General
NORAD Director General Visits Mak, Looks Forward Collaboration in Perpetuity
The Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Jon Lomøy has applauded Makerere University for maintaining strong ancient ties with the Royal Government of Norway as well as the Norwegian institutions through the Norwegian support, partnerships, research, innovations, knowledge sharing, and student-staff exchange. This was during his visit to the great institution on 21st November 2017.
The Director General, who was accompanied by the Norwegian Ambassador to Uganda, H.E Susan Eckey, and other delegates namely Marte Tokenaes, Tina Holtgaard Oulie, Jeanette Da Silva and Mary Mabweijano, referred to Makerere University as the hub of Norwegian cooperation in Uganda.
“I am impressed with the long term cooperation that is dated way back in the 1940s! We are happy to note that Norway has had a strong hand in the physical and academic developments of Makerere University. And we are glad to be partners during the time when Makerere University is achieving a lot in her diverse work,” he said.
Meeting the Makerere University Central Management, the Principal Investigators of Capacity Building in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED) Projects and a team from Institutional Development and Implementation Committee (NIDIC), the Director General extended his sincere gratitude to the Makerere University Management and the entire University community for their strong contribution towards research and human resources through capacity building programmes.
“Our major focus is to strengthen the institutional capacity and performance of higher education institutions (HEIs). I therefore recognise Makerere University’s efforts in enforcing capacity building programs in Uganda as well as leading the country in research developments,” he said.
Jon Lomøy is looking towards a sustainable cooperation between Makerere University and the Royal Government of Norway even at a time when Uganda becomes financially independent. “We should have a continued scientific collaboration in research and innovations. Makerere University is one of the major hope in the Norwegian collaboration and Uganda is the major recipient of the Norwegian support, therefore we should not break this strong ties we have built over decades,” said the Director General.
The Ambassador of Norway to Uganda H.E Susan Eckey appreciated the institutions efforts to continue developing projects and initiatives under the NORAD support. “I am pleased to know that Makerere University is expanding the School of Women and Gender Studies, initiated by Norwegian collaboration with Makerere University,” she said.
In a speech read by Dr. Eria Hisali, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe acknowledged Norway’s contribution towards transforming Makerere University in the areas of teaching and learning, research and innovation, knowledge transfer partnerships and networking. “With this collaboration we have not only developed in academics, physical infrastructures and expanding of the human resource capacity through training, but we have also improved in the area of poverty reduction,” said the Vice Chancellor.
He thanked the Royal Government of Norway, the Norwegian Institutions for prioritising Makerere University when securing research and support grants. “We have been on the fore front in winning these grants, we have implemented many of the Norwegian projects and the current one is the NORHED where Makerere University is implementing 9 out of the 13 projects. We are really grateful for this consideration and this partly explains why we rank as one of the best 10 universities in Africa,” he mentioned.
In an overview on “Government of the Royal Kingdom of Norway” support to Makerere University and 70 years Institutional collaboration between Makerere University and the Norwegian Institutions” the Director, Planning & Development Department Dr. Florence Nakayiwa highlighted the achievements of the collaborations, the different research projects at Makerere University supported by NORAD and other potential areas of support towards institutional development.
Amidst applause from the congregation, Dr. Hisali presented an admirably befitting Plaque to the Director General and the entire NORAD team, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor as a sign of appreciation for their invaluable contribution towards Makerere University’s transformation in the area of teaching and learning, research and innovations, knowledge transfer partnerships and infrastructure development. He also presented Makerere University Souvenirs to the delegates.
Article by Public Relations Office
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
-
General2 weeks agoADVERT: Mature Age Entry Scheme Examinations – 2026/2027
-
General2 weeks agoDFCU Bank Uganda Supports the Mastercard Foundation Scholars’ Giveback Initiatives
-
General1 week agoVice Chancellor Updates Media on DVC AA Appointment, Acquisitions, Research & Various Issues
-
Computing & IS1 week agoICT Bootcamp for Vacists (P7, S4 & S6), Students & Professionals
-
General6 days agoStrengthening Collaboration between Makerere University and the University of Groningen