General
Mak Signs MoU with UNESCO-ICHEI and SUSTech
On Friday 17th November, 2017, a delegation from China led by Professor Li Ming – Director, International Centre for Higher Education, Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Makerere University and UNESCO-ICHEI. In the presence of several members of Makerere University Management, the Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe signed on behalf of Makerere University. The MoU signing ceremony took place in the Council Room.
Professor Ming gave a brief background of UNESCO-ICHEI and informed the members of management present that early 2017, UNESCO-ICHEI held the “Africa Higher Education Innovation Development and Project Cooperation Seminar” at the Southern University of Science and Technology, located in Shenzhen, China. The seminar was attended by several top-level experts, including Mr. DU Yue, Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO, Professor WANG Libing, Director of the Department of Education Innovation and Skills Development at the UNESCO Asia Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, and other experts from the University of Hong Kong, Zhejiang University, China Development Institute, and Shenzhen Metro Group.
Participants at the seminar had come together to discuss their practices and experiences with innovation and development in higher education and Africa. The Secretary-General DU Yue was optimistic that the Centre would continue to improve the capacity of information generation and also fulfill the role among UNESCO Category II Centres of “becoming a laboratory of ideas, leading the international agenda, promoting international cooperation, and influencing national policies.” ICHEI will continue to raise the bar for information management, communication, and leadership capacity, all of which play an important role in global education governance.
Two short presentations were made for UNESCO-INCHEI and Southern University of Science and Technology respectively. UNESCO and SUSTech had travelled extensively in Africa with the aim of developing and implementing information technologies for higher educational institutions. UNESCO-ICHEI had visited Makerere University with the goal of establishing a cooperation between the three entities. Identified areas of cooperation were; joint research programme(s) on higher education and ICT; information sharing and mutual support on international conferences and academic fora; exchange of international students; exchange of academic staff between SUSTech and Makerere University; exploration of university-enterprise cooperation (potential cooperation between UNESCO-ICHEI, Makerere University and industries, including but not limited to Huawei, Weidong Cloud Education and on-line education, etc). Professors will be invited from Makerere University to attend seminars at UNESCO-ICHEI and vice versa.
Professor Li Ming was accompanied by Professor Andrew Zhao, Deputy Director, Higher Education Research Centre at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), who is also a Senior Expert at UNESCO-ICHEI. Other delegates were Mr Wang Min, a Senior Consultant of Industry-University Cooperation at UNESCO-ICHEI, Ms BI Xiaohan, Programme Officer and Ms LI Xue a Programme Officer. Others hailed from Technology Companies in China.
The Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the visitors and informed them that Makerere University will be celebrating 100 years in the next five years. As a leading research university on the continent, Makerere welcomes researchers from China and will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with China University of Petroleum (CUP) to tap in training of experts in the lucrative oil industry.
We are eagerly looking forward to working with UNESCO-ICHEI and having a strong collaboration in the field of ICT and innovation in education.
Written By
Martha Muwanguzi
International Office
In a vibrant celebration of youth leadership and African unity, Makerere University hosted the Second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit, an event that brought together high-profile dignitaries, student leaders, and international partners for a powerful dialogue on the future of the continent. The summit, organized by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, served as a rallying point for East Africa’s young leaders to confront Africa’s most urgent challenges—on their own terms and with their own solutions.
A Warm Welcome and Reflections on Makerere’s Legacy
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, welcomed the distinguished guests, who included Former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo, former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda, Justice Simon Byabakama, Hon. Mathew Rukikaire, and European Union Deputy Ambassador Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, among others.
In his address, Prof. Nawangwe reflected on Makerere’s deep historical ties to East Africa’s liberation and development movements. He reminded the audience that Makerere University has been a crucible for the continent’s leadership, stating:
“Jomo Kenyatta was the first person to receive a degree from Makerere when, in 1963, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by then Chancellor Julius Nyerere. All freedom fighters in East Africa studied at Makerere.”
Building on this rich history, Prof. Nawangwe affirmed the university’s current mission to tackle pressing continental issues. “Today,” he said, “Makerere is committed to addressing Africa’s challenges—climate change, disease, poverty, food security, conflict resolution, and economic development. But we cannot do this alone.”
He echoed sentiments later shared by the keynote speaker, stressing that Africa must no longer depend on external interventions:
“Foreign agencies will not solve all Africa’s problems. It is our young people who must step forward and lead the change.”
Uhuru Kenyatta: “You Are the Last Line of Defence”
In a keynote address that resonated deeply with the students and delegates in attendance, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a bold and urgent call to action for Africa’s youth.
“No one is coming to save us,” Kenyatta declared. “You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa.”
Positioning today’s youth as the heirs of the continent’s freedom fighters, Kenyatta described the current moment as a new “independence era”—not of political liberation, but of economic and intellectual sovereignty. He urged students to think critically about intra-African trade, which currently accounts for less than 2.5% of global commerce, and to advocate for the removal of internal barriers to trade, innovation, and mobility.
“You are the freedom fighters of this generation,” he said. “Universities must be incubators of change, and students must be the trustees of tomorrow’s Africa.”
Pan-Africanism, Leadership, and Action
Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo encouraged students to take up the mantle of Pan-Africanism with unwavering commitment. She acknowledged that while the rhetoric of African unity is inspiring, real progress demands more than words:
“You must embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism. But it is easy to say these words—the challenge lies in collective implementation.”
She emphasized the importance of action-oriented leadership and urged the youth to harness their creativity, energy, and education for the benefit of the continent.
European Union’s Message: Leadership with Integrity
Representing Team Europe, the EU Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, gave a passionate speech on the values of authentic leadership, integrity, and inclusive development. He praised Makerere University as a space where “intellectual ambition meets civic responsibility” and emphasized that leadership is not about prestige, but purpose:
“Be a leader because of what you want to be—not because of what you want to have,” he said.
Citing former Makerere alumni such as Julius Nyerere and Wangari Maathai, Chartrain called on students to model courage, resilience, and humility:
“True leadership emerges in moments of loss—when resilience, not triumph, becomes the measure of one’s character.”
The EU, he said, remains committed to supporting youth through programs like Erasmus+, the EU Youth Sounding Board, and partnerships with organizations like Faraja Africa Foundation and Restless Development. These initiatives empower youth not as symbols, but as active participants in shaping policy and governance.
The Legacy Continues
Throughout the summit, speakers highlighted the importance of legacy and long-term impact. They challenged young leaders to think not just about the present, but about the systems and institutions they will leave behind. In the words of Former President Kenyatta:
“Leadership is not about the next election. It’s about the next generation.”
The summit ended on a high note, with students invigorated and inspired to lead with purpose. As global support grows less predictable and Africa stands at a crossroads, the message from Makerere was clear: the future of the continent is in the hands of its youth. And as the Guild Leaders’ Summit demonstrated, they are ready.
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