Makerere University, Uganda’s premier institution of higher learning and one of Africa’s leading research universities, invites applications from suitably qualified and distinguished individuals for the positions of Principal and Deputy Principal in the Colleges listed below. The University seeks visionary leaders with demonstrated academic excellence, strategic leadership, and a commitment to institutional transformation. This advertisement is for the positions of:

1. Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) ,

2. Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS)
3. Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES)
4. Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS)
5. Principal and Deputy Principal, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB)
6. Deputy Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS).

Mode of application

Interested individuals should submit the following documents sealed in an envelope addressed to the University Secretary;

1. A signed letter of application;
2. Certified copies of academic certificates and transcripts;
3. The curriculum vitae of the candidate;
4. Copies of the required minimum number of publications;
5. Three (3) letters of recommendation;
6. Copies of letters of appointment to leadership positions at the level of Dean, Head of Department or Director of a school in a nationally accredited university or other nationally accredited academic institution;
7. Copy of the applicant’s national ID or passport;
8. Copy of the last letter of clearance from the Inspector of Government or other equivalent national body.

The deadline for applications is 30^th June 2026 at 5:00 p.m. East African Time.

Applications should be hand-delivered to:

The University Secretary
Makerere University
Main Administration Building,
Level 2, University Secretary’s Office

Or via email at search.principal@mak.ac.ug

The College of Health Sciences (CHS) QA Guidebook streamlines academic excellence, outlining essential quality processes, committee structures, and regulations aligned with Makerere University Policy and the 2004 Graduate Guidebook. It details roles for staff and students, including examination management, committee terms of reference, and highlights staff/student achievements.

Key Components of the QA Guidebook

• Committees & Structure: Defines roles for the Quality Assurance, Gender Mainstreaming, and ICT Committee, ensuring alignment with SDGs and university policies and NCHE
• Examination QA Processes: Outlines procedures for setting, moderating, and marking exams, ensuring standards and ethical compliance.
• Regulations & Guidelines: Based on the Makerere University Quality Assurance Policy Framework (2007) and Graduate Guidebook 2004 ensuring consistency across all programmes.
• Roles & Responsibilities: Clearly defines the responsibilities of Deans, Heads of Departments, and Students in Internal Quality Assurance.
• Key student information in academic processes.
• Commitment to support graduate training.
• Recognition & Faculty Development: Recognizes outstanding female professors and acknowledges staff who completed PhDs in 2024–2026

View on CHS

_{By Marion Apio}

On March 21, 2026, I felt a strong urge to reconnect with a close colleague and passionate leader, Owekitinisa Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki. We had not spoken since I moved to the United States to pursue my dream of becoming a journalist. The following day, I learned that he had been quietly undergoing treatment in and out of the hospital. True to his character, he had chosen to keep his condition private. I was shocked and saddened, wishing I had known earlier so I could offer support.

At first, reports from family and friends were encouraging. He had been diagnosed with malaria and low blood platelet counts and was receiving treatment. Respecting his wish for confidentiality, members of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community at Makerere University rallied discreetly around him.

However, on April 29, his condition worsened. He was transferred between medical facilities and underwent extensive tests, including a biopsy, as doctors searched for answers. Sadly, on May 29, Sylas passed away.

His death sparked an extraordinary outpouring of love and solidarity. Friends, colleagues, and former scholars mobilised to support his family, settle medical expenses, organise virtual vigils, and plan a dignified farewell. Hundreds gathered at St. Augustine Chapel to pay their respects. Within three days, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community raised approximately UGX 11 million, a testament to Sylas’ impact on countless lives.

In the days that followed, I found myself wrestling with difficult questions. In a world where we spend so much time following people online, are we paying enough attention to those quietly transforming lives around us? Why do we invest so much emotional energy in distant personalities while overlooking the people God has placed right in front of us?

Sylas lived with humility and served with grace. His death left more than 1,500 Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni grieving, alongside many others around the world who knew him. Yet his passing also exposed a contradiction in modern life.

We live in an age of unprecedented connectivity. Uganda has millions of internet users and WhatsApp subscribers, while globally, people spend hours each day on social media. We have more tools than ever to stay connected, yet many of us are becoming increasingly disconnected from the people who matter most.

Sylas resisted this trend. Through mentorship, service, and community-building, he remained deeply present in others’ lives. While many people retreat into individual pursuits, he consistently chose connection.

This challenge is especially relevant for Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni. Every year, young Africans leave home to pursue education and professional opportunities abroad. Distance, time zones, visa restrictions, and rising travel costs make it difficult to maintain relationships and remain actively involved in the communities that helped shape us.

For Sylas, the answer was simple: show up. Celebrate others. Offer support. Stay connected.

He never allowed geographical or personal barriers to become excuses for disengagement. Even while facing his own struggles, he invested in others. He embodied the values the Mastercard Foundation seeks to cultivate—ethical leadership, service, and community empowerment.

Sylas did not wait for a perfect platform to create change. He simply served where he was. He helped build bridges between education, culture, and professional development while remaining grounded in his values. He dreamed of creating a stronger alumni ecosystem and brought both passion and compassion to every initiative he touched.

Since his passing, social media has been filled with memories of his infectious smile and unwavering commitment to others. Those tributes reveal an important truth: people gave generously because Sylas had first given himself generously to them. People from different backgrounds, generations, and communities showed up because he had spent his life showing up for them. His legacy now challenges all of us.

The greatest tribute we can offer is not simply to mourn his loss but to continue his work. That means supporting the causes he cared about, helping the children whose education he championed, strengthening alumni networks, and pursuing the dreams we discussed with him.

The tragedy of modern life is not that we follow people online. It is that too often our attention to distant lives comes at the expense of meaningful relationships nearby. Yet strong relationships are as essential to our well-being as physical health.

As Ugandans, we take pride in our faith, culture, and sense of community. We contribute to fundraisers, attend ceremonies, and support family members in times of need. But increasingly, genuine connection is being replaced by passive digital interaction. Families and communities cannot thrive on likes, retweets, and emojis alone.

They require presence—phone calls, visits, conversations, and the willingness to notice when someone is struggling.

Before spending another hour immersed in the lives of strangers online, look around. Call the friend you have not spoken to in years. Check on a family member. Reach out to a colleague who seems withdrawn. Communities are not built by algorithms or celebrities. They are built by ordinary people who choose, day after day, to care for those within their reach.

Uganda needs more people like Sylas. At just 32 years old, he achieved what many spend a lifetime striving for. He served as Minister of Information in the Toro Kingdom and as President of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Alumni Association in Uganda. More importantly, he dedicated himself to serving others.

While his death is deeply painful, his life remains a powerful example of how we should live. My prayers and condolences go to his family, friends, and the entire Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community.

Rest in perfect peace, Owek. Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki.

The author is a Mastercard Foundation Alumna from Makerere University and the University of California, Berkeley. She is a journalist based in Southern California and the CEO of the Debunk Media Initiative.