General
Centralised Teaching Facilities Transform Mak Skyline
Cognizant of the changing skyline of Makerere University, the Public Relations team interacted with the Planning and Development Department (PDD); the Unit coordinating the US$29.2million AfDB-HEST project, to get the latest details.
“The University Strategic Plan highlights the need to have in place centralised teaching facilities as a mechanism for management of large student numbers. It was against this background that the central facilities were prioritised in the AfDB-HEST support. Our aim is to ensure that students and staff across the University will benefit from central spaces,” said Dr. Florence Nakayiwa, Director-PDD, Makerere University.
Applauding AfDB for the grant that has enabled Makerere University to implement some of the strategies stipulated in the University Strategic Plan, Dr. Nakayiwa confirmed that the works that will significantly improve the university’s core functions are on schedule.
“We are on schedule to have the facilities commissioned in April 2017,” she said.
The Government through the African Development Bank secured a loan of US$100m to improve science and technology in Higher Education Institutions (AfDB-HEST programme). US$29.2m of this amount was allocated to Makerere University in respect of infrastructure rehabilitation, refurbishment of laboratories, merit based scholarships at PhD, Masters and Undergraduate level, and refresher courses for middle management staff.
Dr. Nakayiwa highlighted that the University Estates and Works Department has supervisory role over all civil works currently being undertaken.
Some of the facilities include:
Central Teaching Facility 1:
Central Facility 1 is the building next to the School of Social Sciences with construction works currently at roofing level. The facility is a four-storeyed building with; fully equipped lecture rooms, seminar/breakaway rooms, a lounge and a fully equipped e-learning laboratory.
Central Teaching Facility 2
Central teaching facility 2 occupies the plot next to the College of Business and Management Sciences-CoBAMs at the former UCB slab. This is a five-storeyed building that will house a state-of-the-art auditorium with a capacity of 1000 seats, flexible and dynamic lecture rooms for both medium and big classes, and seminar/breakaway rooms. The procurement process for equipment and furniture is in the final stages. 
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
“All facilities designated as centralised will be available for access and utilisation by the staff and students in the respective disciplines,” emphasized Dr. Nakayiwa.
Other Central Facilities include,
a) The Diagnostic Laboratory hosted by the College of Natural Sciences-CoNAS. It is anticipated that all laboratory based units at the University will have access to this facility and its state-of-the-art equipment.
b) The Biotechnology Laboratory based at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-CAES. Equipment worth US$1million will be installed in this facility.
c) The GIS Laboratory based at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology-CEDAT. Equipment is being procured to upgrade the existing laboratory to a higher level. All Staff and Students in this field will have access to the facility.
d) The Computer Laboratory based at the College of Computing and Information Sciences-CoCIS. 200 computers will be installed for use by the student community.
Other areas of focus supported by the AfDB-HEST:
1) Specialised laboratory rehabilitations. Existing Laboratories in the following colleges are being renovated and refurbished: Physiology Lab in the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Chemistry Laboratory based in the College of Natural Sciences-CoNAS, Science Labs in College of Education and External Sditues (CEES), Materials and Hydraulics Lab in the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology-CEDAT
2) For income generation and resource mobilisation, the University is setting up an incubation centre at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute (MUARIK) targeting the Dairy Value Chain. Rehabilitation works for the Centre are in final stages, and resources for operationalisation have been received.
3) Scholarships– The support has enhanced staff development of 10 academic staff at the doctoral level (5Female, 5Male) and 12 Masters students in their final year of study for research (5Female, 7Male). Support will also be given to 31 bright but needy undergraduate students (8Female, 23Male). Additionally, middle level management staff have been nominated to participate in various short-term skills development courses.
4) The School of Open and Distance Learning is spearheading the E-Learning activities. A number of staff have been trained to develop e-content. A total of 40 business courses have been fully developed and they are online. The courses are now ready, awaiting their launch to the University community and stakeholders.
5) Bridging the Gap between the University and the Private Sector through Internships: This component is coordinated by Uganda Manufacturers Association. It is aimed at providing students with soft skills that can enable them transition into the work environment. In the first cohort, a total of 292 students from various Colleges in Makerere University were sent to UMA for placement. Of these, 164 (56 %) were placed in 83 companies and agencies in Uganda. 31 of these students were retained by the companies they were placed in. A total of 480 students were trained in the second cohort and forwarded to UMA for placement. 195 (42%) of these had been placed as of September 2016. Only final year students who have completed University education pending their graduation are eligible for this component.
6) Gender, HIV AIDS & Special Needs: A number of activities have been identified under this category. Gender issues will be implemented under Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, Special needs under the Dean of Students, and HIV/Aids prevention under the University Health Services.
For any further inquiries and or comments, please contact Makerere University Planning and Development Department (PDD). Telephone: +256 414 542 470 / +256 414 532699, Email: pdd[at]pdd.mak.ac.ug
Source: Mak Planning and Development Department, Mak Public Relations Office
Makerere University staff have been urged to embrace servant leadership, integrity and compassion as they prepare to welcome students for the 2026/2027 Academic Year.
The call was made during the Makerere University Staff Prayer Breakfast held on 31st July 2026 at St. Francis Students Centre Upper Hall under the theme “Faithful Stewards: A Servant Heart with Integrity and Wisdom,” drawn from Colossians 3:23–24 and Mark 10:35–45.
The prayer breakfast brought together members of Council, University Management, academic, and administrative staff to dedicate the new academic year to God while reflecting on their responsibility of serving students with excellence, humility and integrity.
A Call to Seek God’s Wisdom
Host Rev. Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa reminded staff that no amount of professional experience or academic expertise can replace God’s guidance.
She noted that the University’s mission can only be fulfilled when staff continually seek God’s wisdom in serving students and one another.
“There is no amount of experience or expertise that can replace God’s wisdom.”
Rev. Dr. Kitayimbwa observed that students remain the reason universities exist and challenged staff to approach their work as a calling rather than merely employment.
“Without students, there is no university,” she said, encouraging members of staff to remain united, avoid unhealthy competition and trust God as they begin another academic year.
She further urged staff to become faithful stewards who work together in harmony, which she summed up as, “United we stand; divided we fall.”
A Community, Not Just a Centre of Research
In her remarks, Dean of Students Dr. Winnie Kabumbuli welcomed the Council Chairperson, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Members of Management to the breakfast, and reminded staff that a university’s value cannot be measured by research and innovation alone.
She described Makerere as a community held together by the spiritual as well as academic wellbeing of its people, and called on staff to renew their commitment to one another as much as to the institution they serve.
Draw Inspiration From Stewardship
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Sarah Ssali told staff that this year’s breakfast carried special significance.
“This is the first prayer breakfast we are having ever since we launched our strategic plan,” she said, referring to the University’s new Strategic Plan, launched on 2nd July 2026.
She encouraged staff to hold on to the morning’s reflections as a guide for implementing the plan over the next five years, describing Makerere as an institution many families choose above all others for the vision and training it offers their children. She urged staff to see themselves as stewards of that trust rather than simply employees carrying out a job.
Compassion and Discipline Must Go Together
Delivering her remarks, Makerere University Council Chairperson Dr. Lorna Magara challenged staff to strike a balance between compassion and discipline when dealing with students.
She observed that many students face different personal and academic challenges, making encouragement and timely support essential throughout their university journey.
“A word of encouragement can restore hope and prevent costly mistakes,” she noted.
Dr. Lorna encouraged lecturers and administrators to respond promptly to students’ concerns, explaining that delays, insensitive decisions and abuse of authority can discourage students and negatively affect their academic experience.
She reminded staff that students often remember how they were treated long after they have forgotten what was taught in class.
“Students may eventually forget what we teach them, but they will always remember how we treated them.”
She added that education goes beyond transferring knowledge.
“Education is more than knowledge. We communicate life, character and values.”
Quoting Mark 10, Dr. Lorna called upon staff to embrace servant leadership by exercising authority with humility, integrity and accountability.
She encouraged members of staff to ask themselves whether they would treat every student the same way ashey would treat their own child.
“We may not always have all the answers,” she said, “but we can communicate honestly, take responsibility and treat every student with dignity.”
She concluded by urging different colleges and administrative units to work together instead of operating in isolation, noting that unity strengthens the University community.
Referring to Galatians 6:2, she reminded staff to carry one another’s burdens and remain faithful stewards of the responsibility entrusted to them.
Servant Leadership Begins with Faithfulness
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. James Magara, husband to Dr. Lorna Magara, called on members of staff to embrace servant leadership grounded in humility, faithfulness and service to others.
Drawing from Mark 10:35–45, Dr. Magara reflected on the account in which James and John asked Jesus for positions of honour in His kingdom, prompting discontent among the other disciples. He observed that despite walking closely with Christ, the disciples continued to struggle with the desire for status and recognition. He noted that such competition remained evident even during the Last Supper, where concerns over positions and prominence persisted.
Dr. Magara said that Jesus responded to these human tendencies by redefining leadership through service rather than authority. He described Christ’s act of washing the disciples’ feet as the ultimate demonstration of servant leadership, explaining that genuine leaders are willing to undertake even the humblest responsibilities in service of others.
Referencing Philippians 2, he urged staff to emulate Christ’s humility and selflessness, contrasting it with the pride and self-exaltation illustrated in Isaiah 14. He emphasised that lasting influence and greatness are not measured by titles, positions or recognition, but by one’s willingness to serve faithfully and put the needs of others before personal ambition.
Drawing on his own leadership journey spanning several decades, Dr. Magara challenged leaders across the University to cultivate humility, integrity and a servant heart in the execution of their responsibilities. He cautioned that leadership driven by pride and personal ambition undermines both individual effectiveness and institutional progress, whereas servant leadership strengthens organisations and fosters lasting impact.
The prayer breakfast concluded with a call for unity and collective commitment as Makerere University prepares to begin a new academic year. Organisers noted that the reflections on stewardship, integrity and servant leadership would provide a strong foundation for the University community as it advances the implementation of the Makerere University Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
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