General
Mak Honours Prof. Capt. Dr. Virginio Lachora Ongom
On Thursday, 28th June 2018, Makerere University paid well-deserved tribute to one of the most hardworking researchers and publishers in his day and first African Dean of the School of Public Health (MakSPH), Prof. Capt. Dr. Virginio Lachora Ongom. Appropriately described as the “Meteorite from Pakwach” by the day’s emcee, Mr. George Piwang Jalobo, Prof. Ongom’s light brilliantly flashed across the sky of Pakwach District to the rest of Uganda, then to Kenya onto India and then vanished after only forty seven years, leaving behind a trail of achievements and publications.
The writing on the wall became clearer as speaker after speaker paid tribute at the Inaugural Memorial Lecture. Prof. Ongom was a hardworking academic and army officer who was passionate about using his time and resources to cause a change in his community. As a father, he was a strict disciplinarian and time keeper whose home often turned into an impromptu ‘reception centre’ for patients he often ferried over hundreds of kilometres from his Panyagoro village to Mulago Hospital.
“Prof. Ongom intervened and treated those who had been ‘bewitched’ and they recovered. That is how those ‘witches’ survived being lynched by their community, thanks to his research” said the College of Health Sciences (CHS)’ Deputy Principal-Dr. Isaac Okullo in his welcome remarks.
Representing the CHS Principal-Prof. Charles Ibingira, Dr. Okullo paid tribute to Prof. Ongom’s perseverance and determination in the face of resource constraints, to arrest the spread of bilharzia and treat affected persons. “This is what we always want as the result of our research.”
Dr. Okullo congratulated MakSPH upon continuing to raise awareness about bilharzia and other Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and thanked partners such as MaxMind Corporation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) as well as stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health (MoH)’s Vector Control Division (VCD) and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) for supporting bilharzia research. “The event is a first step to galvanise support to eliminate bilharzia and other NTDs and so we still need your continued support to take this cause forward” he added.
Describing the late Prof. Capt. Dr. VL Ongom as a true patriot, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his remarks said, “The major purpose of this function therefore is to honour the patriotism, commitment and hard work of all researchers including Prof. Ongom, whose selfless effort and dedication brought these findings to light.”
Prof. Nawangwe further stressed that as the leading research university in Africa, Makerere would provide leadership in the endeavour to raise funds for training and research, in order to contribute to elimination of Bilharzia in Uganda. He shared Makerere’s pride at being research leaders in areas such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Malaria, as well as other diseases that hamper socio-economic development in Africa.
“We thank the Government for the support it continues to give this institution and pledge that every single coin will be put to the good cause of eliminating bilharzia and other Neglected Tropical Diseases” he concluded.
Introducing the Inaugural Memorial Lecture, the MakSPH Dean, Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze shared that the event was a continuation of an initiative embarked on by the School in December 2017; to honour all its erstwhile Heads. Four of these namely; Prof. Josephine Nambooze, Prof. John Kakitahi, Prof. Fred Wabwire-Mangen and Prof. David Serwadda were present to celebrate Prof. VL Ongom’s rich legacy, appropriately described by Dr. Wanyenze as “a trail of evidence through his scientific publications for posterity.”
The Dean further shared the School’s proposal to establish the Prof VL Ongom Endowed Chair and Endowment Fund, to support capacity building, research and innovations towards eliminating bilharzia and NTDs, including nodding disease. “This Endowed Chair presents a great opportunity to enhance the capacity of the University, Ministry of Health and UPDF Medical Services, to ably contribute solutions to this big challenge.
“Our target is to raise at least US$2million by June 2019, when we hold the next Prof. Ongom Memorial Lecture and at least US$15million by June 2024, a landmark year, when we celebrate 50 years since the Institute of Public Health was established, and the 6th annual Prof VL Ongom Memorial Lecture. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not just about money, but the real impact that we can and should make on the affected communities” remarked Dr. Wanyenze.
The choice of the person to deliver the Inaugural Prof. V.L. Ongom Memorial lecture couldn’t have been more appropriate. Prof. Birgitte Vennervald is no stranger to Uganda’s fight against bilharzia. Having first come to Uganda in 1989 under the auspices of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Prof. Vennervald has gone on to traverse more Districts and villages in Uganda than the average national, thanks to the inspiration awakened by Prof. Ongom’s research and publications on the same.
“Prior to Prof. Ongom’s publications, most of the research on schistosomiasis was conducted outside sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Egypt, South America and Asia” shared Prof. Vennervald. “In this presentation we quote two of his papers on The Epidemiology and consequences of Schistosoma Mansoni” she continued.
Taking note of the aforementioned papers published in 1972, Prof. Vennervald stressed that these had to be revisited and further examined because Prof. Ongom had the benefit of understanding the local dialect and culture in his native Panyagoro community. “He had to rely on his hands to do all the necessary tests and his research demonstrated that in a community where bilharzia exists, it may end up being the most important public health need. We therefore should follow in Prof. Ongom’s footsteps for he indeed demonstrated that research must be evidence-based” she enthused.
Prof. Vennervald went on to congratulate MakSPH, the Ministry of Health (MoH) as well as other partners upon their continued research and vector control programmes that have led to the elimination of the previously endemic river blindness in from 18 out of the original 39 Districts of Uganda. “I nevertheless call upon the School of Public Health to make bilharzia and NTDs an attractive topic to students and researchers so as to keep the subject vibrant. Additionally, general drug distributors should be trained on how to handle or refer cases of bilharzia and other NTDs.”
She nevertheless called for a multi-sectoral approach in the fight against bilharzia and NTDs by involving agencies such as; MoH, Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) as well as the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, in order to safeguard tourists from being infected by diseases especially waterborne ones such as bilharzia.
Prof. Vennervald however took note of poor medicine uptake due to fear of side effects, the lack of child-friendly treatment and poor sanitation especially among migratory fishing communities as problems that still threatened the fight against bilharzia. “Some areas such as the islands of Lake Victora and districts in the Albertine region such as Hoima, Buliisa and Pakwach have experienced bilharzia upsurge.
“Despite all this, we learn from Prof. Ongom that we should remain focused on bilharzia by insisting that this is our problem, our community’s problem and Uganda’s problem in order to bring it to an end. You have the knowledge, research base and dedicated people in Makerere and Ministry of Health. You should be able to find a lasting solution to this problem and meet Government’s Vision 2040 goal” she concluded.
“We have done a lot of research and made a lot of interventions but we must admit that the bilharzia problem is much bigger than we thought” remarked Dr. Narsis Kabatereine, the discussant of the Inaugural Memorial Lecture. As one who joined the MoH’s Vector Control Division (VCD) in 1980, Dr. Kabatereine paid tribute to Prof. Ongom, who despite living for a short time wrote very prolific papers that demystified previous notions that only Caucasians were susceptible to schistosomiasis.
“I therefore thank Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze and Dr. Christopher Orach for encouraging research on schistosomiasis. This goes to show that research in implementable activities is still much-needed in today’s public health interventions” added Dr. Kabatereine.
The day’s tributes would have been incomplete without voices from those who knew Prof. V.L Ongom way before he became the trailblazing researcher and publisher. Speaking as a trio; Former Prime Minister-Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke, Second Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of East African Affairs-Hon. Kirunda Kivejinja and Former Minister and Ambassador-Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka oscillated the audience between spellbinding silence and bouts of laughter.
“In 1958 I attended an interview to secure a scholarship to India, where the other interviewee was a young man called V.L Ongom” reminisced Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke. “While I went on to secure a scholarship from the Government of India, V.L. Ongom received the Madhvani scholarship. Later when we met in India, it was ‘love at first sight’! The Ongom we knew was a serious student, a serious religious man and a serious political operator” he added.
“Hearing my senior colleague describe VL Ongom as a political animal was the biggest surprise to me” began Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka in reference to Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke’s remarks. “Ongom and I met at Namilyango College in 1953 and what I remember is that he was extremely serious, hardworking and very clever.
“I was the President of the Uganda Students Association at the University of Nairobi but I never knew Ongom to be political! I don’t know what happened to those who went to India” remarked Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka, sending the audience roaring with laughter. “Today is therefore a wonderful day and we thank Makerere for honouring the distinguished scholar that Ongom was. Your presence here especially that of His Excellency the Vice President is testimony to that and I thank you for honouring my classmate, my schoolmate and my universitymate” he concluded.
“Your honouring Ongom and indeed honouring us today has fulfilled in our lives that when you do something good for your country, you will one day be recognised” eulogized Hon. Kirunda Kivenjinja. “As leaders, we hold positions of power and can get things done, but we didn’t want to remind the President to honour Ongom” he continued.
“As freedom fighters, there are three things we don’t do; we don’t seek our own glory, we don’t mourn our dead and we don’t lobby. We therefore thank the organisers of this Memorial lecture for befittingly honouring Prof. Ongom and his family today” summarised Hon. Kivejinja.
In his remarks, the Vice President H.E. Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who represented the President H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni saluted the University for honouring distinguished leaders, noting that in so doing, “Makerere University, as a whole, and the College of Health Sciences and School of Public Health, in particular; have embarked on becoming transformation agents!
“This is a wonderful example of Academia getting out of its traditional “ivory tower” mentality into the real world to solve real problems that affect real people! This is re-orientation from ideological dis-orientation which has been a real obstacle to Uganda’s transformation since colonial times!” he added.
The Vice President observed that Prof. VL Ongom had the energy of an Army Captain Doctor even in Academia and seamlessly blended into the Army and Government in service of his community and Nation. “He was also a very religious man, who put his Catholic Christian faith in practice. For he was Chairman of St Augustine’s Chapel Community, and was a true patriot who drove the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. David Kiyingi, to the Uganda-Kenya border and to safety in the 1970s! This occurred when Idi Amin’s soldiers wanted Rev. Fr. Kiyingi dead or alive” he further praised.
H.E. Kiwanuka Ssekandi further noted the importance of a skilled and healthy population in enabling Uganda to realize her Vision 2040 and pledged the Government’s as well as UPDF Medical Services’ readiness to join MoH at the frontline of the struggle to eliminate Bilharzia and other NTDs by 2040.
“These historic projects have been eloquently articulated by the Dean, Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze. I will arrange to meet with the leadership of the University and School of Public Health in the nearest future to discuss these proposals in detail” concluded the President’s speech.
“If there was anyone who learnt anything from his strict timekeeping it was me” shared Ms. Elizabeth Ongom as she paid tribute. “You knew him as Professor but we knew him as Daddy. All we wanted was a father but we understood his commitment, he had to treat people” she added.
“As a family, we are extremely grateful and dearly thank Makerere University for honouring our late father Prof. Virginio Lachora Ongom. As you have heard from Prof. Vennervald’s lecture, Prof. Ongom’s research had impact and some of the bilharzia survivors he treated are today happily married. We also pay tribute to the gift of friends that our late father left behind who have been an integral part of our lives” shared the eldest son Mr. Godfrey Ongom.
There was a hushed silence from the audience as Mama Cecilia Ongom took her turn to pay tribute to her dearly departed husband. Speaking gently and yet authoritatively, Mama Ongom thanked Makerere University and all the organisers for the wonderful tribute to Prof. Ongom. She also thanked the Vice President for representing His Excellency the President at the Inaugural lecture, as well as all in the audience who had spared time to attend the event. “We were both in the same medical profession and we knew the call. We had to care” she summed up.
Prof. Capt. Dr. VL Ongom made a great contribution to science through his research in parasitology, especially in bilharzia and sexually transmitted infections. He published profusely; with over twenty five peer-reviewed publications as the first author, and overall, had over 35 publications including four theses. He was a Board member of the Uganda Commercial Bank; now Stanbic Bank, and oversaw the establishment of the bank’s branch in Pakwach district. In recognition and honour of his outstanding contributions, the Pakwach District Council on Saturday, 30th June 2018 renamed its Health Centre IV the Prof. VL Ongom Memorial Hospital.
Article by Public Relations Office
The Principal of Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Prof. Moses Muhwezi, has called upon Ugandans to emulate the life of the late Frank Kalimuzo.
Today, (Friday, June 13, 2025), Makerere University hosted the 2nd Frank Kalimuzo Memorial Lecture, an event that brought together distinguished public servants, University leaders and stakeholders to honor the legacy of the late Frank Kalimuzo, Makerere University‘s first Ugandan Vice Chancellor.
The event held under the theme ‘Building a culture of service in Public Institutions’ highlighted lessons from Frank Kalimuzo’s leadership and provided an opportunity to examine how institutions of higher learning can cultivate these same qualities of service in an era where universities are increasingly called upon to be engines of innovation, drivers of economic development and guardians of knowledge.
In his welcome speech, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, noted that the Frank Kalimuzo Annual Public Lecture serves not only as a commemorative event but as a platform for critical reflection on the principles and values that should guide our institutions in an ever-evolving world.
“The late Frank Kalimuzo remains an exemplar of dedicated public service and transformational leadership. As Makerere University‘s first Ugandan Vice Chancellor, he navigated the institution through a critical period of transition with wisdom, integrity, and unwavering commitment to excellence. His legacy extends far beyond his tenure at this university, as the first Head of Public Service, first Ugandan Secretary to Cabinet, and first Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, he helped lay the foundation for Uganda’s administrative structures,” Prof. Ireeta, noted.
Prof. Ireeta explained that what distinguished Frank Kalimuzo, was not merely his succession of firsts, but his approach to leadership, characterized by humility, service, and an unyielding dedication to the common good.
“As we continue to build on the strong foundation laid by pioneers like Frank Kalimuzo, we must ask ourselves: How do we nurture leaders who serve with integrity? How do we create institutional cultures that prioritize the common good? How do we ensure that our graduates carry forward the values of service and excellence that have defined this university for over a century,” Prof. Ireeta, pondered?
Presenting a paper titled ‘Building a culture of service in Public Institutions’ Prof. Muhwezi, noted that Mr. Kalimuzo was not merely an academic administrator but more importantly, a servant-leader whose life exemplified the highest ideals of public service.
“Mr. Frank Kalimuzo’s life teaches us that public service is not a career choice but a calling, a commitment to using one’s talents, position, and influence to advance the common good. His example shows us that it is possible to maintain integrity, drive innovation, and achieve excellence even within imperfect systems,” Prof. Muhwezi, said.
In his keynote address, Prof. Muhwezi, explained that Mr. Kalimuzo consistently demonstrated that effective public service requires placing institutional objectives above personal ambitions. He added that when faced with unprecedented resistance from various quarters, like academics who questioned his credentials to those who opposed political appointees in university leadership, Mr. Kalimuzo responded not with defensiveness but with dedication to proving himself through service.
To deal with challenges of the 21st century, Prof. Muhwezi, pointed out that the Country needs public institutions that are fit for purpose and leaders who understand that their primary responsibility is to serve, not to be served.
“We need to leave some legacy when we are out of our institutions. We should be brave. As public servants, we learn that Mr. Kalimuzo kept brave even after disappearance of other prominent personalities. As a leader, you should not be the first person to panic,” Prof. Muhwezi, said.
Prof. Muhwezi reminded leaders that they do not need many years to create impact. He explained that although Mr Kalimuzo’s tenure as Vice Chancellor was short-lived, his impact, like a writing on the wall, remains for all to see.
“When given an opportunity to serve, don’t be distracted. Offer skilled leadership execution even in the middle of the storm. As we play around with politics, we should promote peace. As an educated class, we should be good examples. We should appreciate the freedom of speech we enjoy at the moment,” Prof. Muhwezi, noted.
On 23rd June 2022, the University Leadership dedicated the Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility in his honor, that stands as a physical reminder of his contributions. But more importantly, it symbolizes the University’s commitment to ensuring that his values and principles continue to shape generations of students who will go forth to serve Uganda and the world.
During the event, Mr. Kalimuzo’s family expressed gratitude to the University Leadership for always honouring a man who served the University, nation, and its people with distinction.
Addressing guests, Mrs. Esther Kalimuzo, the widow of the late Frank Kalimuzo, noted that although to-date the family has no grave, no explanation and no closure, his silence has not been wasted. On the contrary, it has become a witness, and his disappearance has become a declaration that Uganda has known men who refused to bow.
“After Frank was taken, I was left with our children young, tender, full of questions I could not answer. They were raised with memory instead of presence, with principle instead of protection. And yet, through all the hardship, uncertainty, and pain they endured. They overcame. Today, our children stand tall. They are proud citizens of Uganda, and residents in nations far beyond. They have carried their father’s spirit into classrooms, workplaces, and communities across the world. They embody the values they barely had time to hear him speak, values they absorbed through the echo of his life and the strength of his memory,” orated Mrs Kalimuzo to an audience that listened silently in great admiration.
Delivering the closing remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara, noted that Makerere’s strategic plan echoes Mr. Kalimuzo’s spirit of innovation and visionary leadership.
“The insights shared today provide a valuable framework for addressing current leadership challenges within African institutions. Makerere University Council is already advancing key recommendations through our Strategic Plan (2020/21–2024/25), with an emphasis on building a responsive and research-driven institution,” Mrs Magara, said.
Mrs. Magara also pointed out that Mr. Kalimuzo’s values deserve continued critical reflections and practical application in leadership development, noting that they remain relevant not just for Makerere’s transformation, but for the renewal of public institutions across the continent.
“As the late Prof. Asavia Wandira reminded us during Makerere’s 90th Anniversary, our historic mission is “to be the Golden Apex of the Education System, consistent with National Development.” This mission remains unfinished. Rising societal challenges from youth unemployment to public health demand the very kind of ethical, visionary leadership Mr. Kalimuzo embodied,” Mrs. Magara concluded.
During the interactive discussions chaired by Mrs. Allen Kagina, the Chairperson of the Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, Mrs Kalimuzo shared with the guests that when her husband went missing, she did all kinds of odd jobs to see her children through School and put food on the table. Hard work and the grace of God, she said, were the hallmarks of how she managed to raise her young family.
Organized in partnership with Makerere University Business School, the 2025 lecture was crowned with a surprise 90th Birthday celebration for Mrs. Esther Kalimuzo. It was all tears of joy as she cut cake with her grandchildren surrounded by family and friends.
Frank Kalimuzo at glance
Born on 24th September 1925, the late Kalimuzo was the first Vice-Chancellor of the newly formed Makerere University away from the colonial and white man’s control. He was appointed on 1st July 1970 by the then President H.E. Apollo Milton Obote. Frank Kalimuzo transformed the institution from a colonial-era university into a truly national institution serving Ugandan society. His brief but impactful tenure established principles of service-oriented leadership that continue to influence public institutional management across East Africa
He held an Overseas Course B from Wadham College in Oxford, UK (1956), an Honors Degree (Economics Major) from the University College of Aberystwyth in Wales (1955), and a BA in Education from Makerere University (1946).
In his brief tenure, courses like Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Forestry, Bachelor of Laws, and Bachelor of Technology were added to the University’s Curriculum. Veterinary Medicine, which was being offered at the University of Nairobi, was also introduced at Makerere University, while Music, Dance, and Drama became diploma subjects. The Main Library and Albert Cook Medical Library were extended in 1972. Later that year, during former President Idi Amin’s rule, Mr. Kalimuzo was picked up by security personnel and was never seen alive again.
By: Moses Lutaaya
The Directorate of Graduate Training is rolling out the Research Management Information systems (RIMS) to efficiently and effectively monitor the academic progress of all graduate students.
“RIMS will be used to track efficiently every stage of activity of graduate studies from course works, research concept to thesis completion.” The Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma said.
He added, “The RIMS team is here to share developments on the system that are designed to support the agenda of Makerere university. When graduate students enter a given chapter of their research works, their supervisors will automatically receive mail prompts to swiftly handle, give comments and guide the students on the way forward.”
During the roll out training recently at the College of Health Sciences in Mulago, Prof. Kikooma said, “The Directorate of Graduate Training is working in collaboration with Directorate of Innovation, Research and Partnerships (DIRP) and the Directorate of Information Communication and Technology Support (DICTS) to ensure a smooth training to all the schools and colleges. Digitalising the graduate management process is anticipated to increase the number of graduate admissions and completion in the long run.”
“As the three directorates, we sat and reviewed the university graduate strategy and policies around it. We got reviewed policies and procedures approved by the University Senate last year. We no longer have provisional admission letter requirement for our PhD students. It is now full admission straight away and we follow a cohort system of admission for the PhD by research students.” He added.
RIMS is a version of how the Directorate of Graduate Training aims to handle the process of systematic tracking of every point of progress in the entire academic journey of graduate students.
The Directorate of Graduate Training has so far conducted the RIMS training at three Colleges namely; College of Health Sciences (CHS), College of Business and Management Sciences (COBAMS) and College of Natural Sciences (CONAS).
The critical stakeholders on the RIMS value chain include Heads of Departments, College Principals and Deputy Principals, Directors, School Deans, Supervisors as well as Graduate coordinators. “All the above are key actors and must be able to use RIMS in the graduate process, capturing all profiles of students and supervisors and should be able to use it appropriately.” He emphasized.
He said that RIMS will bring all stakeholders on the same page and will be able to adequately troubleshoot any hinderance to progress when course works are done, to dissertation and thesis completion. Makerere university target is to increase its graduate students’ enrollment from 19% to at least 30% in the next five years.
Prof. Bruce James Kirenga, Principal College of Health Sciences welcomed RIMS training saying that this kind of E- learning and supervision tracking is the way to handle graduate studies as it seems to reduce the turn around time for student- supervisor responses.
“Every activity in the graduate students learning journey is monitored swiftly. Whatever the students upload on to the system, supervisors get message pop-ups on their mails, review the works immediately and attach comments for the students to appreciate and manage appropriately.” He said.
Prof. Kirenga added that the audit trail created under RIMS will provide good progressive academic reports and improve the journey to Doctoral studies.
“Heads of Departments are able to see all students in the department, any pending system approvals, observe completion rates and total progressive over view of each student and that the total overview of department performance will be clearly seen under RIMS.” He added.
Dr. Robert Kalyesubula – the Chair. Dept of Physiology, Makerere University College of Health Sciences said RIMS will improve the efficiency of supervisors while handling the graduate students.
“RIMS views all documents and proposals of students. We will be able to observe which supervisor takes long to respond, the number of days they have taken to respond and how long an issue has pended undone at a certain level.”
The Ambassador of Israel in Nairobi accredited to Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania and the Seychelles, H.E. Michael Lotem on 11th June 2025 made a farewell visit to Makerere University as his tour draws to a close. He was accompanied by his Deputy Ambassador, H.E. Ariel Arviv and received by the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara and the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta. Also present in the meeting were the Deputy Principal College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria and the Dean Margaret Trowel School of Industrial and Fine Art (MTSIFA), Assoc. Prof. Amanda Tumusiime.
Mrs. Lorna Magara in her welcome remarks informed the Ambassador that Makerere is translating into a research-led University, with innovation hubs taking root. “Just last week we signed into operation an organization fully owned by the University called the Makerere University Technology and Innovation Centre.
“What that is going to do is coordinate all the innovations in the units as well as knowledge transfer, startups, and linkages with industry and Government” Mrs. Magara explained. “What we are seeking to do is commercialize research, to foster startups, incubation centres, but also knowledge transfer” she added.
Mrs. Magara noted that this aspiration feeds directly into the Government’s drive to promote Science, Technology and Innovation. “For a very long time Makerere has just been a knowledge hub; you have all these PhDs but knowledge that does not translate into industry,” she clarified.
Explaining how the component of intellectual property (IP) is addressed, the Acting Vice Chancellor, informed Ambassador Lotem that the University has in place an Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO) headed by a Manager as well as a Deputy Director in Charge of Research, Innovation and Partnerships. The IPMO, he added, is tasked with registering all the IP that arises from staff and student research.
“We have an Intellectual Property Management Policy that stipulates how intellectual property created by staff and students is owned, managed, and used,” explained Prof. Ireeta. The Makerere policy stipulates that the University shall keep 60% of the net revenue coming out of the commercialization of IP with 40% going to the researcher/ research team.
Prof. Ireeta further shared that innovations currently undergoing IP registration are from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and the CEDAT. He reiterated the University’s commitment to establishing the Makerere University Technology and Innovation Centre to coordinate all innovation IP management efforts. “We want to have the University at the fore of registering all IP with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) as opposed to individual researchers as it was in the past.”
On the question of venture capital/funding, Mrs. Magara explained that although individual researchers have been winning grants to fund their projects, Government’s annual allocation of UGX 30 billion through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) has gone a long way to boost research and innovations.
Using Israel’s thriving agricultural innovations in the desert as an example, Ambassador Lotem noted that to maximize output and profitability, innovation ought to simultaneously work on both ends of the equation i.e. adapting plants to grow in challenging climates while devising appropriate technology to supply much-needed nutrients.
Picking up on Mrs. Magara’s statement that the College of Health Sciences (CHS) conducts a great deal of Makerere’s research in the areas of Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, Ambassador Lotem said he would be happy to link Makerere researchers to ongoing collaborative efforts between Israeli companies and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), especially in Malaria.
“To give you an idea about what innovations we are talking about, we have one company that developed a technology/protocol to sterilize mosquitoes and it is environmentally friendly because they sterilize only one generation, and they are looking to do a pilot” he noted.
“We have another Israeli company that does a big pilot with biological nets” Ambassador Lotem shared before adding, “a third uses drones to identify the habitats of mosquitoes. These kind of things can be done here and we know how to bring others.”
Other examples of Israeli companies shared by Ambassador Lotem that are seeking to conduct pilot studies include one that developed a special type of shrimp that eats snails that host bilharzia causing parasitic worms. The other is a biological material that when put in contaminated water kills the germs and reduces turbidity.
Chipping in on the discussion, Ambassador Arviv said, “on our side we know that there are a lot of opportunities and a lot of projects that have already began and we want to see how we can help them.”
Earlier, Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria had informed the meeting that his tenure as Dean MTSIFA played witness to a number of academic exchanges and workshops with Bezalel Academy Jerusalem and Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art, facilitated by CoCuDi Center and The African Studies Gallery. However, he added that these collaborations were never formalized by signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In response, Ambassador Arviv reassured, “We will find the contacts to understand the specific needs; if its students exchange, etc. and then they will work on a Memorandum of Understanding as a basic” she stated, adding “I think we can take it from there.”
The visit concluded with presentation of Makerere University Souvenirs by Mrs. Lorna Magara to Ambassadors Michael Lotem and Ariel Arviv in her office.
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