General
Mak-MAAIF Partnership to Boost Extension Services Delivery
Makerere University on 22nd November 2017 hosted the closing ceremony for the recently concluded refresher training in Extension Management for 300 technical staff from 122 District Local Governments in Uganda. The ceremony, held in the Main Hall was presided over by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)-Mr. Pius Wakabi Kasajja, who represented the Minister Hon. Vincent Ssempijja.
In his remarks, the Hon. Ssempijja noted that the refresher training held under the Agricultural Technology and Agribusiness Advisory Services (ATAAS) project and is in line with MAAIF’s support to the National Development Plan (NDP).
“Through ATAAS, my ministry therefore seeks to strengthen the weak link between agricultural research and advisory services. Makerere is constantly churning out research and researchers and our staff from the District Local Governments are constantly interfacing with farmers. Refresher trainings of this nature are therefore the ideal vehicle through which technology service delivery can be strengthened and scaled up, and the integration of smallholder farmers in value chains can be promoted,” read Hon. Ssempijja’s speech.
In his personal remarks Mr. Kasajja outlined; Production and Productivity, Value Addition and Competitiveness – farmers’ produce satisfying market standards as three broad challenges that affect the agriculture sector in Uganda today. He made an impassioned appeal to the extension workers; as the MAAIF frontline, to take their jobs seriously in order to make agriculture work as it ought.
“Extension services are the answer to transforming the agriculture sector and if you are unserious about your duties, I urge you to engage in something else,” warned Mr. Kasajja, before adding “Mindset change is going to be key if we are going to be the critical change agents and we shall at the opportune time organise a training for extension workers at the National Farmers’ Leadership Centre, Kampiringisa.”
He reassured the extension workers that it was no longer business as usual and as the country adopts agricultural zoning, each district’s extension services would be monitored by their contribution to growth in production and exports. Mr. Kasajja also urged the extension officers to encourage all farmers and households in their respective areas to each plant at least one tree per month in order to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Reaffirming Mr. Kasajja’s remarks, the Director Agriculture Extension Services, MAAIF-Mrs. Beatrice Byarugaba said, “We have asked the District Local Governments to submit at least two value chains to develop. For example, Kayunga has submitted Coffee and Dairy while Apac has submitted Maize and Cassava.”
Through agro-zoning, the District Local Governments are being urged to specialise in strategic, profitable and viable enterprises and value addition in the twelve priority commodities of; bananas, beans, maize, rice, cassava, Irish potatoes, tea, coffee, fruits and vegetables, dairy, fish, livestock (meat), and four strategic commodities of; cocoa, cotton, oil seeds, and oil palm. Mrs. Byaruhanga noted that through extension services, farmers will be given capacity to produce for factories in these priority and strategic commodities.
“Through this refresher training, we have been able to reach 2,920 participants and our target is to train every extension worker in the system by June 2018. Participants have been trained at various Agricultural Institutes and at Makerere University with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB),” added Mrs. Byaruhanga.
Representing the Vice Chancellor-Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe the Principal CAES-Prof. Bernard Bashaasha thanked MAAIF for entrusting his college with this task of training District Production and Marketing Officers, District Agricultural Officers, District Veterinary Officers and District Fisheries Officers.
“This training was conducted in the three core areas: Agribusiness development; Agrochemicals and fertilizer optimization in modern crop husbandry; and Postharvest handling technology. I thank our staff from the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics, the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering, and the Department of Agricultural Production for conducting these three courses respectively,” said Prof. Bashaasha.
The Vice Chancellor in his remarks noted that the refresher training was in line with Makerere’s core function of knowledge transfer partnerships and networking.
“Through this training, Makerere has been able to address the capacity gaps in extension management among extension workers within the current context of pluralistic extension,” read Prof. Nawangwe’s remarks.
At CoVAB, participants have been able to learn about dry season feeding for ruminants, modern management techniques for ticks, as well as Dairy Value Chain and Meat Value Chain management.
Speaking on behalf of fellow participants, the District Production Officer (DPO) Masaka-Dr. Lawrence Mayega Nyombi expressed his gratitude to the ministry for organizing the refresher training. “Today is a great day because I don’t remember a single day throughout my 23year career when the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries assembled the cream of Uganda’s extension services for refresher training,” he said.
He observed that at a strategic level, extension services had become so fragmented especially with the addition of three to five new Local Governments every financial year, a trend that affected mobilisation and resource allocation.
He further expressed the need for MAAIF to come out with clear guidelines accompanying disbursement of extension grants, so as to prevent these funds from being diverted to other activities such as vaccination. “The Director Extension Services and her team should regularly brief the District Executives, to further emphasise the proper implementation of extension grants,” he added.
Dr. Mayega nevertheless lauded MAAIF through the Director Extension Services for constantly advocating for extension services and workers but requested the officials to further enhance their contribution to population of the Extension Information System by retooling the staff and providing facilitation in the form of gadgets such as laptops, smartphones and transportation.
On an inspiring note, Mr. David Balironda Mukasa, the District Production and Marketing Officer (DPMO) Kalangala shared their Oil Palm Growers Trust (KOPGT) model which he boasted had enabled extension farmers to profit enough from the crop to employ their own extension workers.
“We have implemented the People-Public-Private-Partnership (PPPP) in oil palm growing which has brought an agrarian revolution to Kalangala District. Farmers now have a SACCO to enable them to buy fertilisers and any inputs required. This model can be implemented in any value chain and I urge you to visit Kalangala like other visitors we have received from Austria, London, Canada and learn from us” said Mr. Mukasa.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Strengthening South-South Academic Partnerships: Makerere University and Binary University Chart a Strategic Path for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Women’s Leadership
A New Chapter in Uganda–Malaysia Higher Education Collaboration
Makerere University has started preliminary discussions with Binary University of Management and Entrepreneurship (Malaysia) to deepen its global partnerships through high-level engagements, aimed at fostering innovation-driven education, entrepreneurship, and women’s leadership. Chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, the meeting explored a structured framework for collaboration that responds to Uganda’s urgent need for skills development, job creation, and industry-aligned learning.
This emerging partnership reflects a shared vision: to move beyond traditional academic models towards a practical, industry-integrated, and entrepreneurship-focused education system that equips graduates with real-world skills and global competitiveness.
Responding to Uganda’s Employment Challenge Through Entrepreneurship
“While chairing the meeting, Prof. Sarah Ssali noted that Makerere University and other Universities, together, currently graduate over 35,000 students annually, yet the private sector creates only about 700 new jobs per year. With an expanding population and intense job competition, where a single vacancy can attract over 4,000 applicants, the urgency for alternative employment pathways is clear.
Makerere’s Innovation Hub and Centre for Entrepreneurship have become critical pillars in addressing this challenge. Through platforms such as the Innovation Expo, now in its third edition and featuring over 600 student exhibitions, the university continues to nurture problem-solvers, innovators, and job creators. This ecosystem aligns strongly with Binary University’s entrepreneurial philosophy, making the Centre for Entrepreneurship a natural anchor point for collaboration.
Binary University’s Industry Specialist Professional (ISP) Model
Binary University brings a unique global model that directly integrates industry practitioners into the classroom. Its Industry Specialist Professional (ISP) programme, operational since 1999, ensures students graduate with skills tailored to specific industry needs. Industry experts with decades of practical experience teach across disciplines such as: Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy, Engineering, Film and Media Production to mention but a few.
“ With over 10,500 practising entrepreneurs in its ecosystem in Malaysia, Binary offers students direct mentorship and exposure to active business environments, ensuring graduates are not only employable but also entrepreneurial.” Tan Sri Dato Professor Joseph Adaikalam, the Executive Chairman and Founder, Binary University of Management and Entrepreneurship, noted.
Key Areas of Proposed Collaboration
The discussions outlined a structured and scalable partnership model anchored on the following areas:
1. Dual and Joint Degree Programmes
- 2+2 Joint Bachelor’s Degrees in specialised fields through an International Department structure.
- 1+1 Joint Master’s Programmes including: MBA for Engineers, Renewable Energy MBA and Semiconductor MBA
- Dual award systems to ensure international recognition and student mobility.
2. PhD and Staff Development Programmes
- Winter/Summer PhD models in Renewable Energy and Waste Management
- Nominated students to benefit from 50% tuition waivers
- PhD pathways tailored for academic staff development
3. Executive Development Programmes (EDPs)
High-impact, short-term programmes targeting senior leaders, featuring joint certification with a focus on AI for CEOs, Global Issues & Entrepreneurship. These EDPs are designed to empower leaders with strategic insight into global trends, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Placing Women’s Leadership at the Centre
A key pillar of the proposed collaboration is engagement with Malaysia’s Centre for Women’s Leadership (CWL), which focuses on empowering women through entrepreneurship and gender compliance mechanisms.
Puan Sri Datin, Prof. Dr. Rohini Devi, the co-founder and Vice Chairman, Binary University, highlighted the unique opportunities this partnership presents for a Joint women’s leadership training initiative, feminist academic exchanges, gender-responsive entrepreneurship models and an initiative to strengthen Makerere’s Institute of Gender Studies as a regional hub.
This aligns with Malaysia’s progressive gender compliance policies for public funding and women’s leadership development, a model that holds strong relevance for African institutions.
Learning from Regional and Global Best Practices
The meeting underscored valuable lessons from global contexts, including Nigeria’s model, where every graduate leaves with a practical vocational skill, Zambia’s Winter-Summer academic model with tuition waivers, Malaysia’s government investment in higher education and entrepreneurship
These case studies reinforce the need for practical skills as survival tools while graduates transition into formal employment or entrepreneurship.
A Win-Win Partnership for the Future
This collaboration is envisioned as a mutually beneficial model that complements Makerere’s academic strengths while leveraging Binary’s industry-driven approach. It will enhance student mobility, staff exchange, joint research, innovation transfer, and entrepreneurship development, all while maintaining strong quality assurance mechanisms.
As Makerere University continues to reimagine higher education in a rapidly changing world, this partnership signals a transformative shift towards globally competitive, innovation-led, and socially responsive learning systems.
With optimism and strategic intent, both institutions commit to open dialogue, structured implementation, and long-term impact. The Makerere-Binary partnership stands as a powerful example of how South-South collaboration can redefine education, accelerate entrepreneurship, and empower future leaders, especially women, for Africa’s development trajectory.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
General
Strengthening the Makerere–Nottingham Trent University Partnership: Building More Legs on a Stable Chair
On 21st November, 2025, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, hosted a delegation from the Nottingham Trent University (NTU). The meeting underscored the need to re-model what purposeful, equitable and future-oriented international collaboration can look like between Universities. What began as a 15 year focused engagement in Public Health is set to evolve into a mature, multi-dimensional partnership guided by a shared commitment to knowledge exchange, cultural sensitivity, innovation and community transformation. With the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) running until 2028, now in its third iteration, both institutions are deliberately reimagining the next phase of collaboration, extending its impact over the next 15 years and beyond.
Moving Beyond Public Health: A Broader Vision for Collaboration
While past collaborations have significantly advanced areas such as community health, microbial research, leadership among health managers and non-communicable diseases, the future partnership envisions a more diversified and resilient framework.
Prof. Neil Mansfield, the Executive Dean, Research and International Reputation, NTU, noted that this growth strategy is anchored in building additional “legs” onto the partnership chair; creating stability through cross-disciplinary engagement involving the School of Science and Technology, Department of Engineering, Business School, the Makerere University Gender Institute, and the creative arts at both Universities.
The expanded scope reflects a shared belief that sustainable development and innovation demand integrated approaches that bring together engineers, social scientists, anthropologists, business leaders, climate scientists and creatives among others disciplines.
Equitable Partnership as a Guiding Principle
Both institutions reaffirmed the importance of equitable partnerships that prioritise shared ownership, mutual benefit and contextual relevance.
Prof. Linda Gisbon, Director, Global Public Health, NTU highlighted the importance of the shared ownership model for joint projects. She further noted that this approach has already gained scholarly recognition through published work advocating for afro-centric collaboration models, positioning the partnership as a benchmark for ethical international engagement.
The NTU–Makerere shared ownership model ensures that all projects are jointly created, jointly led and jointly benefitted from. Both institutions participate equally in decision-making, resource management, knowledge generation and dissemination, ensuring the partnership strengthens capacity on both sides rather than reproducing unequal power dynamics.(Gibson et al., 2023)
Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurial Readiness
Dr. Hellen Karditsas, a senior lecturer at NTU, extensively shared about a possible flagship proposal which could be integrated within the expanded collaboration.
“NTU’s Engineering Challenge is an intensive three-week program engaging first- and second-year students in real-world product development. Students, supported by academic staff, conceptualise solutions, develop business models and transform ideas into market-ready products.” She noted.
Dr. Hellen, concluded by sharing that the Challenge engages students and staff from disciplines such as Mechanical, Electrical, Sport, Biomedical and Aerospace Engineering, this initiative exposes participants to the full innovation ecosystem, nurturing a generation of engineering entrepreneurs equipped for both industry and enterprise.
Prof. Sarah Ssali complimented the conversation when she noted, the growing interest in anthropological engineering and vernacular architecture – an interdisciplinary lens that examines how cultural practices and people’s way of life shapes their construction techniques and designs.
She further noted that, by recognising that “development is anti-people” when detached from lived realities, this partnership should seek to integrate cultural sensitivity into infrastructure design, ensuring that modernisation aligns with community needs and values.
Expanding into Arts, Design and Creative Industries
Another strategic leg of the partnership is strengthening ties between NTU and Makerere’s School of Performing Arts and Film. Plans include equipment-sharing initiatives, joint creative labs and collaborative production spaces aimed at enhancing capacity, storytelling and community engagement through visual and performing arts. These collaborations will also support public health communication through creative multimedia approaches and capacity building.
During the meeting, Makerere University Press partnerships and writing summer schools were also proposed to nurture scholarly publishing, academic writing and creative expression, further strengthening intellectual exchange between the two institutions.
Future projects will continue to integrate sociologists, anthropologists and social scientists to shape interventions that are not only technically sound but socially responsive and culturally aware.
Industry Linkages and Global Networks
Recognising the importance of industry engagement, the partnership seeks to connect with British-owned companies operating in Uganda as well as Ugandan enterprises with footprints in the UK. These linkages will enable practical learning opportunities, internships, applied research and joint innovation ventures.
Exchange visits for business students will also be prioritised to foster global exposure, entrepreneurial thinking and cross-cultural competence, equipping students to operate in increasingly interconnected economies.
A Partnership for the Future
The future Makerere–NTU collaboration will be defined by diversity, scalability and shared vision. By pulling together multiple schools and centres from Business and Natural Sciences to Engineering, Gender Studies and the Creative Arts the partnership is positioned to evolve into a holistic, long-term platform for knowledge production, innovation and people-centred development.
As both institutions reaffirm their commitment to constructive dialogue, joint planning and continuous evaluation, this partnership stands as a testament to how international cooperation can move beyond transactional engagement into transformative, sustainable impact.
In building more legs onto the partnership chair, Makerere University and Nottingham Trent University are not only strengthening institutional ties – they are shaping a resilient model for global academic collaboration that is equitable, agile and firmly rooted in shared purpose.
Reference;
Gibson, L., Ikhile, D., Nyashanu, M. & Musoke, D., 2023. Health promotion research in international settings: A shared ownership approach for North-South partnerships. In: L. Potvin & D. Jourdan, eds. Global Handbook of Health Promotion Research. Vol. 3: Doing Health Promotion Research. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp.263-272.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
General
Makerere University Hosts Delegation from Nottingham Trent University to Deepen Collaborative Ties
Makerere University has hosted a delegation from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) for high-level discussions focused on strengthening and expanding the long-standing collaboration between the two institutions. The team that was received by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs was led by Prof. Neil Mansfield, the Executive Dean for Research and International Reputation, accompanied by Dr. Helen Karditsas, a senior lecturer in the Department of Engineering; Prof. Linda Gibson from Global Public Health at NTU; Ms. Mazeda Hossain, Director of the Eastern Africa Centre; and Dr. Damilola Omodara, Senior Lecturer in Public Health.
For over fifteen years, NTU has maintained a strong partnership with the Makerere University School of Public Health, working in areas such as community health, leadership development among health managers, and research on non-communicable diseases. This collaboration has supported student mobility, staff exchanges, and joint research initiatives that have contributed significantly to capacity building on both sides.
During the meeting, the NTU team expressed readiness to broaden this relationship beyond public health, noting that the existing achievements offer a strong foundation for expansion. Their vision is to build an interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together multiple colleges and fields of expertise, including engineering, environmental sciences, business, arts, and digital media. The team emphasized that diverse academic partnerships offer more stability and create wider opportunities for innovation, student training, and impactful research.
NTU is now seeking to establish a broader, university-wide Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will enable the two institutions to explore a wider range of synergies across disciplines. This approach is expected to make future collaborations more flexible, allowing different units to initiate joint projects, exchange programs, and research activities under one institutional framework.
Prof. Ssali welcomed the delegation and affirmed Makerere University’s commitment to deepening partnerships that strengthen teaching, research, and community engagement. She noted that an interdisciplinary model is essential for addressing emerging global challenges, and highlighted opportunities in areas such as climate science, engineering innovation, creative arts, and publishing.
The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to position Makerere University as a hub for impactful global collaborations that advance academic excellence and societal transformation.
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