The Makerere Doctoral Convention (Pf@Mak) 2017 has commenced today, 23rd November 2017. In 2010 the University initiated the PhD Forum at Makerere University (PF@Mak), a Fellowship that brings together PhD students. Through the Forum, the University is able to provide a favourable environment for doctoral mentorship, training and research through peer networking and academic collaborations. The overarching goal of which is to achieve high quality research outputs leading to timely completion of doctoral studies.The Convention was graced by Dr. Hon. Wilberforce Kisamba Mugerwa, Chairperson National Planning Authority who delivered the key note address. In his remarks, Dr. Kisamba-Mugerwa re-affirmed the need to translate knowledge into Policy and Practice. He applauded Makerere’s new perspective to integrative learning in form of organizing mentorship Colloquium and conventions. He was optimistic that Makerere would continue to invest platforms that trigger peer networking, academic review and knowledge sharing.

Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza – Director Reserach and Graduate Training representing the Vice Chancellor at the opening of the Convention, assured the PhD Fellows that the Vice Chancellor had renewed the University’s commitment to provide platforms through which PhD fellows at Makerere will continue to academically and socially network, share ideas, engage in collaborative research and access relevant information. He encouraged Doctoral students to support one another to overcome doctoral related stress, self inadequacies and lowliness. The Vice Chancellor applauded the DRGT for recognizing the fact that the journey of PhD studies is quite long, lonely and challenging.

The Vice Chancellor reminded the Directorate of Reserach and Graduate Training of its cardinal responsibility of preparing young and promising researchers in completing their PhD programme at Makerere.

To the Doctoral students, the Vice Chancellor encouraged them to present their research findings at these regional and national conventions.

Dr. Kisamba-Mugerwa, contends that perhaps one of the most important benefits from Convention presentations is the student’s ability to advocate for one’s science. Representing one’s field of interest allows students/researchers in other disciplines, policy-makers, and the public to become aware of the innovative research being generated in one’s particular discipline. As scholars, “it is important that we share our research findings with people outside our specific discipline to increase the visibility of our research and provide interested individuals with more information”.

The Annual Convention 2017, will feature over 100 Oral and poster presentations under five thematic areas:

• Health and Health Systems
• Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resource Management
• Governance, Economic and Social Change
• Science and Technological Advancement
• Education, Poverty and Behavioral Change

The 5 break-away presentation sessions are currently happening in the Schoolof Gender and Mainstreaming, Main Library and Senate Conference Hall and Conference Hall, College of Business Management Sciences.

Despite the promising achievement, the PhD students raised a challenges related to inadequate Research Infrastructure and equipment; physical learning space, lack of harmonized supervision guidelines; inadequate support to student research groups; and inadequate budget support for basic sciences