General
Prof. Okwakol Calls For Transformational Leadership at HERS-EA Second Academy
The HERS-EA Second Academy is a follow-up of the Inaugural Leadership academy held from 2nd to 7th July 2017. Higher Education Resource Services, East Africa (HERS-EA), is an educational non-profit organization advancing women leadership and management in the East African Community (EAC) member countries. Established in 2014, HERS-EA is an affiliate of HERS based in Denver, Colorado, USA, and established in 1972.
The HERS-EA Second Academy set to be held from 1st to 6th July 2018 will accord participants the opportunity to meet their unique professional needs through sessions on Grant Writing, Institutional Budgeting, Navigating the Political Environment, Professional Women’s Economic Empowerment and Institutional Leadership. Other topics to be covered include; tips for Research and Publishing, Family Responsibilities versus Career Development among others, not to mention, a host of guest lectures.
This year’s events kicked off with pre-ACADEMY activities which included field visits to grassroots women’s groups under the Women Empowering Women (WEW) project, supported by Mississippi State University, USA. HERS-EA Secretariat welcomed Assistant Professor, Fashion, Design and Merchandising, Dr. Caroline Kobia, from Mississippi State University, who played a significant part in training HERS-EA women, in improving the quality of the reusable sanitary pads they have been producing. The WEW Reusable Sanitary Pads project was initiated by HERS-EA, to help provide sanitary pads to girls and women, in response to the established lack of access to menstruation hygiene products. HERS-EA currently supports three women’s groups in Butaleja and Bulambuli districts. In collaboration with Makerere University based platform: Africa Institute for Strategic Services and Development (AFRISA) the women’s groups have embarked on Poultry value chains, to address food security and broaden sources of income.
Welcoming facilitators and participants to the opening ceremony in the Main Hall on Monday, 2nd July 2018, the HERS-EA Coordinator-Ms. Naomi Lumutenga thanked the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe for believing in HERS-EA’s Vision while still serving as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) and supporting Makerere University female staff to participate in the Inaugural Academy. She also thanked the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT)-Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi for endorsing the participation of female PhD students under Sida sponsorship.
“We also thank the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) for hosting our secretariat and the Directorate of Legal Affairs (DLA) for the priceless advice. Outside Makerere University, we thank all the Vice Chancellors who have nominated participants to the academy” remarked Ms. Lumutenga.
She thereafter paid special tribute to volunteer facilitators from the United States of America namely; Prof. Catherine Hawkins from Texas State University, Dr. Meghan Millea from East Carolina University and Ms. Shauncey Hill from Mississippi State University, for sacrificing their time and resources to share their skills with academy participants.
Prof. Mary Okwakol on top of being the Vice Chancellor of Busitema University and Chairperson of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) is also Member of the RUFORUM Committee representing East African Countries and member of the World Women University Presidents Forum Organising Committee representing Africa. Despite the aforementioned commitments and more, she is still a wife, mother of three, and grandmother of five.
“I owe all that I am to my unschooled but educated parents who despite not having gone to formal school, still had the wisdom to value the education of the girl child instead of marriage, as was the case then” she said.
Despite seeming to have it all together now, Prof. Okwakol confessed to having had to overcome a lot of cultural and institutional challenges along her career path, which included overt and covert sexism, as well as having to endure and rise above long-entrenched stereotypes. She also had to pass up her PhD training opportunity twice over; in Bern and Oxford, so as to raise her then young children. “What good will it profit you if you get this paper while your young family crumbles?” reminisced Prof. Okwakol, of the wise advice from a friend who’d had to leave her young family in Nairobi to do her PhD in London.
“I am telling you all this so that you know that what you are going through, I have gone through and triumphed” empathised Prof. Okwakol.
Herself a 2007 Graduate of HERS-South Africa, Prof. Okwakol, thanked HERS-EA for promoting the advancement of women in leadership and management in Higher Education through training. “Women at all levels have the ability to care for and nurture others” she shared, before adding “Women bring commitment to teaching as well as supporting the learners, be they male or female. Furthermore, the presence of women in policy making leads to more balanced policies.”
She therefore urged the facilitators, participants and members of the audience present to be transformational leaders. “Strive to be purpose-driven, choose to be role models and always walk the talk so as to have idealized influences. Have genuine concern for those you lead, be innovative and challenge your followers to do likewise” said Prof. Okwakol. “It is transformational leaders who will build transformational institutions” she added.
As such, she called upon Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to instutionalise mentorship, noting that presently, there was an obvious absence of consistent mentoring structures. She observed that most early to mid-career women are often tied down by family responsibilities which called for organisations to institutionalise mechanisms such as sabbatical leaves for women, to enable them undertake research and publish.
On a parting note, Prof. Okwakol stressed the importance of physical fitness in advancing career. “Take good care of your health and wellbeing” she advised, “Busitema University has six campuses in Eastern Uganda and since I also have a number of meetings both in and out of the country, I travel a lot. The only way I manage is by doing exercise every day! It is very important that all parts of your body receive that flow of blood” she concluded.
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe at the opening ceremony, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi acknowledged that he had an important stake in the day’s proceedings because leadership in HEIs often goes hand in hand with research and graduate training. “It is therefore critically important that Makerere sets the pace in empowering women to take part in leadership.”
Prof. Buyinza shared that Makerere University has demonstrated its commitment to HERS-EA, by funding a total of twenty women; ten at Inaugural and ten more at the Second Academy. “With continued support through the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) and other Units, Makerere University will continue to collaborate with and provide support to HERS-EA in this initiative, whose benefits are for all.
“Makerere University is proud to host this Academy and to support the HERS-EA goal of striving to increase the visibility of women in Higher Education Institutions’ senior management positions” concluded the Vice Chancellor’s remarks.
Speaking on Makerere University’s Gender Mainstreaming Programme, the Acting Director GMD-Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine shared a timeline right from the admission of the first six female students in 1945 to the present day strategic objectives. Achieving gender equality and non-discrimination for all staff and students is a strategic objective of Makerere University as espoused in its Gender Equality Policy. “Promoting women participation in leadership in Higher Education Institutions is therefore common ground for the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and HERS-EA” she added.
Dr. Mugisha Baine shared with her audience the guiding principles of the Gender Equality Policy as: Women and men in the University are not a homogenous group; Gender equality means that the different behaviour, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favoured equally; Intra household family relations may have adverse effect on the University functioning; Transformation in individual consciousness about gender equality and women’s rights as well as organisational culture and governance are a prerequisite for gender equality and women’s empowerment; and Sustainable development is possible only if based on equal partnership and mutual respect between women and men.
“I therefore welcome you all to the HERS-EA Second Academy. I have always been amazed by Ms. Naomi Lumutenga and Prof. Margaret Khaitsa’s passion for women and I am excited that your idea has become a reality” added. Dr. Mugisha Baine.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Makerere University Writing Centre holds second training workshop: Roots for standard University-wide templates in minute writing
By Chris Kaahwa and Ritah Namisango
Makerere University Writing Center (MakWC) has intensified efforts to improve the quality, consistency, and accuracy of official records across the institution.
In pursuit of this agenda, MakWC has lined up a series of writing training workshops targeting University staff in the various units. On 13th November 2025, 27 members of staff participated in the second training workshop, which highlighted the need for development of standardized templates, to guide the documentation processes within the University. This builds on the workshop for the first cohort where 24 members of staff were trained on 6th November 2025.
With over 50 members of staff so far trained, MakWC is building both the individual and institutional capacity in writing minutes, record keeping and presentation of official records.
Addressing the participants, Professor Fredrick Jones Muyodi, Team Leader, MakWC, described the Center as a transformative initiative committed to enhancing academic and scholarly writing, and publication capacities across the University. He shared that the Center continues to support faculty, staff, and students through mentorship and training on various forms of writing, including theses, dissertations, publications, project proposals and grants.
Noting the urge for professional development, Professor Muyodi acknowledged staff from the Department of the Academic Registrar, administrative units, colleges, and Makerere University Jinja Campus for embracing continuous learning. He highlighted the Centre’s deliberate plan to continuously use a comprehensive training and mentorship model, bringing on board specialists and mentors with extensive experience in writing, collaborative research, and publication to guide and support participants.
The Academic Registrar of Makerere University, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi represented by Mrs. Patience Rubabinda Mushengyezi, applauded the Writing Center for continuously providing practical support to staff who handle official documents and sensitive academic information. “This is the kind of support we all need in the various units. Many of us will benefit from this workshop,” she said.
Stressing the need for standardized templates and ethical writing practices, Mrs. Mushengyezi noted that minutes are important documents that must be accurate, confidential, and easy to reference. “Many of us handle sensitive information. A standard template will help us keep our records consistent and professional across all units,” she stated.
Mrs. Mushengyezi encouraged staff to take the training seriously pointing out that proper minute writing and documentation contributes to professional and institutional credibility. She tasked staff involved in writing minutes as well as documentation of university proceedings to ensure that official records conform to the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act.
Guiding participants through the Roles of a Minute Taker, Mrs. Mushengyezi pointed out the different types of meetings, which included; Regular, Special, and Emergency, and urged them to have a solid understanding of the University’s operational framework in order to record such meetings accurately.
During a session on legal compliance, Ms. Esther Kabinga, Principal Legal Officer, explained that adherence to policies and regulations, which govern minutes writing, upholds the integrity of records and decision making process of institutions. “In addition”, she said, “Accuracy and objectivity, completeness and clarity, timeliness and confidentiality, compliance with organizational policies and procedure,” are among the key considerations that the staff should comply with while writing minutes.
She guided participants to desist from including personal opinions in writing minutes, stressing that in accurate or incomplete documentation may expose institutions and individuals to legal risks. “Proper documentation protects both the University and the decision-makers,” she said.
To ensure consistency across academic and administrative units, Ms. Prossie Nakayiki, Acting Deputy Academic Registrar (Examinations and Transcripts) advocated for the adoption of University-wide standardized templates. She explained that standard templates promote a uniform and consistent writing culture. She called upon participants to use simple, clear and official language while avoiding abbreviations and unnecessary jargons. She emphasized that each minute should accurately record the resolution made, indicate the person responsible for follow-up actions, and provide clear timeline for implementation. “Good minutes, reflect not just what was discussed, but also the discipline, clarity, and accountability of the institution,” she added.
In a virtual presentation, Professor Paul Birevu Muyinda, Director of the Institute of Open, Distance and e-Learning (IODeL) sensitized the participants on the Ethical and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Underscoring AI’s growing transformative role in teaching, learning, research, and administration, Professor Muyinda urged participants to integrate AI tools into their daily work, and to conform to the University’s approved AI policy.
Supporting his submission, Dr. Godfrey Mayende, Head of the Department of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Deputy Director of IODeL, highlighted how AI and Online platforms provide automated accuracy, faster turnaround in work efficiency, and better accountability in writing and recording minutes.
He guided participants on preparing effectively for virtual meetings, including confirming the agenda, setting platform options (recording, captions, cohost), and preparing consent scripts.
Closing the workshop, Professor Ronald Bisaso, Assistant Team Leader, MakWC commended staff for their active participation, as well as, the facilitators for sharing the knowledge and expertise.
“As the Writing Center, we are profoundly honored that we started with a team entrusted with essential duties of this great institution. Standardizing minute writing is the next step toward improving the credibility and accountability of our academic records,” he concluded.
Makerere University has made a notable advance by officially launching the implementation of its Mentorship Policy. This initiative aims to strengthen support and guidance for students, fostering personal and academic growth within the university community. This was announced on Thursday, 13 November 2025, by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs, in her remarks delivered by the Dean of Students, Dr. Winfred Kabumbuli, during the annual workshop for mentors of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, held at the Fairway Hotel.
Prof. Ssali praised the university’s mentors for their outstanding work in supporting students.
“I am pleased to join my fellow mentors at this crucial capacity-building workshop organised under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University. It is important to recognise and commend your unwavering dedication to the holistic development of our Scholars. Your roles in mentorship, safeguarding, and fostering inclusion are essential, and together, we must continue to advance these efforts for the benefit of our Scholars,” asserted Prof. Ssali.
Prof. Ssali expressed her enthusiasm, noting that mentorship closely aligns with the shared mission: ensuring that all Makerere University students feel safe, thrive, and achieve their academic and personal goals.
“Our efforts in student affairs are incomplete unless we provide our students with the mentorship, guidance, and support they need to develop into responsible global citizens. Safeguarding, mentorship, and inclusion are not just programmatic themes; they are values that define the Makerere University community we seek to build,” Prof. Ssali remarked.
Prof. Ssali further praised the University Council and Management for adopting key policies, the Mentorship Policy 2025 and the Safeguarding Policy 2024, which are essential for the well-being of students and staff at Makerere University.
“I wish to commend the University Council and Management for approving and implementing the Makerere University Career Guidance and Mentorship Policy (2025) and the Safeguarding Policy (2024). These policies provide structure and accountability to our work, helping us strengthen systems that protect and support our students and staff,” Prof. Ssali noted.
Speaking in her role as the Dean of Students, Dr. Kabumbuli highlighted the importance of Mentorship, inclusion, and safeguarding as the critical areas in managing student affairs at Makerere University.
“Safeguarding reminds us of our duty to create and maintain a learning environment where every student feels safe, respected, and valued. Career guidance and mentorship remind us that academic excellence must go hand in hand with personal growth, discipline, and preparation for life after university. Inclusive mentorship compels us to extend our support to every learner, including those with disabilities, those from refugee backgrounds, young mothers, and international students, ensuring that no one is left behind,” Dr. Kabumbuli asserted.
Dr. Kabumbuli urged the mentors to reaffirm their shared commitment to a student-centred approach, one that recognises the human dignity, potential, and diversity of every Scholar. She encouraged the mentors to continue exemplifying the values of integrity, professionalism, and compassion that embody the spirit of Makerere.
On behalf of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and the Africa Climate Collaborative, Program Director Prof. Justine Namaalwa shared exciting news with the Program mentors about the recent recruitment of 191 undergraduate scholars and 41 graduate students. She highlighted the importance of providing mentorship and guidance to these scholars, who come from diverse backgrounds and possess various strengths and challenges. Prof. Namaalwa encouraged everyone to actively support these students as they embark on their academic journeys.
“We were excited to welcome 191 undergraduate and 41 master’s Scholars to the Programme this academic year. These talented individuals hail from diverse backgrounds and bring immense potential, and they need your active support and mentorship,” Prof. Namaalwa remarked.
Prof. Namaalwa further requested that, as the University continues to recruit more mentors, it’s essential to recognise that effective mentorship goes beyond mere knowledge sharing. It involves actively listening, empathizing with the mentees, and empowering them to forge their own unique paths.
”Together, we can create a supportive environment that fosters growth and success for all our Scholars and students of Makerere University.” Prof. Namaalwa pointed.
The Annual Mentors’ Workshop, which was attended by over 70 mentors from different units of the University and others from other organisations, featured a range of activities designed to enhance mentors’ skills and understanding. Mr. Musa Mwambu from Light for the World, a partner of the Mastercard Foundation, led a valuable training session focused on inclusion, equipping participants with essential insights. Additionally, Mr Apollo Mulondo from the Refugee Law Project provided an in-depth training session designed to empower mentors to support students with refugee status effectively. The workshop also included opportunities for mentors to hear firsthand from young individuals, including a student with disabilities and two safeguarding champions, enriching their understanding and commitment to inclusive mentorship.
The writer is the Principal Communications Officer for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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