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Mak holds Validation Meeting to enrich the Proposed Strategic Planning Framework

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On 13th June 2018, a number of internal stakeholders comprising the Vice Chancellor and his Management Team, College Principals, representatives of academic and administrative units convened in the Senate Building Conference Hall to validate the proposed Makerere University Strategic Planning Framework that will inform the Makerere University Strategic Plan for the next ten years (2019/20-2029/30).

The Strategic Planning Framework focused on positioning Makerere University as the Regional Knowledge Hub will be used as a reference in the formulation of colleges /unit strategic plans that will inform the ten years Makerere University Strategic plan (2019/20-2029/30).  

During the Validation Meeting, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe expressed commitment to the process of turning Makerere University into a research led University when he said, “We have the potential to be the research led University in Africa. Makerere University’s legacy in research and publications is known worldwide. We have made research in various critical areas and our research has made a strong impact to the community. I believe we have the potential for the new shift and we are shifting for better.”  

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe addressing members.

The Chairperson of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee, Dr. Isaac Okullo, who is also the Deputy Principal, College of Health Sciences noted that for each thematic area, a range of measures of success have been specified. These will provide the benchmark to assess baseline and progress of implementation over the plan period. 

“The implementation of the ten year Strategic Plan will be phased into three year operational plans and annual work plans which will be assessed for realisation of the set targets. The annual work plan/ activities will guide the budgeting against which university performance will be assessed,” he stated. 

He urged Colleges and Units to embark on the process of drafting the Colleges/Units Strategic Plans to enable the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee finalise its work on time. “We request that you identify a Planning Chairperson and constitute a Planning Committee of not less than five members to drive the planning process,” he said. 

According to the Chairperson of the Strategic Planning Committee who is also the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Prof. William Bazeyo, the new Strategic Plan is expected to align the University goals with the Sustainable Development Goals; the Agenda 2063 by the African Union; and the institution of National Development Plan II and Vision 2040. 

“At its meeting on 29th November 2017, Makerere University Council identified inhibiting factors that need to be addressed as the university moves into the next planning cycle. The University Council also stressed the need to evaluate the placement of Makerere University in the national Development Agenda,” he said.  

In February 2018, Makerere University embarked on the process that will culminate in the formulation of the next ten year Strategic Plan (2020/21-2029/30). The formulation of the new Mak Strategic Plan (2020/21-2029/30) will take a year-long participatory approach incorporating views of different stakeholders including staff, alumni, students, professional bodies, civil society, as well as the private and public sectors. The current 10 year Mak Strategic Plan is expected to come to an end in 2019.

The development of the Strategic Framework marks the beginning of the new direction of Makerere University Spanning over the next decade. It is envisaged, and as underlined by the Strategic Planning Retreat held in February 2018 at Entebbe, that the new strategic plan 2020/21-229/30 will address three key investment areas namely the institution, the human capital and the development impact. These will fit with in the structure of the core and support functions of the university.

The Strategic Planning Framework outlines the identity, vision, mission and core functions of Makerere University, puts forward the key procedures and parameters that will guide the Colleges/Units in the formulation of their plans and articulates the key performance indicators in terms of measures of success and benchmarking international and regional institutions in the plan formulation process.

While the outgoing strategic plan was more focused on processes, it is proposed that the new plan should target quality outputs and outcomes. As such the basis of the strategic plan is:

  1. Anchoring the University as a research led institution that contributes to the development of the national intellectual outputs and resources but also meets the requisite criteria of a regional hub;
  2. A reviewed research agenda that provides opportunities for exploitation of the talent among students and staff to engage with relevant stakeholders (industry, communities, private and public entities) as part  of their research interests, with a focus  on impacting and identifying future  research requirements;
  3. Enhanced engagement with industry and business, and other end-users of research and promote knowledge transfer and commercialisation nationally, regionally and internationally;
  4. Increased value and volume of innovations spawned from university research and other functions; 
  5. A problem/community-based learning approach that prepares a versatile, professionally grounded; ethical leader and change agent who is committed to lifelong learning;
  6. An equitable, inclusive and gender mainstreamed system in both academic and support function areas;
  7. A human resource system  that will engender an engaged, motivated and highly productive workforce, Institutional Consolidation including transformation from the current  partially implemented Collegiate system from a highly centralised to a largely  decentralised Financial Management and less bureaucratic administrative system well entrenched in actual operational needs of the colleges; and
  8. A robust M&E system that will promote institutional learning and improvement in the service provision and outputs of the university.

The Director of Planning and Development Department Dr. Florence Nakayiwa said that new Strategic Plan envisions an efficient and effective university that is highly reputable with a recognised brand. It also looks at an engaged, motivated and highly productive workforce. 

The Director of Planning and Development Department Dr. Florence Nakayiwa making a presentation.

“The Strategic Plan also foresees a Makerere University graduate that is versatile, professionally grounded, has ethical values and committed to lifelong learning. It also positions the graduate as a leader and change agent, who has had a positive experience at Makerere University,” she said.

According to Dr. Nakayiwa, teaching and learning is the main mechanism through which the University contributes to the National Human capital Development needs. The University offers an array of disciplines ranging from humanities, performing and liberal arts to areas of science Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). She noted that since the Makerere University Graduates at Bachelors, Masters, and PhD level should be distinct and equipped with requisite skills, the new plan will be geared towards creating the appropriate environment and support to the students to meet their academic and professional aspirations. 

“The implication will be the institution of a robust, relevant and competence based 21st Century curriculum coupled with career guidance, counselling and mentorship. It will be a blended learning, integrated with field work and community services. Continuous dialogues and engagement with the students will define the teaching and learning interface at all times,” she explained. 

“The curriculum will be a learner centred; promote participation, experimentation and collaborative learning. A problem/community-bases learning approach that prepares the learners to take on societal challenges will be adopted. The role of the academic staff is envisaged to change from lecturing to designing of learning experiences and environments in which students learn and work together with the lecturer thus becoming more of a coach. This will promote the critical intellectual dispositions and build capacity for independent thinking and analysis of unchartered and complex issues,” she added. 

In a presentation, Mrs Patience Mushengyezi a Member of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee said that the research agenda over the next 10 years period shall be determined by taking into account the research leadership role of Makerere University in undertaking both basic and applied research. The research thrust will be built on the established Centres of Excellence such as the African Centres of Excellence, the East African Centre of Renewable Energy Efficiency and the Waste Management Centre of Excellence.

some of the  Management Team, College Principals, representatives of academic and administrative units who attended the meeting.

“It is envisaged that the University will shift from exclusively focusing on creating an enabling environment to a position of defining, creating, nurturing and investing in the building blocks for a research university in Uganda. There will be a distinct shift to increased graduate enrolment and knowledge production. There will be efforts to engage government to fund graduate programmes through the loan scheme and other direct funding mechanisms,” she stated.

On Knowledge transfer partnership, Mrs Mushengyezi said that the new strategic plan will focus on generating knowledge and capacity through incubation centres, technology parks, intellectual Property and commercialisation of ideas. 

  • Discussing the Institution, Dr. Justine Namaalwa also a member of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee said that the new strategic plan is ready to;
  • Develop efficient, effective and highly reputable institutions recognised as a good brand
  • Develop a culture that will engender an engaged, motivated and highly productive workforce
  • Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Library Services
  • Leverage the ICT as a platform for academic excellence and innovations at Makerere University
  • Reposition the gender Mainstreaming program to excel in providing an equitable and gender responsive organisational environment 
  • Generate maximum benefit from university land holdings and existing infrastructure facilities
  • Develop a devolved efficient financial management system 
  • Widen the university financial resource base 
  • Leverage resources and experience from the international experience of staff and students in teaching, learning, and research and service provision.
  •  

Article by: Mak Public Relations Office 

Proscovia Nabatte

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The 3rd Fundis and Technicians sensitization event and exhibition held successfully

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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, Makerere University.

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, Makerere University.

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.

Dr. Amin Tamale Kiggundu, the head of the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning, Makerere University

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.

Alex Isemaghendera

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MURBS has declared 13.40% interest on members’ balances for the financial year that ended on 30th June 2024.

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By: Ritah Namisango

Dr. Elizabeth Patricia Nansubuga, Chairperson of the Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) Board of Trustees, announced this milestone during the 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the year 2023/24 held on Thursday, 24th October 2024, at Makerere University Main Campus, School of Public Health Auditorium.

The AGM attracted various stakeholders, including trustees, Audit Committee Chairperson CPA David Ssenoga, Board Evaluation Consultant Vincent Kaheeru, URBRA Representative Mark Lotukei, Audit Committee members, co-opted members, and university administrators.

Presenting the performance report, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Nansubuga highlighted that this is the highest interest declared by the scheme in the past five years, and she anticipates continued improvements. She noted that for the previous financial year, which ended in June 2023, the Board of Trustees declared an interest an interest of 12.34%.

Dr Nansubuga also announced that the scheme has achieved a Net Investment Income of UGX 44.6 billion, far higher than the UGX34.4 billion collected in Contributions during the year.

The Chairperson of the Board also revealed that the fund value had grown from UGX352.4 billion recorded at the end of the last financial year to UGX409.2 billion, indicating an increase of 16.1%.

“By 30th June 2023, MURBS had a fund value of UGX 352.4 billion. The Board of Trustees targeted Fund growth of 17%, and I am glad to inform you, that the fund value of MURBS, as per the Audited Financial Statements of 30th June 2024 is UGX 409.2 billion, which is an increase of 16.1%. This achievement was made possible by strategic periodical activities undertaken by the Board and our fund managers, supported by the strong oversight committees of the Board,” she reported.

Dr. Elizabeth Patricia Nansubuga(Centre) responding to questions from members.

She attributed the positive growth to factors such as improved debt recovery, operational efficiency, timely remittance of contributions by the sponsor (Makerere University), an increase in project and contract contributions, and the recovery of UGX8.85 billion in debts.

Dr. Nansubuga also expressed gratitude to Makerere University, the scheme’s sponsor, for consistently remitting contributions, a key factor that has significantly contributed to MURBS’ smooth operation. “I am happy to announce that the sponsor-Makerere University remitted your retirement benefits for the financial year 2023/24,” she said.

In the same development, Dr. Nansubuga reported that MURBS registered a legal victory against Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) over a real estate investment in Sonde undertaken in 2019, and which URA sought to tax heavily. She notified the AGM that MURBS won the case and was awarded costs which also set a precedent.

Consultant Mr. Vincent Kaheeru and CEO of Profiles International

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to inform you that during the financial year, we received a favorable outcome on a key court case. How did we end up with this case? In 2019, MURBS invested in real estate, we bought land in Sonde,” Dr Nansubuga explained.

“Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) then charged us with a tax assessment worth UGX600 million. It has been four (4) years in the tax appeals tribunal. Since then, the lawyers, the former and current trustees, have been appearing before the appeals tribunal, but in December 2023, MURBS won the case. We challenged URA, and this case was awarded with costs. URA has to pay MURBS. We therefore saved UGX600 million,” she added.  

In terms of governance, Dr Nansubuga said that the scheme made changes in the board. Initially, the trustees were six and they needed a seventh member, and following a competitive race, they recruited another trustee; CPA Edina Rugumayo who has over thirty years in accounting.

Part of the MURBS members who physically attended the Annual General Meeting

“In terms of governance, we continue to uphold good governance practices and we align with international standards. Last year during the presentation, I said we were six and we needed to have the seventh trustee because the Board composition is supposed to be seven,” she explained.

“So, following a competitive process, we recruited an independent trustee. It was a very competitive position. You must have served on board which has over UGX50 billion. So, from that process, we were able to recruit CPA Edna Rugumayo Simbwa. She is a certified public accountant with over thirty years of experience in accounting, taxation, and corporate governance,” she mentioned.

She also thanked other stakeholders for making sure that MURBS activities run smoothly. These entities include Makerere University, KPMG, Gen Africa, Arcadia Advocates, Zamara, URBRA, and Stanbic Bank among others.

While discussing investments, Dr. Nansubuga mentioned that 86% of MURBS’ funds are currently invested in government bonds, but added that the Board is exploring diversification to reduce risks. 

“86% percent of our money is invested in government bonds, and sometimes, you do not have to put all your eggs in one basket, there is a high concentration of risk. so that is one of the key material risks that we want to address to reduce the amount we have in government securities. We want to diversify our portfolio and avoid investing heavily in government securities. The Board will venture into other fields in order to earn money or return on investment from the diverse undertakings,” she said.

Mr. Mark Lotukei, represented the CEO of Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority

In terms of membership, Dr. Nansubuga reported a 4.4% increase, with the number of members rising from 8,229 to 8,590. She attributed this growth to the reinstatement of in-house beneficiaries and an increase in project and contract staff.

Dr. Kakuba also thanked the sponsor-Makerere University for remitting the membership contributions timely which has helped the scheme to grow.

Dr. Godwin Kakuba -Secretary, MURBS Board of Trustees, who presented the record of the 13th Annual General Meeting stressed that the AGM climaxes a financial year and the Board of Trustee has been vigilant on this and has not missed any AGM for 14 years now.

“We applaud the sponsor because many of these positives in the chairperson’s report can only be attributed to the support by the sponsor through fulfilling the obligation of remitting members’ contributions to the scheme,” he added.

Dr. Godwin Kakuba (L) and Asad Ssenoga

Partner Asad Ssenoga, an independent auditor who audited the scheme said that he was impressed with the level of compliance that the scheme exhibited in all aspects. He said they focused on ensuring that the member contributions are supported with statements and allocated to members appropriately.

“Overall we were satisfied with the work we did on the audit, the numbers that were presented by the Chairperson are the correct numbers that we audited. We were comfortable with those numbers, due process was followed during the audit,” he said.

Mr. Mark Lotukei who represented the CEO of Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) thanked the Trustees for always prioritizing governance, which has helped them to reach several milestones.

Members of the MURBS Secretariat led by Ms Susan Khaitsa(Centre)

“As URBRA, we look at governance as the biggest component of our compliance. MURBS Trustees from the former to the current, have taken governance as the most important aspect. We really encourage them to continue with this good practice because governance informs all the other aspects,” he said.

Mr. Arthur Kibira, a member in attendance, expressed his appreciation for the Board’s efforts. He urged them to explore higher-risk investments for potentially greater returns. He expressed concern over the scheme’s heavy reliance on government bonds.

“Dr Elizabeth Nansubuga, I want to congratulate you, and your team and also congratulate ourselves. But, I want to believe that there is room for improvement. I am one of those who do not believe that the sky is the limit, we are limited by our own thinking. I am thinking that high risks give high returns. Is there a way of managing those risks, so that we could push this 13.40% interest to a figure much higher? If we do so, we shall say we have learnt how to manage risks,”, he guided.

Ritah Namisango

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Makerere University at the 2024 O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Annual Gathering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

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Uganda’s Chair elect, Prof. David Meya of Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences (extreme left) and other O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs

The Research Chairs concept is similar to Centers of Excellence (for instance in supporting world-class research in a priority area), but also has many distinguishing features. Most notably, it recognizes individual excellence, leadership and talent. The O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI) builds on the work of Oliver Tambo, a prominent South African and pan-Africanist with a science education background, who believed in creating change through education and in cooperation and solidarity among African nations. The Initiative focuses on celebrating his legacy in building knowledge-based economies for the advancement of Africa.

ORTARChI builds on and leverages existing continental frameworks and interventions geared towards institutional capacity strengthening; recruitment and retention of excellent researchers; and incentives to support research that contributes to socio-economic and transformative development. 

Ten (10) O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs across seven (7) countries in Africa, namely; Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia have been selected for funding through a rigorous and competitive two-stage review process. These research chairs are focused on research priorities identified by each host institution in conjunction with, especially the Science Councils, and in alignment with AU Agenda 2063 and STISA 2024.

[L-R] Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (DVC F&A, Mak), Dr. Dorothy Ngila (Director, NRF), Ms. Natasha Allie (CEO Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation), Dr. Martin Ongol (Ag. Executive Secretary, UNCST), Associate Professor David Meya (Uganda Chair Elect, ORTARChI) and Assoc. Prof. Robert Wamala (Director, DRGT)

Prof. Noble Banadda from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences had been inaugurated as one of the first 10 (ten) Oliver Tambo (ORTARChi) Chairs. Unfortunately, Prof. Banadda (R.I.P) passed on in July 2021, which created a vacuum. To ensure that Uganda and Makerere University continue to tap into the ORTARChi, we are glad to announce the appointment of Associate Professor David Meya from the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University for the purpose. The appointment will attract USD 170,000 annually for 5 years for graduate research with a target of training 5-6 PhDs, 10-15 Post-doctoral fellows and 10-12 Masters of Medicine and Master of Science Students at Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Makerere University has had the pleasure of attending 2024 O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Annual Gathering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The annual gathering is co-hosted by the Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, National Research and Innovation Fund for Development (FONRID) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. The theme for this year’s gathering is: African Sovereignty: A Catalyst for Research Collaborations and Social Impact in the Continent“. At the annual gathering, Uganda was represented by Associate Prof. David Meya (Uganda Chair Elect, ORTARChI), Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Mak), Associate Prof. Robert Wamala (Director, Research and Graduate Training) and Dr. Martin Ongol (Ag. Executive Secretary, UNCST). Assoc. Prof. David Meya – ORTARChI Chair Elect – is from Makerere University’s School of Medicine at the College of Health Sciences.  

[L_R] Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (DVC F&A, Makerere University), Dr. Dorothy Ngila (Director, NRF), and Assoc Prof. Robert Wamala (Director, Mak DRGT)

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