General
Mak 69th Graduation Ends with Emphasis on Moral Integrity and Discipline
The curtains came down on the fourth and final session of the 69th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University held on Friday, 18th January 2019, after the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma conferred degrees and awarded diplomas to graduands from the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) and the School of Law (LAW). Notable among the graduands were; the former Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda Steven Kavuma; who graduated with a Degree of Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies, Deputy Police Spokesperson, Polly Namaye; with a Degree of Master of Arts in Journalism and Communication, former Member of Parliament for Rubaga South Division Hon. John Ken Lukyamuzi; with the Bachelor of Laws and 14 pioneer students of the Master of Arts in Defence and Security Studies.
The Chancellor congratulated all graduands upon reaching the important milestone in their academic journey. He also thanked the leadership and staff of Makerere University for the great work in training the wide range of professionals in the humanities and social sciences, law, engineering, architecture, medicine, fine art and design.
“I am sure you will all agree with me that it takes a great deal of effort and time to train and graduate over 13,000 graduands including PhDs and Masters Degrees. You have done excellently to prepare these students,” said Prof Suruma.
He called upon staff, students and the entire community of Makerere to be of high moral integrity. According to Prof. Suruma, if the meaning and value of education is to endure, then the record of each and every student must be an accurate and a true reflection of his or her actual performance.
“It is simply unacceptable to compromise on the moral integrity of the university. Anyone who participates in any way in falsifying the academic records of the university is an enemy and must be treated as such,’ he said.
He urged students, parents, faculty, alumni, government, media and the public at large to fight all forms of fraud, falsification and immorality in the university.
“My late brother, Dr. Livingstone Byarugaba used to ask me: ‘Do you need a torch to see the sun?’ Now I beg to ask you my brothers and sisters, do we need to be reminded that every time we push for a false mark or grade for a child or student who is not qualified, we are hurting ourselves? Who benefits when we increase or multiply unqualified doctors, pharmacists, teachers, engineers and pilots in the society?” asked the Chancellor.
He appealed to every Ugandan to take a stand and fight for the good of the country when he said, “wherever you find yourself, take a stand for what is right. Be a candle in the darkness and save our country for our children and our grandchildren. Charity begins at home. Education without integrity will not protect you and it will not protect Uganda. It will continue to kill and the future will get worse. Once our enemies realize our internal weaknesses it will not take them long to destroy us.”
He applauded the Vice Chancellor, Management and the ceremonies committee for the successful preparations for the 69th Graduation Ceremony.
The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, reiterated the need for staff and students to observe discipline in the university. According to Prof Nawangwe, the biggest obstacle to Africa’s development is indiscipline of the country’s elite.
“I wish to thank H.E. the President, the First Lady and Hon. Minister of Education and Sports and the members of the public for their support of the measures taken by Council and Management to improve discipline among students and members of staff at Makerere University. No University can fully utilize her potential in an environment where indiscipline, abuse and impunity prevail,” he remarked.
To the graduands Prof. Nawangwe said, “as you leave the gates of Makerere University, remember that you are now on your own. You will succeed in life if you put a few ideals ahead of you. These are self-discipline, respect for self and others, love for your Country and love for God. The opportunities out there are immense, but only the disciplined will find them.”
He reminded graduands to take note of the President’s pledge to support organized groups of graduates with seed funding to start businesses. He also unveiled his idea of establishing a Makerere University Student Employment Liaison Desk in the Office of the Vice Chancellor. This Desk, he said, will coordinate employment opportunities for students within and outside the University.
“The Country is yearning for jobs for our young people and everybody will be looking at you to prove the worth of your education. With a Makerere degree, you have no right not to succeed. The World is yours for the taking and it is only you to deny yourself of the opportunities out there,” he said.
Article by: Mak Public Relations Office
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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