General
Dr. Badat-Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Meets VC over Grants to CHUSS
The Programme Director, International Higher Education and Strategic Projects at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Dr. Saleem Badat has visited Makerere University to follow up on the grants given to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) in 2018. In 2017, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation approved a grant worth USD5million to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for a period of five years.
In 2018, CHUSS received the first two major grants – one to the tune of USD800,000 to facilitate cohort PhD training of 7 members of staff and the other of USD800,000 to support 15 early career scholars to conduct cutting edge research.
On Thursday, 10th January, 2019, Dr. Badat held a meeting with the PhD fellows and their supervisors to check on their progress and advise them on the way forward.
This morning, 11th January 2019, Dr. Badat paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe to discuss issues such as conditions and developments related to the University and higher education, and specifically in the arts, humanities, and social sciences; key problems and challenges in higher education, and especially in the arts, humanities, and social sciences; the university's 2018 submissions and progress reports and their outcomes; the intended 2019 submission; and developments related to AWMF policies, criteria, rules, and practices, and any concerns about relations between the Foundation and the University.
Prof. Nawangwe appreciated the support rendered to Makerere University by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, noting that “it gives me great pleasure to see that donors are coming up to support the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines that face a lot of funding challenges, yet they greatly contribute to the transformation of the country”.
He informed Dr. Badat that Makerere was moving towards becoming a research-led University thus the need for more investment in research. He briefed him on the Government plan to increase funding for research at Makerere University, noting that this would greatly boost the capacity of staff to engage in cutting-edge research.
The meeting was attended by the Acting Principal of CHUSS, Dr. Josephine Ahikire, the Coordinator of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grants at Makerere, Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi and Deans, Dr. Patrick Mangeni and Dr. Julius Kikooma.
Dr. Badat also held a meeting with Prof. Mahmood Mamdani, Director Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) on the 2018 supranational grant. He will meet with the Principal of CHUSS and Deans to discuss the 2019 Institutional priorities.
Established in 1969, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies. To this end, it supports exemplary institutions of higher education and culture as they renew and provide access to an invaluable heritage of ambitious, path-breaking work. The Foundation makes grants in five core program areas: Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities; Arts; and Cultural Heritage; Diversity; Scholarly Communications; and International Higher Education and Strategic Projects.
Article by Hasifa Kabejja, Principal Communication Officer, CHUSS
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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