General
Mak-UPC Set to Establish Institute of Geoscience and Petroleum
On 7th January 2019, Makerere University together with the China University of Petroleum (UPC) signed an agreement to co-establish and operationalize the Institute of Geoscience and Petroleum at Makerere University. The agreement was signed by the Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe and the Vice President of China University of Petroleum Prof. Jun Yao on behalf of the two universities respectively. The two parties agreed to develop and implement;
1. A curriculum System Construction and Development Plan for both undergraduate and postgraduate-level students of petroleum engineering programs including short professional development courses
2. Teaching – staff training and upgrading plan
3. Students Joint Education Designing and Implementation plan
4. Textbooks compiling and development plan
5. Teaching infrastructure and equipment building plan
6. Internship base establishment and development plan and China University of Petroleum Training Centre Expansion Plan
7. Joint International Lab Establishment and Development Plan
8. Research Capacity Building and Upgrading Plan
9. Academic Exchange Implementation Plan
The agreement activates the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed on 19th December 2017 by the two universities to establish the institute of Geosciences and Petroleum. According to Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Makerere University is ready to engage in research and build capacity in the area of oil and gas in Uganda and the region.
“We are all aware that Uganda and the nearby countries are exploring oil and they are on the stage of production however, we are facing immense challenges of lack of qualified manpower and expertise in the petroleum industry. Therefore, establishing the Institute of Geosciences and Petroleum at Makerere University will be an open opportunity to carry out research and build capacity in this area,” said the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Nawangwe commended UPC for its expertise in preparing qualified engineers and technical service personnel for global oil industry through its education and research. “We are happy that you accepted to share with Makerere University your knowledge and experience in geoscience and petroleum,” he said. He thanked the Government of Uganda for working hand in hand with Makerere University to bridge the knowledge gap that exist in the gas and oil sector.
In 2009, Makerere University introduced the Bachelor of Science programme in Petroleum Geosciences and Production to bridge the knowledge gap that exists in the oil and gas sector in Uganda. The course aims at training Petroleum Geoscientists who can contribute effectively to programmes of exploration and development of petroleum resources.
“At the end of the training, we expect our students to be able to identify the key geological features associated with petroleum resources in the context of their discovery and economic viability; execute and interpret information from remote sensing, geological, geophysical and geochemical data during petroleum exploration; apply geological, geophysical and geochemical knowledge in the development of petroleum resources among others,” he said.
“Petroleum resources have been discovered in the region, in Uganda and Sudan in particular whereas gas has been discovered in the Songo Songo Island and Mnazi Bay in Tanzania. There is little experience in the area of petroleum geoscience and production in Uganda and the region as a whole. There is therefore a need to train local human resource in the development and sustainability of the petroleum industry,” added the Vice Chancellor.
In his remarks, Prof. Jun Yao commended Makerere University for the tremendous research that is carried out in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). He looked forward for a successful implementation and operational journey of the establishment of the Institute of Geosciences and Petroleum at Makerere University.
The 19th December 2017 MoU was signed by Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and the Vice President of China University of Petroleum, Qingdao (UPC) – Prof. Liu Huadong. The MoU stipulated that the universities agreed to jointly apply for funding from international funding agencies to support establishment of state of the art petroleum engineering labs at China University of Petroleum and Makerere University. This fits in well with the appointment of Makerere University as the Centre of Excellence for petroleum and minerals by the Northern Corridor States.
Prof. Jun Yao was a companied by eight delegates from UPC who proceeded to tour some of the labs at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT).
Article Written by: Mak Public Relations Office.
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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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