General
Social media: the modern trend of building and championing institutional brands in higher education
On 26th February 2018, the Directorate of ICT Support (DICTS) at Makerere University organised a Social Media for Higher Education Workshop to sensitize staff and students on how they can utilise social media and other digital media platforms to champion the institution’s brand amongst its stakeholders around the world.
Officially opened by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who was represented by the Director of DICTS Eng. Kitumba Frank, the workshop also focused on discussing the important ways of how Makerere University, can embrace the professional usage of social media tools to improve its online brand as well as harmonising social media as a learning tool.
During the interactive sessions, experts in social media management, communication, Public relations, digital marketing and digital PR and ICT intelligences from both government institutions and private sector, the researchers in academia shared ideas on how the staff and student can exploit their personal social media platforms to promote, protect and market Makerere University as a brand with the aim of increasing its visibility.
In a speech read by Eng. Kitumba, The Vice Chancellor appreciated the move by the Directorate of ICT Support (DICTS) to sensitize the University community on proper representation of Makerere University as a brand online. He urged staff and students to own the University reputation and promote its work in research, innovations and other developments wherever they are.
“Social media is increasingly becoming a key online marketing tool for institutions the world over, therefore we need to ensure that Makerere University is very vibrant on social media as we embark on the move to unlock its potential,” he said.
Social Media has evolved exponentially into a powerful social engagement, business intelligence and educational tool that should be embraced by all in this information driven age. Today, companies use social media for predictive data analytics whose findings can be used for business forecasting, improving business sales and retaining customers.
Higher education institutions the world over are equally embracing social media as a research marketing tool that is able to drive user traffic to their web-portals, improve their visibility and rank as well as market their research products to a wider audience.
“Social media tools are useful for gathering, collating, accessing, managing, sharing and disseminating your work and research findings. The effective use of social media tools can also enable you to manage your online presence, develop your reputation, maximize your impact and build networks,” Prof. Nawangwe mentioned.
According to the Director, DICTS Eng. Kitumba Frank, Makerere University joined the trend of using social media with the aim of promoting its brand, protecting its image and increasing the opportunities of reaching out to its stakeholders. To achieve this wonderful milestone, the institution has been able to harmonise the existing online platform and ICT tools together with social media platforms to easily reach out to its stakeholders.
Mr. Kitumba also revealed that the University is developing a tool that will increase the staff and students interactivity on Makerere University social platforms. He therefore encouraged them to be very vibrant online and ensure that they positively represent the great brand and legacy Makerere owns.
“We are ensuring that the institution moves with the trend. We have managed to harmonise the existing tools with the social media platforms to ensure increase our interaction with the users and also market our research, innovations and other developments in academics,” he said.
Samuel Paul Mugabi, the End-User Manager at DICTS said that Social media has evolved overtime and it is more than a casual linkup. According to him, the Makerere University has therefore recognized the changing trend and adopted the service delivery model where the IT Service Management has been streamlined to fit the social media trend and online interactivity among end users.
“We have improved the quality and consistency of the IT support experience for students, faculty and staff using various electronic touch points such as email, phones, CRM and Help-Desk tools. As the end user unit, we are in the process of repackaging data to fit our users’ interest and ensure that the message produced, effectively communicates across all the university platforms. We are working hand in hand with the Makerere University Public Relations Office to ensure that Makerere University maintains its relevancy through its digital platforms,” he explained.
Engaging the audience on the importance of institutional branding, the Brand and Marketing Officer of Makerere University Mr. Agaba Issa Magabo said that branding helps institution to attract Government support for institutional plans, to continue attracting partnerships from both local and international agencies and to maintain the confidence of alumni especially the would-be donors that their alma mater still “rocks”.
“If you are to attract local and international finances, you must behave in a certain unique, uniform and authentic way that will catch the funder’s eyes and then entrust you with his money. This means you need to have an authentic brand that is popular and respected,” he said.
He cautioned staff and students who misrepresent and misuse the university brand saying that it does not only affect the university as an institution but also tarnishes their names.“For many years Makerere University has been branded as an institution of strikes, this has strongly tarnished its image and reputation. The negative reports in the media have done more harm than good to the institution’s image and has inflicted a big damage on its market. But remember this is our institution, which needs our protection. Let us enjoy its legacy through building and maintaining its brand that it has held for centuries as we build for the future,” he said.
Reiterating the need to manage content when communicating a powerful brand, the Makerere University Senior Public Relations Officer Ms. Ritah Namisango urged students and staff to always make a background check on the content they post about the institution. According to her, relevant and valuable content will always attract, engage and drive the audiences to follow the institution’s work hence creating traffic on the platforms. She appealed to staff and students to always defend and protect the institution’s image when interacting with their personal social media platforms.
“Our actions should support our institution. We should represent Makerere University positively as a good brand. Change starts with YOU. Be the change that you want to see. Communicate responsibly especially on social media.” she stated.
In a presentation on ‘how the media has improved our professional call a case study of WhatsApp, Dr. Paul Birevu Muyinda, said that social media tools such as WhatsApp have potentials to provide cooperation, increase social interaction, interest and motivation, sense of belonging, academic success, student-student and student-teacher interaction. The tools also support learning anytime and anywhere, provide peer support, feedback, and allow for sharing of information in education.
He however, noted that despite their relevancy, many tutors have met challenges while using social media to reach out to their students. “Concerns towards privacy and security, losing attention, getting beyond the limits in personal relations, use of slang language, and negative effects on academic life arising from excessive use of social media have been cited while tutors try to reach out to students via social media,” he stated.
Mr. Mathias Ssemanda a Digital Marketing Specialist said digital Marketing varies greatly depending on institutions interests and values. According to him, higher education institutions are often caught in the crosshairs of upholding history and tradition and moving forward into the future with students. This makes it vital that their social media marketing efforts comprise part of a larger strategy focused on the overall institutional brand.
Ssemanda said that as social networks continue to advance and meld into aspects of everyday life, the academic world is determining the way in which these digital tools can work to educational advantage in correlation with conventional methods.
“The intended core of social media is communication, providing great opportunities for those within the education industry to connect, share and learn. Digital marketing builds and maintains the customer relationship through online activities. When well-managed, digital marketing can put the consumer in control, provides convenience, drives the brand loyalty, reduces the selling cycle and captures customers that are searching on the Internet for answers,” he said.
Taking the audience through social media threats, risks and security, the Director Cyber-Crime Unit in the Uganda Police Mr. Haguma Jimmy said many people have become victims of social media threats and crime in Uganda. According to Mr. Haguma, over the years the Uganda Police has registered several cases of cybercrime such as cyber rape, conmen online, destruction of relevant information by security threats, illegal hackers among others.
He therefore advised Ugandans to adopt the best social media practices and also familiarize themselves with the laws that govern social media in Uganda. “Many laws have been put in place to regulate the social media environment, take time and read them so that you know your position while using social media. Do not open any emails from untrusted sources. Do not give offers from strangers the benefit of the doubt. Lock your laptop/Phone whenever you are away. Purchase anti-virus software. Read your company’s privacy policy to understand under what circumstances you can or should let a stranger into the building. Set strong passwords,” Mr. Haguma said.
Article and photos by: Proscovia Nabatte, Mak-Public Relations Office
By Scholars Program Communication Team
On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Little Angels Junior School, Mawotto Village, Mukono District, and St. Charles Rwahunga, Nursery and Primary School in Kyegegwa District celebrated an inspiring, joy-filled event. These two schools were selected to receive the generosity of Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University during the Annual Scholars Day of Community Service.
At St. Charles Rwahunga Nursery and Primary School, the Scholars donated various products, including Learning Materials, Geometry sets, Sanitary towels for the girls, sportswear for the boys’ football team, and other goodies.
The Community Nursery and Primary School serves 412 pupils with severe challenges due to inadequate infrastructure. The buildings are dilapidated, there is a shortage of desks, and the classrooms are small and overcrowded. These issues need to be addressed to ensure a better student learning environment.
Mr. Alex Mugisha, the Headteacher of the School, expressed gratitude to the Scholars of Mastercard Foundation for the kind gesture they extended to his school.
“I am deeply grateful, along with the students and staff, for the generosity of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars. These materials will significantly enhance the learning environment for our pupils,” remarked Mr. Mugisha.
Mr. Nelson Ddumba, the Scholars Council Representative, encouraged the young learners at the event not to lose hope. He emphasized that regardless of their starting point, they can improve their circumstances by staying in school.
“Listen, my fellow students: do not give up. The only path to transforming your circumstances is through a steadfast commitment to your education and remaining in school. I have been in your shoes, but I pushed through and succeeded thanks to my mother’s unwavering support. Today, I proudly attend Makerere University, one of the leading institutions in Uganda. Embrace the challenge ahead and make your education your top priority!” Mr. Ddumba declared.
At Little Angels Junior School, pupils were excited to receive educational materials, reusable sanitary towels, mathematical sets, dictionaries, and textbooks for nursery to primary seven students.
Ms. Sarah Nturo, the headteacher, commended the Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University for the kind gesture.
She said the books will help the school improve its reading culture and performance.
“We are grateful to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University; we believe these books will significantly contribute to improving our pupils’ performance,” Ms. Nturo said.
Nturo also pointed out that they have challenges with the facilities and water as a school.
“Ever since we started this School, the education has improved because, in the past, parents could not allow their children to come here; instead, they would send them to the lake for fishing. But now, the children come only because they do not have somewhere to sit. We have few desks,” Nturo said.
During the visit, the pupils mesmerised the scholars with rare dance moves. The excitement did not leave the Programme Implementation team and teachers in their seats, making it a fun-filled event. The audience was left yearning for more.
Addressing the school, Mr. John Osuna, the Transition Lead at the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, urged the pupils to use their school time to prepare for a bright future.
“Do not mind where you are coming from. We all started like this. Education is an equalizer. Now that you have an opportunity to study, focus on making the best out of it. Be disciplined pupils and listen to your teachers. The sky will be the limit,” Mr Osuna said.
During the event, Francis Kabuye Kaggwa, the Chairperson of the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) leadership, said that ever since the school started over 10 years back, they have never received guests who bring them gifts like how the Mastercard Foundation Scholars did.
“I think you have seen how excited the children were. We are all happy this has never happened to our school. Who are we to receive these gifts? We have challenges, but with friends like God on our side, we shall conquer,” Mr. Kabuye noted.
The Scholars’ Day of Community Service is an annual event where Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University engage in community service as a way of giving back. This initiative aims to empower vulnerable individuals in the community and contribute positively to society.
By Mak Communication Team
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, while speaking at the inaugural commemoration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities at Makerere University has appealed to the Government to increase the number of students with disabilities on government sponsorship.
The event held on Wednesday, 13th November 2024 was organised by the Office of the Dean of Students and the 90th Students’ Guild-Ministry of Students with Disabilities and held in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium.
The day’s theme was: “Empowering Inclusion: Breaking Barriers, Unlocking Potential”
“Students with disabilities should be the first to be admitted on Government sponsorship because there are not so many,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
Prof. Nawangwe called upon the government to devise a scheme and policy for integrating students with disabilities into the working environment after graduation.
Prof. Nawangwe noted that the University has established a Disability Support Centre, a one-stop facility to ensure equal access to education and life, promote inclusivity, and support students and staff with disabilities.
“Over the years, Makerere University has branded itself as a place that actively and loudly promotes increased awareness about the rights and needs of students and staff with disabilities.” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
While addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest, Hon. Hellen Grace Asamo, the State minister for Disability Affairs, called upon Persons with Disabilities to always believe in themselves and be able to break the barriers of the inferiority complex.
“You have to show people that you have the potential, and when people get to know your potential, they will begin to include and engage you. But if you do not have your potential, nobody will include you. They will think you are just someone who is just there seated and begging,” Hon. Asamo noted.
In her welcome remarks, Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli, the Dean of Students at Makerere University, said that the University is making a deliberate effort to pay particular attention to the decisive implementation of inclusive Policies and Practices.
“This is where we want all people to thrive and grow. Therefore, we are proud to accept and celebrate our differences and uniqueness. We welcome you here to build a culture of active support for each other and to declare that by championing a conducive environment for students and staff with disability, we are part of the change-makers of today,” Dr Kabumbuli said.
Dr. Kabumbuli also highlighted several policies the University has implemented, such as the Policy for Persons with Disabilities and safeguarding, Accommodation policy, University rules and regulations, the Human resource manual, and the student guild constitution that provides inclusive participation in student leadership and admission policies.
“These policies protect and enhance the rights of both staff and students with disabilities. For example, we have a student guild minister for persons with disabilities to ensure their voices are heard,” Dr. Kabumbuli noted.
Makerere has directed attention to ensuring accessible and comfortable accommodations for students with Disabilities by having designated accessible hostels and rooms. The University provides salaries, lodging, and meals for helpers who assist students with disabilities. A concentrated effort is also being made to build ramps, elevators, and accessible pathways to facilitate navigation for students and staff.
According to Dr Kabumbuli, the University has embraced a drive to facilitate students’ access to assistive devices, including wheelchairs, white canes, brailling machines, hearing aids, etc.
“As part of our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, the University has designated a specialized space within the library, equipped with assistive technologies and resources, specifically for students with disabilities to ensure equal access to knowledge and academic success for all. We have also put in place special arrangements, such as extra time during examinations to enable access to education,” Dr Kabumbuli said.
Dr. Kabumbuli acknowledged the support from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the Ministry of Gender, and the School of Law, which are committed to championing diversity, inclusion, and equity for People with Disabilities.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated annually on December 3rd to raise awareness and support for people with disabilities worldwide.
The 3rd annual Fundis and Technicians sensitization event and exhibition by manufacturers of building materials organized by the Department Architecture and Physical Planning at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University came to a close with a call for increased partnerships between training institutions and the community.
The event that attracted 200 participants including masons, fundis, painters, builders, metal and electrical fabricators ran from Thursday 24th to Friday 25th October 2024 at CEDAT. It was supported by several stakeholders and was characterized by training sessions and an exhibition of building materials by different companies that make cement, paint, water tanks tiles and many more.
Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe at the opening of the training. In his remarks, he extended appreciation to the technicians for accepting to take part in the training which he said was key in ensuring that they gain from continuous learning. Prof. Alinaitwe observed that although some of them did not get through formal training, it was important that they took part in such training programs to keep abreast of the developments in the construction industry where they undertake the bulk of the work as masons, technicians, plumbers, and metal fabricators.
‘Keep improving, we need to up our game in terms of quality’, he said while making reference to the need for quality output. He cautioned them on issues of cost and cheating of their clients by making realistic costs. ‘We need to cost the work well taking into account the materials, the labor, the equipment used, and the overheads’. The other area that needed to be taken care of by the technicians included time management, which reflects on attitudes towards work, team work. While addressing the gathering in his capacity as Chairman of the Engineers Registration Board, Prof. Alinaitwe said the upcoming engineering Registration Bill, if approved, has a provision for the registration of all artisans and hence the need to have the minimum requirements for the stakeholders to be registered. He also stressed the need to bring on board as more women as possible. ‘We want to see more women, who can do some aspects in construction better than men like painting.
Prof. Moses Musinguzi, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology while welcoming the trainees to the college said the training is a good initiative that will help address challenge of skill and work match. He encouraged the trainees to do smart work, and take due consideration of ethics and customer care. He encouraged the department to extend the training opportunity to other units of the college and the university and also make it more formal, as part and parcel of the training program of the college in liaison with bodies like UBTEB.
Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, the Deputy Principal CEDAT while appreciating the initiative of the department said countries like Germany have apprenticeship training that help the training of students to gain skills equivalent to those acquired while in formal institutions of learning. He said the academia in Uganda is increasingly recognizing the importance of the informal sector in the growth of the country. ‘We need to learn from you. Almost 90% of the people in the construction industry have been informally trained’. He said by learning from each other, the two sectors jointly make a contribution towards the development of the country.
Dr. Amin Tamale Kiggundu, the head of the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning said the initiative, a community outreach program of the college started three years ago in the year 2022 with 60 Fundis and masons, in 2023, the number was increased to 120 Fundis and the current 2024, was 200 Fundis of various categories, including painters, builders, metal fabricators, plumbers and electrical fabricators. He said this community outreach program aims at sharing the accumulated scientific knowledge in building, design and construction technologies at CEDAT, sharing the expertise, knowledge and experiences with communities in greater Kampala and hence bridging the existing knowledge and skills gap between the training institutions and the communities.
The 21st century is characterized by collaboration, partnerships, and establishment of knowledge economies. He said based on the trainings held so far, it is clear that partnerships between the training institutions and the communities were possible especially the Fundis who are closer to the communities. ‘We also want to learn from the Fundi’s experiences, how they are able to connect to the communities in some cases better than those who have gone through the training institutions’, he said. He further noted that the majority of fundis are young people that need to be supported with skills and other ways of nurturing them. The dream of the department, he said is to introduce an open door policy that allows fundis and other university students to come to learn.
Several organizations supported the event and participated in the exhibition and they included Habitat for Humanity, Uganda, Green Building Council Uganda, The National Building Board, Uganda Clays Limited, Centenary Bank, Steel and Tube Industries Ltd, Simba Cement, Plascon, Goodwill, Cresttanks among others.
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