General
Mak-Tsinghua Partnership to Establish Public Safety Lab
A delegation from Tsinghua University’s Institute of Public Safety Research (IPSR) on Tuesday, 18th December 2018 met the Vice Chancellor, Members of Management together with representatives from the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and held discussions on the proposed establishment of a Public Safety Laboratory at Makerere University. The delegation led by Prof. Chen Jianguo also consisted of Prof. Pang Wenjun and Prof. Zhang Tengbin. They were accompanied by Ambassador Henry Mayega, Uganda’s Deputy Head of Mission in the Peoples Republic of China.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe shared that the Tsinghua delegation was on a five-day; 17th to 21st December 2018, return visit to Makerere, following his visit to China earlier this month.
“I would like to thank Prof. Jianguo for the warm reception accorded to the Makerere delegation during our recent visit and tour of the Hefei Institute for Public Safety Research. I also thank Ambassador Mayega for receiving us in China and accompanying us throughout our stay in China. Ambassador Mayega is not only an alumnus but also our very own ambassador who is very enthusiastic about creating opportunities for Makerere in China, especially with Tsinghua, Asia’s top university” remarked the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Nawangwe informed the visiting delegation that Makerere is a comprehensive University whose research output is ranked among the top five institutions in Africa. “Our students excel internationally and we probably have the largest number of collaborations in Africa, over a hundred of them being active, and as many as thirty with institutions in the USA, particularly in the fields of health and HIV/AIDS.”
The Vice Chancellor further noted that Makerere and Uganda had a lot to learn from the expertise developed by IPSR over the decade, especially in the area of public safety and emergency management technology and research. He therefore reiterated the University’s commitment to work with Tsinghua University to jointly establish a Public Safety Laboratory at Makerere. This, he envisaged, could serve as a Central National Laboratory for Ugandan Government agencies in the area of public safety management and research.
In his remarks, Prof. Jianguo thanked the Vice Chancellor and all present for the warm reception accorded to his delegation. He shared that Tsinghua; founded in 1911, is a comprehensive University with a special focus on Engineering and Technology.
“Tsinghua and the Chinese Government are very good friends and in 2003, we helped to establish the China National Emergency Response Platform, with more than two hundred and fifty City-level platforms extended to several areas such as public safety management, public transport management, environment safety management and early warning systems for natural disaster management” shared Prof. Jianguo.
He noted that Uganda, just like China is developing rapidly, which presents more challenges for public safety. “We therefore need technology to solve these challenges and support public safety management efforts by Government” added Prof. Jianguo.
A presentation by the Tsinghua delegation showed that the IPSR was founded in 2003 with four focus areas namely; education of public safety students, academic research, provision of services to governments, enterprises and stakeholders, and being the Chinese Government’s Public Safety Think Tank.
Tsinghua University has more than fifty profitable companies, the largest being the Unisplendour Corporation Limited (UNIS) worth approximately US$50billion. IPSR is the Chinese National base for public safety, science and technology development. The Institute has provided Smart solutions such as the; Ecuador 911 Emergency Management System, Angola Public Safety Management, Macao Command Centre, Singapore Intelligent Video Monitoring System among others.
In the reactions that followed the presentation, UPF’s Commissioner of Planning CP Henry Tumwesigye thanked Tsinghua University for the presentation. He noted that although the Force has various capabilities in the areas of public safety management, there was still need to develop an integrated approach that synchronises all the various operations. He therefore hoped that collaborations with Makerere University and partners such as Tsinghua would go a long way in helping to unpack and repackage the Force’s various solutions.
The KCCA representative Mr. Henry Kizito expressed his privilege at attending the meeting and noted that the Mak-Tsinghua partnership would benefit the proposed Kampala Smart City Project. In September 2018, the former KCCA Executive Director Mrs. Jennifer Musisi signed two major pacts with the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) at the Seoul Digital Summit in South Korea. WeGO’s mission is to promote and facilitate the transformation of cities to Smart Sustainable Cities worldwide.
The Tsinghua delegation also toured the Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS) Network Operating Centre at the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) and the Main Library. The delegation is also scheduled to visit the; Ministry of Health’s Emergency Response Centre, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology (CEDAT), School of Public Health (MakSPH) and the UPF Emergency Response Facility.
Article by Public Relations Office
The Director of Makerere University Jinja Campus, Associate Professor Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala, has urged students to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding policy aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment.
Speaking during the safeguarding policy sensitization meeting held today Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at the Civil Service College, Jinja, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, emphasized the importance of awareness and adherence to the policy, which seeks to protect students, staff, and other stakeholders from all forms of abuse, harassment, exploitation, and discrimination.
“As Management we want every student to enjoy their stay at the University without being tormented and that can only happen, if students know their rights by reading about different policies on our website. You are meant to be living in a safe environment. We do not want anybody’s dream to be shattered or somebody to drop out from University,” Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, said.
In his speech, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, also called upon students who have complaints but do not know the reporting lines, to approach staff safeguarding champions to make sure that they live in a safe environment.
Addressing guests, Emmanuel Muchake, the Guild Administrator at Jinja Campus, pointed out that the launch of the safeguarding policy is timely because as a University, without creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning, they will not have students graduate.
On Friday, April 4,2025, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Right Honourable Lukia Isanga Nakadama, officially launched the Safeguarding Policy and commended Makerere University for crafting a policy that lays out the University’s framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and act swiftly on safeguarding risks.
The Safeguarding Policy was developed in response to the growing need for institutions of higher learning to implement proactive measures that address concerns related to student welfare, mental health, gender-based violence, and power imbalances in academic settings.
Some of potential safeguarding risks in Institutions of higher learning include emotional distress, Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH); material loss, financial exploitation, discrimination and neglect, unfair and illegitimate response to civic engagements, cyber security/threats, psychological and emotional harm, substance abuse and physical assault. Discrimination and neglect which are often high risks for students with disabilities and international students.
The safeguarding policy sensitization meeting in Jinja Campus brought together students and staff in a meaningful dialogue on safeguarding issues affecting learning.
The event was graced by Dr. Rodney Rugyema, from the Dean of Students Office, who emphasized the University’s commitment to the well-being of all its members. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of safeguarding policies in preventing abuse, harassment, exploitation, and other forms of misconduct within the Jinja Campus community.
“Safeguarding is not a one-time action, but a continuous culture of care and accountability. We all have a role to play in ensuring a safe and respectful space for learning and growth,” Dr Rugyema, said.
The sensitization session covered key topics including; recognizing signs of abuse, understanding reporting procedures on the MakSafeSpace and fostering mutual respect among peers.
Participants were encouraged to actively engage and reflect on their roles in upholding safety standards both on and off campus.
Students who attended the sensitization welcomed the initiative, with many expressing optimism that the policy would improve campus safety and encourage victims to come forward without fear of retaliation.
“We have seen issues go unreported in the past because students didn’t know where to turn. This policy provides clarity and assurance that the university is taking these matters seriously,” noted, a third-year student.
The University plans to conduct a series of sensitization workshops and distribute printed copies of the policy to ensure that every member of the campus community is well-informed. This initiative is part of Makerere University‘s broader strategy to reinforce its values of integrity, respect, and protection for all.
The Safeguarding Sensitization Meeting concluded with a collective pledge to uphold safety, dignity, and mutual respect within the University community.
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