General
Mak Evaluates Continuous Improvement Drive as Self Assessment Report 2017 is Disseminated
The Quality Assurance Directorate (QAD) at a breakfast meeting held on Thursday, 10th May 2017 disseminated findings of the second Makerere University Self-assessment Report 2017. The meeting which brought together members of University Management, Principals and key stakeholders such as the Guild President was also attended by the Chairperson Council, Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem.
Welcoming participants to the meeting, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended QAD for conducting the assessment and helping Makerere University “to know where we are coming from so as to help us review our strategic direction.”
“In future, in addition to the three core functions of teaching and learning, research and innovations and knowledge transfer partnerships and networking, we should also begin looking at things affecting the University such as; public image, ethics and integrity and discipline” added Prof. Nawangwe.
Before delving into presentation of the report, the Director QAD, Dr. Vincent Ssembatya thanked the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) for supporting the first and second self-assessment exercises. He also acknowledged the support received from the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT)-Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi and Director, Planning and Development Department (PDD)-Dr. Florence Nakayiwa as well as QAD staff during compilation of the report.
“In addition to being a key quality assurance mechanism, the self-assessment exercise is used to re-examine the trajectory the university is on in terms of institutional progress. The second exercise has been done five years after the university instituted the collegiate structure that in turn came after major institutional reforms” added Dr. Ssembatya.
Key highlights of the report showed a decline in the total student population attributed to factors such as a changing curriculum, deliberate reductions by some colleges owing to reduced teaching capacity, introduction of new universities and other risk factors such as bad publicity and staff and student unrest. Despite the reductions, Makerere still accounts for 48% of students enrolled in public universities and receives 58% of the budget allocated to Higher Education Institutions supported by the government.
Mak as the premier university also continues to offer a comprehensive curriculum, with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) accounting for 35% of enrollment. The university is striving to achieve the 40% target in STEM, which is considered a strong factor in accelerating economic development.
Further breaking down the enrollment, Dr. Ssembatya illustrated that Mak is a truly national university, with students originating from 90 of Uganda’s 121 districts. He further shared that on the gender front, the districts of Kampala and Wakiso tend to contribute more female than male students and the top 10 districts by enrollment all present a balanced gender distribution; perhaps illustrating that gender balance tends to follow academic excellence and the degree of penetration of education in the community.
On the research front, the exercise showed that Mak’s output continues to grow, with the institution now way past the 1,000 publications per year mark, also achieving the 1 publication per academic staff per year ratio in the last five years,. Nevertheless, Dr. Ssembatya observed that there was need to improve our Internationalisation aspect by addressing the decline in international students admitted as well as the need to recruit international staff.
The report further highlighted the need to boost the graduate student population so as to create a critical mass of specialists for the nation through graduate training. Dr. Ssembatya also commended DRGT and the University Library (MakLib) for the advent of Electronic Theses & Dissertations (ETD) submission by academic staff and students, noting that this would further boost the University’s ranking.
In the reactions that followed, the Vice Chancellor thanked QAD for raising the bar of dissemination a notch higher each passing year by producing more analytical reports. He nevertheless expressed hope that analyses especially on enrollment will at an opportune time be presented to officials in Government so as to better inform policy making.
“Our role as Makerere University should be to conduct research that helps our Government to understand what problems our education sector faces and provide advice on how the negative trends can be reversed,” advised Prof. Nawangwe in reference to the alarming drops in admissions with each progression to a higher level of education.
Other reactions from the audience although applauding the increased government subvention called for a reciprocal funding for research, a domain that is currently dominated by support from development partners. These also called for a need to assess the equipment and laboratory facilities in the Science-based colleges so as to evaluate the effect of obsolete teaching aids on the quality of graduates.
On the subject of student internships, reactions called for the institution of campus-based innovation centres in partnership with both public and private players, so as to boost the practical skills of our graduates. In the same vein, calls were made for the introduction of modern teaching courses for academic staff in areas such as blended learning, competency-based teaching and many others, so as to improve the learning experience of today’s scholar.
Bringing the breakfast meeting to a close, the Chairperson Council once again thanked Dr. Ssembatya and QAD for inviting him to take stock of the University’s performance. Eng. Dr. Wana-Etyem further welcomed the Guild President H.E. Papa Were Salim and expressed readiness to receive his personal contribution to discussions at the next Council meeting.
“The University Council is here to serve you and as such, is largely made up of members representing various associations and bodies in Makerere University. All our policies and decisions are arrived at by consensus because our sessions are participatory” elaborated Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem.
Reacting to some issues raised by the self-assessment and the responses that followed, the Chairperson reiterated Council’s commitment to ensuring that facilities that are vital for quality teaching and learning will be strengthened. “We are also keen to provide any kind of affirmative action for the colleges that may not be publishing as much as the others so please, let us know through the respective channels” he added.
Eng. Dr. Wana-Etyem concluded his remarks and the breakfast meeting by appealing to all staff and students to ensure that Council decisions reach their constituencies so as to create ownership for University policies and together, maintain Makerere on a steady course to reach greater heights.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Hands-On RIMS Training Equips Makerere University College Registrars to Power Graduate Success and Research Excellence
By Moses Lutaaya
Kampala, April 10, 2026 — College Registrars and Senior IT Technicians at Makerere University have undergone intensive, hands-on training in the Research Information Management System (RIMS), in a move aimed at strengthening graduate training, improving completion rates, and advancing the university’s research agenda.
The training, held on Friday at the CFT 2 Building, Lecture Room 4.1 Computer Lab, brought together key custodians of academic records to gain practical skills in using the system that university leadership says will transform graduate education management.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Graduate Training, Julius Kikooma, underscored the strategic importance of RIMS, linking it directly to the university’s long-standing challenges in tracking graduate students and supporting research progression.
“Graduate training is central to the research mission of this university,” Prof. Kikooma told participants. “Yet for years, we have struggled to answer simple but critical questions, where exactly are our graduate students in their academic journey, and why are many not completing on time?”
He pointed out that the issue has consistently drawn concern from top university leadership, including Council, particularly as Makerere rolls out its new five-year strategic plan. “One of the key priorities identified is improving graduate completion rates,” he said. “But we cannot improve what we cannot measure.”
Prof. Kikooma explained that unlike undergraduate programmes, graduate studies are largely research-driven and therefore more complex to monitor. “The research component of graduate programmes has not been adequately captured in any system,” he noted. “That is why it has been difficult to track progress, supervise effectively, and provide accurate reports.”
Positioning RIMS as a transformative solution, he emphasized its role in bridging this gap. “RIMS is not just a system, it is the backbone of how we are going to support graduate students and research going forward,” he said. “With it, we can track every stage, from concept development to proposal, to thesis completion in real time.”
He stressed that the system will enhance both efficiency and accountability across the university. “This is the tool that will enable us to confidently assure Council and management that we know the status of every graduate student at any given time,” he said.
However, Prof. Kikooma made it clear that the success of RIMS depends heavily on the commitment of college registrars. “You are the custodians of graduate records. You are central to this process,” he said. “If RIMS succeeds, it will be because of your efforts. If it fails, it will be because you did not play your part.”
He revealed that registrars will now form part of the steering committees overseeing the full implementation of RIMS across university units. “You are not just users of this system, you are its drivers at the college level,” he emphasized.
Calling for seriousness and full participation, Prof. Kikooma set clear expectations for the training. “No one should leave this room without knowing how to use RIMS in their daily work,” he said. “You must understand the kind of data required, the information on students, supervisors, and every stage of the research process.”
He added that incomplete data has already limited the system’s effectiveness in some units. “Graduate students are already on the system, but some of the critical information is missing,” he noted. “That gap must be closed by you.”
In his technical presentation, Juma Katongole, the Manager Information Systems, highlighted the limitations of existing systems and how RIMS is designed to address them.
“We can only produce accurate statistics for students on coursework,” he said. “But we cannot tell how many graduate students are at proposal level, concept level, or thesis level. That is a major gap.”
He explained that RIMS will provide comprehensive, real-time tracking of graduate students throughout their academic journey. “This system will enable us to produce accurate reports of which student is where,” Katongole said. “It will help us identify delays and take action.”
On the issue of prolonged completion times, he added, “With reliable data, we can see where students are getting stuck and introduce administrative or strategic measures to address those bottlenecks.”
Describing the system as a turning point, Katongole noted, “We are moving towards having valid statistical information at our fingertips, which is critical for a research-led institution.”
From the administrative perspective, Eleanor Nandutu, Senior Assistant Registrar from MISR, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a practical solution to long-standing inefficiencies.
“RIMS will ease the tracking process and help us know exactly where each student is and how long they take at each stage,” she said. “It will also help us understand where the challenges are and how to better support students.”
She emphasized that the system will improve completion rates by identifying bottlenecks early. “We shall be able to see where we are stuck and take corrective action in time,” she noted.
Addressing concerns about possible conflict of interest between supervisors and students, Nandutu clarified that the system is designed to enhance transparency, not create tension. “This is about ensuring that processes are followed and that students succeed,” she said. “It brings everyone, administrators, supervisors, and coordinators onto one platform.”
She added that the system will even improve interaction between students and supervisors. “It will make follow-ups easier and ensure timely feedback, which is critical for research progress,” she said.
As the university intensifies efforts to strengthen its research output and graduate training, the hands-on RIMS training marks a significant step toward a more efficient, transparent, and data-driven academic environment, one that leaders believe will finally address the long-standing challenge of delayed graduate completion.
Pupils, parents and authorities at Bwera Primary School in Kabale District were filled with joy as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, in partnership with dfcu Bank, handed over a four-classroom block to the school.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, one of the parents, Saison Tumukuratire, expressed gratitude for the support.
“We thank God for this gesture. Our children can now attend classes without interruptions caused by rain. Previously, whenever it rained, lessons would stop. The old building was on the verge of collapsing, had no windows, and the floor was dusty,” she said.
Uganda has made significant progress in expanding access to education through Universal Primary Education (UPE); bringing millions of children into school. However, in hard-to-reach communities, physical access and the quality of learning environments continue to shape how effectively that opportunity translates into consistent attendance and meaningful outcomes.
Bwera Primary School, a government-aided institution located in the remote and hard to reach village in Kahama Sub-County, has an enrollment of 275 pupils. For decades, the school has faced significant challenges related to access and infrastructure.
With no road access and limited infrastructure, the school has long struggled to provide a conducive environment for learning. Efforts to improve facilities have often been constrained by high transportation costs and logistical barriers; with some contractors previously declining to take on construction work due to the difficulty of accessing the site.
“The school structures are not sufficient for our learners, and we do not have a single staff house. We are deeply grateful to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and dfcu Bank for coming to our rescue after the school’s plight was highlighted in the media,” Edson Bikorwomuhangi, the headteacher, said.
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University and dfcu Bank officially handed over the new facilities. These include a four-classroom block equipped with 60 bench desks, a four-stance modern pit latrine, and a 10,000-litre rainwater harvesting system.
The new infrastructure is expected to significantly improve the learning environment and support better educational outcomes for the pupils.
Since 2014, Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University and alumni have contributed to communities across Uganda by constructing classrooms, providing clean water and supporting vulnerable communities.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Nelson Dumba, the Chairperson of the Scholars giveback Committee, noted that the event was not about commissioning structures, it is about celebrating impact, partnership and the power of giving back.
“As scholars we are deeply aware that we are beneficiaries of opportunity, and because we have been given a chance, we carry a responsibility to extend that opportunity to others and contribute meaningfully to the communities that shape us,” Mr. Dumba, said.
Mr. Dumba called upon the Bwera community to take ownership, protect the property, and ensure that it continues to serve generations to come.
“To the pupils of Bwera Primary, this investment is for you, use it well, take care of it and believe in your dreams. You are capable of achieving better outcomes,” Mr. Ddumba, said.
One of the central pillar of the Scholars Program is community service and giveback, grounded in the belief that leadership is best demonstrated through service to others.The Scholars Program is not only about access to education, it is about transformation and impact.
In her speech, Ms. Jolly Okumu, the Program Operation Lead of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, noted that through mentorship and structured engagement, Mastercard Foundation Scholars are encouraged to initiate community-driven projects, improve livelihoods, promote inclusion and foster sustainable development.
“Today is not just about handing over infrastructure, it is a celebration of partnership, shared purpose and our collective commitment to improving learning environment for young people. It reflects our belief that when institutions and communities come together, we can create lasting impact and open up greater possibilities for the next generation,” Ms Okumu, said.
Ms Okumu extended special appreciation to the Jane Goodall Institute for providing a 10,000 litre water tank and dfcu Bank for a financial contribution of UGX 20Million used to renovate two classrooms and purchase desks.
“As we officially hand over this project, we hope these improved facilities will provide a safe environment and a space conducive for learning. Our Scholars are not just beneficiaries, they are committed to building a stronger and more inclusive communities,” Ms. Okumu, noted.
Speaking on behalf of dfcu Bank, Ms Helena Mayanja, the Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, noted that the giveback project reflects the Bank’s commitment to elevate education, financial literacy and health in intended communities.
“The journey to the school itself reflects the realities these children face every day. Improving infrastructure in such communities is essential to ensuring that access to education translates into real learning outcomes,” she said.
dfcu Bank has various partnerships and programs targeting vulnerable and hard to reach communities which are aimed at elevating financial literacy, health and education.
Kabale District Education Officer, Mr. Moses Tumwijukye Bwengye welcomed the development, noting that previous efforts to upgrade the school had failed due to inaccessibility.
“We thank our partners for renovating this classroom, with these projects, results are going to change because now the learning is conducive. Before contractors were unable to take on the work because of the terrain. Partnerships like this are important in unlocking development in hard-to-reach communities and improving education outcomes,” Mr. Tumwijukye, said.
Parents speak out
Evidence Tumwebaza, who has a child in Primary One noted that the infrastructures are going to help them improve the school’s sanitation.
“The tank is big and I am happy that my child will now study in a conducive environment and will have clean water for drinking,” Tumwebaza, said.
Ann Turyasima, a parent and former pupil said that the project is going to help pupils to stop carrying water from a long distance.
“These pupils have been moving from down the valley to go and fetch water for the school but now everything is here. They can now concentrate in school.”
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