Prof. Nelson Sewankambo (Left) and Prof. Sarah Kiguli (Right) from the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda are winners of 5-Year Fogarty International Center Awards
The former Principal, College of Health Sciences (CHS) and Professor of Internal Medicine, Prof. Nelson K. Sewankambo and Prof. Sarah Kiguli, a Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health in the School of Medicine, CHS, Makerere University have been awarded five-year grants by the Fogarty International Center. Prof. Sewankambo’s African Association for Health Professions Education and Research project award was received under the Infectious Diseases Institute while Prof. Kiguli’s award is one of seven five-year grants by the Fogarty International Center’s Health-Professional Education Partnership Initiative (HEPI) to African Medical Schools.
According to the announcement published in Fogarty’s Global Health Matters newsletter, the seven projects will be awarded about US$22 million over five years, through a new program funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Makerere University and the Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Addis Ababa University, University of Nairobi, Eduardo Mondlane University, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science and the University of Zimbabwe will each receive part of the US$22million funding.
The award to Prof. Kiguli’s project; Health Professions Education and Training for Strengthening the Health System and Services in Uganda, will help to scale up the training of health professionals through a partnership between medical and nursing education institutions in Uganda and the US. Professor Kiguli is the Principal Investigator of a team of Health Professionals from the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, with partnership from Busitema University, Kabale University, Clarke’s International University, Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery, Yale University and Johns Hopkins University.
Additionally, a related award will provide nearly US$4 million over five years to fund the African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth). The AFREhealth award to Makerere University will enable the institution to serve as a leadership and convening organization to network African research and higher educational institutions to develop and share innovations, curricula and policy. Prof. Nelson K. Sewankambo, as well as Doctors Prisca Adejumo (University of Ibadan), Jean Bisimwa Nachega (Stellenbosch University) and Fatima Suleman (University of Kwazulu Natal) will serve as Principal Investigators to the project.
“Through this new program called HEPI, we are empowering African institutions to tackle the region’s most pressing health problems, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the U.S. response to HIV/AIDS, and reduce the suffering and death the epidemic continues to cause across the region,” said Fogarty Director Dr. Roger I. Glass.
Reacting to the news of the award, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated both Prof. Nelson Sewankambo and Prof. Sarah Kiguli upon playing their part to strengthen Makerere University’s quest to be a research-led university, and a leader in health professions education.
“I wish to heartily congratulate Prof. Nelson Sewankambo and Prof. Sarah Kiguli upon reaffirming the College of Health Sciences’ and indeed Makerere University’s global reputation and the continent’s leading institution for innovation, training and research in the field of health sciences. I equally thank the Fogarty International Center for recognizing our groundbreaking innovations and supporting our aspirations to contribute to the training of a robust health care and research workforce in sub-Saharan Africa,” added Prof. Nawangwe.
For more information please contact:
Prof. Nelson K. Sewankambo, College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University
Email: sewankam[at]infocom.co.ug, Mob: +256-782-366751
Prof. Sarah Kiguli, College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University
Email: skwalube[at]yahoo.co.uk, Mob: +256-772-588044
The Office of the Academic Registrar,Makerere University has released lists for the recommended for change of course/ programme for Degree/Diploma Scheme and Direct entry for Private/Government sponsored students for the Academic Year 2025/2026.
The lists released can be accessed by following the respective links below:
Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This MoU is one of several initiatives aimed at strengthening the university’s global collaborations and research partnerships.
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe highlighted Makerere’s recent centenary celebrations as a testament to its long and influential history in Africa. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to serious, research-driven collaboration, noting Makerere’s aspiration to become a leading student-centered research university that develops solutions to regional challenges.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks ahead of the MoU signing.
Prof. Nawangwe emphasized that Makerere’s research addresses critical issues such as widespread poverty, high youth unemployment, the devastating effects of climate change on agriculture, rapid population growth, and political interference in production. These challenges, he explained, call for climate-resilient agriculture, stronger health systems to address emerging diseases, and more inclusive governance. He further observed that Africa’s ambitious goal of producing one million PhDs in the next decade remains constrained by inadequate supervision capacity across the continent, stressing that collaborations like this MoU are key to bridging that gap.
EPRC Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Sewanyana, described the signing as particularly significant for EPRC and its Board of Directors as they embark on a new five-year strategic plan (2025/26–2029/30). She explained that the plan strongly emphasizes strategic collaborations, with this partnership serving as a prime example of leveraging collective strengths to deepen impact. She underscored EPRC’s role in advancing evidence-based policymaking for national development, aligning with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.
The partners show off the signed MoU.
Prof. James Wokadala, Acting Principal of CoBAMS, emphasized that the collaboration seeks to preserve and expand vital human knowledge while strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and global research networks. He noted that these networks are instrumental in advising legal and policy professionals, as well as aligning research agendas with both national and corporate priorities. He expressed pride in the extensive efforts of the School of Economics that have expanded these activities in recent years. He pointed to significant accomplishments that have been achieved in collaboration with IGC, including hosting a 2025 high-level international conference on mobile money payment systems, which positioned Makerere University as a thought leader on critical African economic issues. He also celebrated the successful bid by the School of Economics to host the ‘Africa Meeting of the Econometric Society’ in 2027, further demonstrating its contribution to impactful scholarship and policy influence.
The Acting Principal further emphasized that the new partnership with LSE will build on these achievements, offering immense benefits such as expanding capacity-building opportunities for faculty and students, especially in research and Public Infrastructure Management (PIM). The collaboration will also provide platforms for knowledge dissemination and policy dialogue, while addressing pressing socio-economic and health challenges. Ultimately, he said, formalisation of the partnership amplifies CoBAMS’ commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and innovation.
Speaking on behalf of LSE’s International Growth Centre (IGC), Executive Director Dr. Jonathan Leape expressed delight at formalizing the long-standing collaboration with Makerere and EPRC. He highlighted current joint projects, including research on the impact of the 2020 gender-based vaccine program on women’s skills and learning, studies on reforms in STEM education, and investigations into barriers limiting business growth for entrepreneurs. He stressed that the core mission is to bring researchers and policymakers together to address pressing policy challenges with robust, reliable evidence and innovative solutions.
Prof. Nawangwe presents a souvenir Mak Necktie to Dr. Jonathan Leape.
The event, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by several dignitaries including Dr. Richard Newfarmer, Country Director for Uganda and Rwanda (IGC); Dr. Nhial Kuch, Senior Country Economist (IGC); and Mary Teddy Nakyejwe, IGC Programme Officer. Also present were the Director of Research, Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye and other members of EPRC leadership.
Makerere University has hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the team and highlighted Makerere University’s commitment to addressing the pressing challenges in the region. These include climate change, which continues to hinder investment, and Uganda’s rapidly growing population that has surged from 5 million in the late 1940s to nearly 50 million currently, creating socio-economic challenges such as high youth unemployment.
He emphasized that Makerere’s research agenda focuses on understanding the fast-growing population, tackling health challenges, advancing governance and human rights, and fostering peace through initiatives such as the Rotary Peace Center—the only one of its kind on the African continent. Research at Makerere also seeks to provide solutions to youth unemployment in one of the world’s youngest nations.
The meeting of Members of Management and the visiting delegation in session in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom.
The Vice Chancellor further noted that Makerere University teaches and conducts research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, organized into colleges including Agriculture, Business and Management, Computing, Education and External Studies, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. The university also hosts over 60 specialized research centers, among them Centers of Excellence such as the Regional Centre for Crop Improvement, which works to enhance food security, manage pests and diseases, and improve agricultural productivity. Another key institution is the Infectious Diseases Institute, which leads research on HIV/AIDS. With these initiatives, he added, Makerere continues to expand its research footprint while strengthening global partnerships.
Prof. Van Herreweghe provided an overview of Ghent University, founded in 1817 and ranked among the top 100 universities globally for decades. With its motto “Dare to think,” Ghent University has built a strong international reputation. It also holds the distinction of being the only Belgian, and currently the only European, university with a campus in South Korea. Established in 2014, the campus offers bachelor’s programs in applied biotechnology.
She highlighted Ghent’s joint PhD programs, which are structured as sandwich programs to support African universities. Under this arrangement, PhD candidates spend two years funded at Ghent University and another two years at their home university (such as Makerere), with joint supervision from both institutions. These programs, she noted, are a strategic way of fostering international collaboration.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe pose for a group photo with members of their respective teams at the Main Building entrance.
During the visit, Ghent University signed a Student Exchange Agreement with Makerere University to complement the existing Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement will pave the way for more joint initiatives and strengthen collaboration in the years ahead.
The delegation also included Mr. Lieven Theys, International Coordinator for Business Management at Howest University, who explained that Howest clusters its programs into three key domains: Design and Technology, Human Well-being and Health, and Business and Organization. Dr. Robin Stevens represented Hogent University of Applied Sciences, which runs programs across nine schools including Business and Management, Computer Sciences, Biosciences, Industrial Technology, Teacher Training, and Healthcare.
The visit, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by Makerere University officials and members of various colleges, among them Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) and Principal of the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Prof. Moses Musinguzi-Principal College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Prof. Julius Kikooma-Director Graduate Training, Assoc. Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Assoc. Prof. James Wokadala-Deputy Principal College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Assoc. Prof. Richard Idro-Deputy Principal College of Health Sciences, and Dr. Cathy Mbidde, Manager of the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak UniPod).