fellows with academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities through a year-long, blended-learning professional certificate program.
Representing the University of the West of England, the Vice Chancellor Ms. Jo Midgley commended Makerere University for its strong research focus and expressed enthusiasm for the partnership.
“Like Makerere, we are a comprehensive university. We want this partnership to go beyond conversations and translate into action,” she said. “Our areas of strength include sustainability, climate change, future technology, health, and community placemaking. We believe this collaboration offers a unique opportunity to co-create programmes that prepare students for the evolving global workforce.”
She further emphasized the need for universities to work closely with industry partners to co-design programs that meet current skill demands while promoting innovation and enterprise among students.
The Deputy High Commissioner, Ambassador Miriam Otengo, commended Makerere for its leadership in higher education and shared ongoing efforts to mobilize the Makerere alumni in the United Kingdom. She also revealed plans to host a Makerere Alumni Symposium in London, aimed at showcasing the University’s excellence and strengthening ties with its diaspora community.
Also in attendance was Mr. Hefin Rees KC, Chairman of Spotlight on Africa, a UK-based charitable organization, who expressed interest in partnering with Makerere University to establish a teaching hospital in Mbale focused on women and children’s health. He praised Makerere for producing world-class professionals and reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to supporting health-related initiatives.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Nawangwe thanked the High Commission for facilitating the partnership and welcomed the opportunity to discuss the proposed teaching hospital, describing it as “a timely and vital project for Uganda’s health sector.”
“This collaboration represents a new chapter for Makerere University and the University of the West of England. Together, we will advance research, promote innovation, and equip our students to respond to global challenges,” he said. The ceremony concluded with the formal signing of the MoU, marking the beginning of a long-term partnership built on shared values of excellence, innovation, and community impact.
The Acting (Ag.) Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sarah Ssali on Thursday 16th October, 2025 held a press conference to update members of the Media on the 2026 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE).
The event held in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom, Main Building, was attended by the Director Graduate Training-Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director Quality Assurance-Dr. Cyprian Misinde, Dean of Students-Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli, Director Research, Innovations, and Partnerships-Prof. Robert Wamala, Deputy Chief – Public Relations-Ms. Eunice Rukundo, Ag. Manager International Relations-Mr. Matthias Ssemanda, and staff from the Offices of the Vice and Deputy Vice Chancellors.
The proceedings of the Press Conference follow below;
Vice Chancellor’s Press Statement
UNIVERSITY RANKINGS: MAKERERE STILL NUMBER ONE IN THE REGION
It gives me great pleasure to share with our stakeholders and the general public that Makerere University has been ranked Number 1. in the East African region, in the Times Higher Education rankings released this month of October 2025.
In its 2026 World University Rankings, Times Higher Education (THE) places Makerere University in top position in East Africa, and in the 801-1000 band globally. The ranking considers five performance indicators, namely: Teaching; Research environment; Research quality; International Outlook; and Industry. Makerere’s overall score was 37.2, significantly outperforming peer institutions in the Region that average scores of 18.8.
In particular, Makerere University continues to thrive in Research Quality where we scored 54.2% but even better in International Outlook where we scored highest with 69.7%. See Table 1 for details. On the continent, Makerere University ranked 8th in the 2024 Sub-Saharan African University Rankings.
We would like to reassure all stakeholders and well-wishers that Makerere University continues to hold steadfast as the regional leader in higher education. Our commitment to deliver excellence in our teaching, research, and socioeconomic impact has not wavered.
WE BUILD FOR THE FUTURE.
Thank you.
Fact Sheet
UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
Table 1: East African Universities – 2025 Ranking Comparison
| Rank | Name | Overall | Teaching | Research Env. | Research Quality | Industry | Int. Outlook |
| 801–1000 | Makerere University | 35.5–38.9 | 21.5 | 26.6 | 54.2 | 32.8 | 69.7 |
| 1501+ | Kenyatta University | 10.3–27.2 | 14.3 | 9.1 | 34.2 | 17.4 | 54.6 |
| 1501+ | Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences | 10.3–27.2 | 21.6 | 14.9 | 30.3 | 27.5 | 54.6 |
| 1501+ | University of Dar es Salaam | 10.3–27.2 | 14.5 | 11.1 | 26.5 | 21.9 | 47.2 |
| 1501+ | University of Nairobi | 10.3–27.2 | 15.9 | 16.1 | 39.7 | 22.5 | 49.4 |
| 1501+ | University of Rwanda | 10.3–27.2 | 14.1 | 14.9 | 25.6 | 21.1 | 57.5 |
End
The Board of the Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya on 14th October 2025 paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Makerere University. The Board which is on a two-day exposure visit to the Research and Education Network of Uganda (RENU) was received by the Acting (Ag.) Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom.
The Chairperson was accompanied by Mr. Ronald Hatoongo and Mr. Stein Mkandawire, the Board Secretary and CEO of ZAMREN respectively, as well as RENU’s CEO-Mr. Nicholas Mbonimpa and RENUMESH Technologies CEO-Mr. Brian Masiga. In attendance were Mr. Samuel Mugabi-Director DICTS, Prof. Robert Wamala-Director Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), and Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
Also present were; Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda-Director Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning (IODeL), Dr. Godfrey Mayende-Deputy Director IODeL, Dr. Michael Walimbwa- College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Dr. Cathy Mbidde- Ag. Manager. Makerere University Innovation Pod, Ms. Eunice Rukundo-Deputy Chief-Public Relations and staff from the Office of the Vice Chancellor.
In her welcome remarks, Prof. Ssali thanked the ZAMREN Board for including the courtesy call on their Kampala itinerary and extended warm greetings from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. She noted that Makerere as a founding member of RENU has enjoyed a mutually beneficial collaboration, that has benefited both staff and students in the form of supporting growing connectivity needs, as well as training, mentorship, and development of technical skills for both continuing students and graduates.
Turning to the gist of the courtesy call, the Acting Vice Chancellor noted that the Makerere University through the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (MAK-AI) seeks to harness the transformative power of AI to address society’s most pressing challenges. “Projects undertaken by our Centre tackle real-world challenges in health, agriculture, languages, and beyond.”
Prof. Ssali nevertheless underscored the importance of upholding ethics in all AI undertakings “Mindful of global trends elsewhere, the work of the Makerere AI Centre is guided by the principles of Responsible AI, ensuring that systems are transparent, accountable, fair, and designed to benefit society.”
She therefore called upon the delegation to thoughtfully engage with the ideas presented during their visit with the aim of collectively exploring both institution can better equip staff and students to meaningfully make the most of this fast-evolving trend.
On behalf of the Board, Prof. Muya who is substantively the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia thanked Prof. Ssali and Members of Management present for according his delegation a warm reception to Makerere University, “one of Africa’s most distinguished centres of higher learning.
“Makerere University is not only a symbol of academic excellence but also a beacon of leadership in higher education on the African continent”, remarked Prof. Muya.
The Chairperson equally expressed the delegation’s keenness to understand how AI is being adopted, and how the academia is embracing the technology as an enabler of teaching and research. “At ZAMREN, we view digital transformation and AI integration as critical enablers of academic excellence, efficiency, and competitiveness across higher education institutions,” he remarked, adding that “We therefore look to Makerere University’s experience to draw practical lessons that can inform and inspire our efforts back home.”
Turning to the lessons from Makerere in line with digital transformation and ICT, the Director DICTS shared that owing to the partnership with RENU, internet bandwidth, a vital enabler of AI transformation currently stands at 5 Gbps of monthly consumption, with plans to scale-up to 8 Gbps. He added that RENU has also facilitated Makerere’s access to Open Libraries, and Eduroam – a secure, encrypted Wi-Fi network across to staff and students freely access the internet across partner institutions in Uganda using their University emails.
Furthermore on the enablers of AI integration, Mr. Mugabi noted that in line with digitalization of institutional business process, the University Council took a bold step to develop all information systems in-house, a move that has reduced costs spent on offshore solutions, and hemorrhage of skills. He pointed to the introduction of open source solutions, and AI policy and global collaborations with corporations such as Google as additional enablers.
Addressing AI readiness, Prof. Tonny Oyana pointed out the need for the University of Zambia to start early, citing Makerere efforts which began as far back as 2007, when Dr. John Quinn joined the institution after his PhD. He added that Dr. Quinn together with other former staff from Makerere formed Sunbird AI, a thriving initiative creating practical systems for the benefit of community.
Prof. Oyana also pointed to AI initiatives that have attracted up to USD 5million from Google Awards, staff with specialized skills in the creation and development of sensor technologies, top notch students that win continental and global awards from companies such as Huawei, and active engagements with partners to produce solutions to enhance diagnosis of malaria, tuberculosis and cancer as some of areas that demonstrate Makerere’s AI readiness.
Addressing academic and research innovation, Prof. Robert Wamala pointed out that Makerere, in recognition that the institution cannot achieve its vision alone is intentional about seeking and nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships. Furthermore, he shared that Vice Chancellor’s Annual Research Excellence Awards reward and recognize the efforts of staff who have excelled in publication, teaching and winning grants.
The Director DRIP equally underscored the need for dissemination of research produced by staff and students, pointing out the annual research and innovation week as a flagship event for not only showcasing research but also forging meaningful partnerships with stakeholders. In line with technology transfer, Prof. Wamala said that the University through the Intellectual Property Management Office ensures that innovations developed by staff and students packaged for adoption by other individuals or organisations.
Addressing the use of technologies in academic work, Prof. Birevu noted that IODeL conducts capacity building in instructional design, online facilitation, use of AI in teaching and digital assessments. “We have also advised the University on ODeL and Distance Education strategies, for instance, we have developed a ten-year masterplan for distance education with support from the Korean Government to outline how Makerere University is going to integrate distance education within its offering” he added.
At the close of the deliberations the ZAMREN expressed sincere appreciation to the Ag. Vice Chancellor and Members of Management for the free sharing that pointed out a number of priorities.
-
General4 days agoCall for Applications: Government Sponsorship 2026/27
-
General1 week agoVice Chancellor Updates Media on DVC AA Appointment, Acquisitions, Research & Various Issues
-
Computing & IS2 weeks agoICT Bootcamp for Vacists (P7, S4 & S6), Students & Professionals
-
General1 week agoStrengthening Collaboration between Makerere University and the University of Groningen
-
General1 week agoMakerere and Nelson Mandela University Move to Actualize Existing MoU