“In line with your rules and responsibilities, when you are Head of Department, you are in essence a University. The way you conduct yourself will determine how Makerere is run” said the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe as he officially launched the induction training for college leaders.

The two-day induction for College Principals, Directors, Deans and Heads of Department has been organised by the Staff Training and Development Division of the Human Resources Directorate (HRD), Makerere University.  Speaking at the opening ceremony held on Monday 30th October 2017 in the Food Science and Technology Conference Hall, the Acting Director Mrs. Dorothy Sennoga Zake thanked the University Management, College leadership and staff for honouring the invitation to the training workshop.

“I acknowledge the presence of all the leaders here this morning especially our Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and I am sure that this workshop will be a good avenue to learn from each other” said Mrs. Zake. She paid special tribute to the staff in the Training and Development Division; Ms. Josephine Nalweyiso and Mr. Patrick Mutebi as well as other HRD staff for their role in organizing the workshop.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor noted that it was important for leaders to reflect on what Makerere meant to each and every one of them and where it is located in Uganda’s geopolitical situation. He noted that Makerere is consistently ranked as the third best in Africa and there was no reason why the University should not claim the top position as stated in its vision.

“The reason that we are ranked so highly is because of our human resource. We have the best academic staff on the continent thanks to an inflow of resources aimed at training PhD staff after the turbulent times, and I am sure that we can even do better if we fix all the loopholes” said the Vice Chancellor.

Prof. Nawangwe reminded the attendees that as leaders, they were protected by law and had the backing of the University Council. “You should avoid being populist as this will prevent you from taking hard decisions” cautioned the Vice Chancellor before adding, “Execute your responsibilities without fear or favour and the people you lead will respect and re-elect you, provided you act within the law. The tougher you are, the more respected you are so be tough but also be objective and fair.”

He further urged the Heads of Units to equip themselves with knowledge of University policies, the college statute as well as the University Organisation Manual. “This manual is your bible of responsibilities for every function and timelines for every officer. It was revised after college formation and I urge you to read the soft copies that will be circulated” advised Prof. Nawangwe.

In conclusion, the Vice Chancellor urged the leaders to treat their positions honourably and be proactive by enhancing knowledge partnerships between their respective units and the line Ministries. He thanked the Human Resources Directorate for organising the induction training and wished all leaders an interactive learning experience.

Article by Public Relations Office