Makerere University Doctoral Students Forum under the patronage of the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training has today, 12th April 2018 held its annual convention under the theme “Relevance of Research towards National Development”. The Vice-Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe represented by Prof Buyinza Mukadasi, Director of the Directorate of Research & Graduate Training officiated at the opening of the convention.
The annual convention brings together the PhD fellows of this great University to interact, share the research areas, critique concepts, and proposals or research don. The Convention also includes a research forum where doctoral students discuss their research concepts, proposals, pilot research findings and dissertation research manuscripts and papers with each other and renowned researchers. This is done through oral and poster presentations followed by a discussion aimed at appreciating the role of research in national development.
The Vice-Chancellor used the event to renew to the graduate students the University’s commitment to provide platforms through which PhD fellows at Makerere will continue to academically and socially network, share ideas, engage in collaborative research and access relevant information. He encouraged Doctoral students to support one another to overcome doctoral related stress, self inadequacies and lowliness.
As a premier University, Makerere will continue to ssustain the production of a critical mass of well-trained African academics at PhD level and in this regard, the Vice-Chancellor applauded the DRGT for recognizing the fact that the journey of PhD studies is quite long, lonely and challenging.
Cognisant of the challenges faced by the PhD student, in 2010 the University initiated the PhD Forum at Makerere University (PF@Mak), a Fellowship that brings together PhD students. Through the Forum, the University is able to provide a favourable environment for doctoral mentorship, training and research through peer networking and academic collaborations. The overarching goal of which is to achieve high quality research outputs leading to timely completion of doctoral studies. “It is our cardinal responsibility to prepare young and promising researchers in completing their PhD programme” the Vice-Chancellor noted.
Prof John Munene, an expert the organizational theory of change and Professor of Psychology at MUBS gave the key note address. In his remarks, re-affirmed the need to uphold research ethics and integrity based on theory of change. He cited examples of theory impacting on national and global development. He applauded Makerere’s new perspective to integrative learning in form of organizing mentorship Colloquium and conventions. He is optimistic that Makerere would continue to invest in platforms that trigger peer networking, academic review and knowledge sharing.
Prof Munene proposed a paradigm shifts from the conventional social development model to one that respects and embraces theory for solving practical problems. He calls it complex Science thinking based on principles of none-linear modeling. He contends that perhaps one of the most important benefits from Convention presentations is the student’s ability to advocate for strength-based approaches versus deficitor gap approaches. According to Prof Munene, this allows students/researchers in other disciplines, policy-makers, and the public to become aware of the innovative research in one’s particular discipline. As scholars, “it is important that we make our research relevant with impact on social change increase the visibility of our research and provide interested individuals with more information”.
The Annual Convention 2018 has featured over 100 Oral and poster presentations under five thematic areas:
(1) Health and Health Systems
(2) Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resource Management
(3) Governance, Economic and Social Change
(4) Science and Technological Advancement
(5) Education, Poverty and Behavioral Change
Despite the promising achievement, the PhD students raised a challenges related to inadequate Research Infrastructure and equipment; physical learning space, lack of harmonized supervision guidelines; inadequate support to student research groups; and inadequate budget support for basic sciences
Once again, on behalf of the University, the DRGT welcomes you to Annual Doctoral convention 2018 and wish you fruitful deliberations. As “We Build for the Future”.
Makerere University is participating in the New Vision Education Expo 2023 to strengthen its niche as the leading provider of education services.
The three-day New Vision Expo (Friday 27th January 2023 to Sunday 29th January 2023) at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) Nakawa brings on board players in the education and business fields to forge partnerships to improve the quality and outcomes of education in Uganda.
Makerere University seeks to maximally utilize the three days to ensure that the participants at the Education Expo gain a deeper understanding of its 100 year journey of providing excellent services to humanity through academic programmes, services offered and ongoing efforts aimed at producing employable graduates as well as entrepreneurs.
Ms Joyce Muhanguzi, has a one-on-one session with visitors to the Makerere University exhibition space.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe highlights that Makerere University values stakeholder engagements and partnerships. “The New Vision Expo 2023 presents Makerere University with an opportunity to enhance stakeholder engagements. It is about consolidating the relationships with schools, prospective students and parents, and partners in the education sector. I applaud the CEO of Vision Group-Mr. Don Wanyama for coming up with the Education Expo.”
To respond to the information needs of stakeholders, Makerere University has lined up a team of experienced staff from the Department of the Academic Registrar, the Admissions Office, Public Relations Office, Career Guidance experts as well as the Institute of Open Distance and e-Learning (IODeL) under the College of Education and External Studies (CEES).
According to the Principal PRO of Makerere University Ms. Ritah Namisango, the Education Expo provides a platform to reach out to the clients that Makerere University exists to serve. “You must be in touch with your prospective parents, students as well as schools and partners that continue to recommend you as the leading university in the region. Makerere University has celebrated 100 years of excellent service to humanity (1922-2022). So, as we continue to promote the academic programmes, innovations and services that we offer, we are ready to listen, interact and learn from respective stakeholders about what they expect from the University as we embark on the next 100 years.”
Ms. Ritah Namisango (L) and Ms. Joyce Muhanguzi interact with members of the public.
The New Vision Expo 2023 is happening at an opportune (holiday) time, which accords the students, parents and guardians quality time to visit the exhibition and interact with experts in the education sector.
In addition, Makerere University has recently advertised its academic programmes and it is preparing to receive students for the Academic year 2023/2024. Sharing her experience about the interaction with participants who visited the Makerere University exhibition space, Ms Joyce Muhanguzi, Senior Assistant Registrar in the Department of the Academic Registrar noted that most of the prospective students and parents wanted to know about the academic programmes, the subject combinations that students should study to qualify to apply for the respective academic programmes, and the available admission avenues i.e. government sponsorship, private sponsorship, diploma entry, direct entry, national merit, talented sports entry and district quota programme).
Mr. Dennis Kibuuka (L) has a one-on-one session with a visitor to the Makerere University exhibition space.
Ms Joyce Muhanguzi and Mr. Dennis Kibuuka’s interaction focused on students who expressed their desire to join Makerere University in the coming years, and needed a case by case approach to their information needs, career guidance and linkages to Professors and Administrative staff in the respective Colleges at Makerere University.
The prospective students and parents also disclosed that in addition to the information on the Makerere University website, they welcome interactive and friendly approaches such as the New Vision Education Expo where they are presented with a golden opportunity to interact with Makerere University officials face-to-face.
At the New Vision Education Expo 2023, Makerere University joins other exhibitors that include; Government agencies, NGOs, Telecom companies, Banks, Insurance companies, Kindergartens/Daycare Centres, Primary and Secondary schools, Ugandan and Kenyan Universities, International schools, Study Abroad Agencies, Vocational institutions, Scholastic materials suppliers and SME service providers.
The 73rd Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University will be held from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February 2023 following the schedule below:
Monday, 13th February, 2023 College of Health Sciences (CHS) College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) School of Law (SoL)
Tuesday, 14th February, 2023 College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) College of Education and External Studies (CEES)
Wednesday, 15th February, 2023 College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (CoVAB)
The program aims to improve graduates’ skills by placing them into selected partner industries for skills gain, facilitating the process and supervising placed interns. Graduates will be placed in their areas of study accordingly.
Time frame
The phased recruitment and placement will start from 1st December 2022 for a period of three months. Recent university graduates and those awaiting graduation should apply for this opportunity.
Eligibility
The project mainly focuses on university graduates from Makerere University (Mak), Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Kyambogo University (KYU) who have undertaken the following courses
Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Mgt.
Bachelor of Business Computing
Bachelor of Office and Information Mgt.
They should not be employed anywhere and should have gone through the traditional internship placement required by their respective universities.
How Students join
Interested university graduates shall submit an online application and contact the designated university contact or focal persons. Successful applicants will be required to complete the three (3) months internship pgoram uninterrupted to fully benefit from the program. Apply here: https://bit.ly/HEST2022
How companies participate
A company interested in hosting interns under the program can fill out an internship acceptance form and forward it to the internship placement officer.
Contacts of University focal persons
Makerere University (Mak) Dr. Christine Amito Tel: +256-771-321384 Email: amitoxtine@gmail.com
Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Ms. Christine Nantambi Tel: +256-772-654454/+256-703-878277 Email: cnantambi@mubs.ac.ug
Kyambogo University (KYU) Ms. Nandugwa Harriet Tel: +256-786030640 Email: hnandugwa@kyu.ac.ug
Contacts of IEED Project Team
Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) Ms. Mary Kaakyo, IEED Project Coordinator Email: mkaakyo@musph.ac.ug Tel: +256-706-960075
Makerere University School of Statistics and Planning (MakSSP) Ms. Afazali Zabibu, HEST Study Coordinator Email: zabibu.afazali@gmail.com Tel: +256-779-912365/+256-705-587072