General
President of Hargeisa University Visits Makerere University
On 15th March 2018, the President of Hargeisa University, Prof. Dr Muhamud Yousuf Muse and the Vice President for Academics and Research, Assoc. Prof. Sied Muhumed Jibril visited the Vice Chancellor and had bilateral talks.
Hargeisa University is found in Somaliland, a former British Colony which received its independence in 1991. Hargeisa University has ten colleges, two institutes and two centres which are focused on teaching, research and community outreach. Prof Jibril, explained to the Vice Chancellor that quite often, people in Africa do not distinguish between Somalia and Somaliland. Somaliland is a peaceful democratic country with its own governance structure, own currency, and has had five peaceful Presidential elections since 1991.
The State President is the Supreme Head of the University and therefore the university has support from the government. Somalia was an Italian colony while Somaliland was under the British Protectorate. Somalia is not yet peaceful and not about to be because the kind of conflict resolution and model they are applying is imported from elsewhere and does not meet the needs of its country while Somaliland developed its own local model in one of their centres and this has helped to bring peace and democracy in their nation.
Hargeisa University has a student population of 7,500 students and has collaborations with many international universities and organizations such as University of Oslo, Harvard University, Kings College London, Turkish Universities, MEKELLE University in Ethiopia where they do joint programmes. Prof Jibril informed the Vice Chancellor that there were opportunities of collaborating in research with Hargeisa University. Recently, Oil was discovered In Somaliland and that would be a ripe area for a strong collaboration. The College of Health Sciences has already had students from Hargeisa University at postgraduate level and were among the best performers in the College.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the visitors and was delighted that they found it worthwhile to come and collaborate with the University. Makerere University is a comprehensive university with ten colleges trying to become a research-led university by reducing on undergraduate programmes and increasing graduate programmes and emphasizing research. Makerere University being the largest and oldest university has an obligation of assisting her neighbours as we value collaborations with other universities and would be willing to work with Hargeisa University. He informed them that the College of Veterinary, Animal Resources and Biosecurity was already working with the Sheik Veterinary Institute by offering certificate and diploma programmes in veterinary fields and later absorbing the students for degree programmes.
A Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation was signed between The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University and the President of Hargeisa University and was witnessed by the Acting Director Legal Affairs, Mr Goddy Muhumuza, the International Relations Officer, Ms Martha Muwanguzi, and staff from the Public Relations Office and the Vice President for Academics and Research at Hargeisa University, Prof Jibril Muhamud.
At the College of Health Sciences, the visitors were welcomed by the Acting Principal and Dean, School of Public Health, Prof Rhoda Wanyeze, Dr Lukanga from Pathology representing Dean School of Biomedical Sciences and Dr Namatovu who represented the Dean School of Medicine. Hargeisa University had students in this College who performed very well. So far, eight students have done graduate programme and another was about to complete her studies.
Hargeisa University is a member of the Arab Universities Association and many Medical Associations and done a lot publishing international journals mostly in the medical fields. Hargeisa runs a joint masters programme with Turkish university in Family Medicine. Unfortunately, Somaliland with a population 3.5 million people has only 2 Gynaecologists and 2 obstetricians which clearly indicates the urgency in collaborating with Makerere University in capacity building through training their personnel to work in health facilities. Makerere University has the resources while Somaliland has the platform. The Country is under reconstruction and a helping hand from an African brother was very much needed. The ground for collaboration was quite rich for tapping into.
The following were suggested areas for collaboration
1. Development of joint masters programmes and Somali students get training
2. Joint Consultancies
3. Development of research programme models can be borrowed
4. Exchange of academic staff (sending staff to Somaliland and vice versa)
5. Student internships where 4th Year undergraduate students doing electives can be sent to Somaliland for some months and they earn credits to their programmes
6. Opportunities for training such as pathologists, gynaecologists, obstetricians in the region, etc
7. Distance Learning programmes to support training
Particular areas such as Tropical Medicine, Masters of Public Health Nutrition, e-modulation where students are organized and taught online instead of moving to Somaliland. Developing tailor-made programmes at Somaliland where Makerere staff go and teach specialized courses in the mornings and give service to the community in the afternoons.
It was agreed that the Call for Applications of Postgraduate Programmes for academic year 2018/2019 be sent to the Vice President Prof Jibril to enable to the Somali students apply.
In the College of Veterinary, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, the visitors were received by the Deputy Principal, Prof Majalija and the meeting was attended by Dr Edward Wampande, Prof Ejobi, Dr Ahmed Sengooba, Dr Frank Mwine, the International Relations Officer, Ms Martha Muwanguzi and the Personal Secretary to the Principal, Ms Lillian Tukahirwa.
The President Dr Muhumud Yousuf Mose gave a brief history of Somaliland and that of Hargeisa University and informed the meeting that Hargeisa University had collaborations with several international universities, international donors and the World Medical Association. For quite a long time, Hargeisa University was collaborating with Western universities but realized it was not proper to depend on them so much but emphasize working together with their African brothers. Somaliland having the largest livestock population and being the largest livestock exporting country on the African continent, Hargeisa University had special interest in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Following areas were suggested; collaboration in joint research programmes, developing joint masters programmes, exchange of students and staff, developing joint consultancies for the Ministry of Livestock in Somaliliand.
COVAB has Centres for wildlife, for Bio security, Animal Clinics and for partnerships and has supported capacity building for Sheikh Veterinary Institute in Somaliland, development of Umtala Veterinary School in Kigali, Bunda Veterinary School in Malawi and have trained professionals who work across sectors. Dr Frank Mwine said, each one of us are the engines for development in our various disciplines and so we need to be proactive to engage in politics so that we can bring changes and development to our nations. We cannot do away with the external donors completely since they are the ones who have resources which train our staff. Specific areas ought to be identified for this collaboration.
It was suggested that Hargeisa can start off by sending two or three students to Makerere for masters programmes. They can also send students for the CARTA training. Makerere University can partner with Hargeisa and joint write a proposal for training in trypanosomiasis in cattle and in humans as well as tuberculosis in humans and they get funding for this.
The Veterinary System is very key in the Somaliland ecosystem and establishing a communication platform between the Veterinary and Agricultural College in Somaliland was quite crucial. In addition, establishing a collaboration with the College of Health Sciences was also important. Hargeisa University was also advised to apply and join the ‘One Health” Network for Africa for managing animal health and population.
In the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the visitors were welcomed by the Deputy Principal, Assoc. Prof Goretti Nanabaoga and the meeting was attended by the College Registrar, Mr Edward Obura. The Deputy Principal said they were interested in widening the network with those who share same concerns with their College. Makerere University does a lot of collaborative research and suggested that cross boarder research would be an ideal area that can be explored and we attach students from both countries be attached to this research. Writing joint proposals for funding was another area also identified.
Written by Martha Muwanguzi- Makerere University International Relations Office
The two-day Annual Forum for Graduate Research and Policy dialogue concluded on Friday 26th April 2024 with the Directorate for Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) calling on PhD candidates to embrace the feedback received from peers and mentors as well as seek avenues of identifying and protecting any Intellectual Property (IP) arising out of their work. The Director DRGT, Prof. Edward Bbaale particularly reminded candidates that whereas their papers had been subject to single-blind peer review and passed, additional feedback should always be expected in an academic environment. The Deputy Director DRGT, Prof. Robert Wamala on the other hand called upon candidates to visit the Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO) to receive insights on aspects of their research, innovations and services that are unique and ought to be protected.
Day two of the forum was officially opened by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Umar Kakumba, who was represented by the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi. The DVCAA in his remarks reminded PhD fellows that their research will be of ultimate benefit to society when it transcends the initial objective of generating new knowledge, to translation into effective technologies, innovations and strategies that can be appropriately delivered to beneficiaries.
“It is therefore gratifying that this convention has helped to establish a supportive community of doctoral students and promote social and intellectual interactions among students and researchers from academia, industry and government” he appreciated.
Prof. Buyinza further highlighted that the current drive by Ugandan Universities to transition into centres of excellence in graduate training will be facilitated by training of high-calibre staff and enabling the development of new PhD curricula. Makerere University in particular, he noted, is currently developing Taught PhD curricula in most disciplines as a way of tapping into crosscutting knowledge that empowers graduates to tackle today’s multifaceted challenges.
He nevertheless urged PhD fellows on the current curricula to embrace the philosophy of interconnectivity by attending research dissemination outside their disciplines and incorporating those insights that help their research address the bigger picture.
Prior to this, the Chairperson of the Annual Forum’s Organising Committee and Deputy Director DRGT, Prof. Julius Kikooma had painted a picture of what had transpired on day one. He started off by thanking Hon. Dr. John C. Muyingo for presiding over the opening ceremony, where he launched the Research Information Management System (RIMS) as well as the Vice Chancellor for delivering an impromptu keynote address, which demonstrated his passion for research and the power that it’s commercialisation holds for driving industrialisation that can propel Uganda’s and Africa’s development aspirations.
Prof. Kikooma further highlighted that papers presented on day one each highlighted the importance of research as an awareness raising tool that can foster implementation of innovations that impact various spheres of societal well-being. Researchers on Day one nevertheless admitted that a lot of their findings never make it to the implementation stage, hence the need for research uptake strategies.
“Noteworthy were calls for multidisciplinary research teams, which were reechoed as a catalyst for championing a broader understanding of the different issues that may impact development, and foster reception and implementation by policymakers at both local and international levels” continued Prof. Kikooma.
The papers he highlighted equally took note of; increasing minority groups and marginalised persons albeit no interventions in sight, the need to close the knowledge gap in different interventions across numerous development sectors, financing for capacity building and interventions so as to create meaningful and lasting impact of interventions, and the need for more bankable data to foster decision making and policy formulation in areas such as health, environment and energy.
Highlights by Prof. Kikooma further took note of; the resourcefulness of community engagement and collaboration in research undertakings as an essential step to foster uptake and use of research findings, as well as socio-cultural biases, attitudes and stereotypes and constraints in the form of resources and technologies that affect scaling up of research efforts.
Prof. Kikooma equally took lead in the reflections on mental health and well-being for graduate students. He addressed the prevalence of mental health problems among graduate students and environmental factors that could actually be the source of these mental health challenges.
“It is crucial that we start more open conversations about mental health and well-being on campuses, to breakdown the stigma, to support students to build up their emotional resilience, and to enable more people to seek support from counseling and mental health services when things get tough” Prof. Kikooma proposed.
Graduate students as architects of knowledge production, pioneers of innovation, and catalysts of progress are an integral part of Makerere’s quest to become a research-led university. This position was reiterated by Prof. Edward Bbale’s remarks, wherein he further emphasized, “we count on you in terms of your dedication, your thirst for discovery, that must shape the future of our university and contribute to the socio-economic transformation of Uganda”.
He called upon PhD candidates to interest themselves keenly in the policies that govern their environment such as the; Intellectual Property Management Policy, Research and Innovations Policy as well as the Intellectual Property Management Office as structures that have been put in place to ensure that their research is well-facilitated.
“Makerere University is very resolute to explore and walk the entire journey along the value chain from research and innovation to commercialisation. In line with this, the Makerere University Innovation Pod was established to package and market research outputs and innovations for impactful adoption within communities” explained Prof. Bbaale.
In addition to emphasis that the Innovation Pod is multidisciplinary and therefore open to innovations from all disciplines, he equally reemphasied the need for staff and students to use the Makerere University Press (Mak Press) to publish their work. Mak Press, Prof. Bbaale noted, is well recognised across the globe and works published therein will receive wide consumption and appreciation.
Addressing the audience, the Managing Editor Mak Press, Dr. William Tayeebwa clarified that all scholars at Makerere University have the privilege of having their works published free of charge by his unit, and better still, are eligible to receive 20% of the proceeds from the sales of their publications. To practically illustrate the opportunity at hand, Dr. Tayeebwa admitted that paper presentations from the two-day forum were good candidates for compilation into a book that can be published by Mak Press.
He revealed that talks with College Principals had addressed the need to support Graduate Students to publish their work in college-based journals. “The commitment we want to make as Makerere University Press under the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training is to continue this conversation with College Principals, especially to have special issues dedicated to PhD student work.”
The President PhD Fellows at Makerere University (Pf@Mak), Ms. Clare Cheromoi not only thanked Mak Press, DRGT and the University Management for putting in place a supportive environment for the students to thrive but like the proverbial Oliver Twist, also asked for more. She called upon PhD candidates to not only consider university-wide events such as the Annual Forum as a marketplace for their powerful ideas but also an avenue to build lasting relationships.
“I thank you and welcome you all to our training on policy briefs that will be held on Wednesday 1st May 2024,” added the President to the PhD community.
Prof. Bbaale concluded the day’s remarks by inviting the President and Executive Committee of Pf@Mak to consider making the Annual Forum a Bi-annual event so as to grant even more PhD candidates the opportunity to present their work.
“As the Directorate, we are committed to enhancing such meetings and interactions and we are very grateful that the University Central Management and Vice Chancellor is very passionate, and we received their utmost support financially and otherwise” he added.
Prof. Bbaale paid tribute to his predecessor and Principal Investigator RIMS, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi for ensuring that his idea saw the light of day. He reassured PhD candidates that they would receive priority in the implementation of RIMS, so as to make their journey even smoother.
He thanked the Annual Forum and Policy Dialogue’s Organising Committee led by Prof. Julius Kikooma for a job well done in organising the inaugural event, and tasked them to aim higher so as to make future events bigger. He singled out the contribution of the Forum’s moderator, the Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango for seamlessly steering the event, and the Media and ICT Teams for ensuring that the research findings shared at the Forum made their way to virtual audiences both in real-time and subsequent news broadcasts.
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