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Mak-Gender Mainstreaming Directorate Student Peer Trainers Undergo Training

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Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) has rolled out the Student Peer Trainers programme to train 250 students in handling gender issues as well as equipping them with knowledge and skills aimed at ending gender-based violence.

The Student Peer Trainers approach is one of the key strategies for implementing the Gender Mainstreaming Programme (GMP). The Student Peer Trainers programme targets all categories of Makerere University students. It is voluntary, based on expression of interest.

The training programme, to be conducted in cohorts, started on 28th March 2019 with the first cohort comprising 50 students who expressed willingness to participate in the programme. The first recruitment and training has been undertaken in partnership with the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA Uganda) and the Uganda Women's Network (UWONET).

Representing the Director GMD, Dr. Euzobia Baine Mugisha, the Deputy Director, Ms. Frances Nyachwo said the Student Peer Trainers Program aims at creating a pool of trained champions with the capacity to reach out to their peers at Makerere University and beyond.

“This training prepares you to use the positive power of peer influence to promote respect and civility not only at Makerere University, but also in your communities. I urge you to carry on the skills you have gained to change the world and empower women and girls worldwide,” said Ms. Nyachwo.

She revealed that the Student Peer Trainers will also facilitate the wide dissemination of the referral system for students and victims to report any form of gender based violence.

 “We expect student peer trainers to use the skills attained from this training to create awareness,
and train other students and the society at large about gender equality and equity. This will help to curb gender discrimination, sexual harassment and gender-based violence in society,” said Ms. Nyachwo.

Presenting the overview and objectives of the student peer trainers program, Ms. Suzan Mbabazi, the Principal Gender Officer, highlighted some of the objectives as follows;

  • Getting knowledge on how to champion zero tolerance to sexual harassment especially at universities.
  • How to end gender-based violence
  • Understanding gender policies and concepts
  • Appreciating women’s roles and promoting women empowerment
  • Building gender equality in society

Ms. Mbabazi urged students to familiarize themselves with the Makerere University Gender Equality Policy to help them advocate for gender-responsive services.

Addressing the students, the Chairperson of FIDA Uganda-Mrs. Lydia Namuli Lubega said the issue of gender as well as ending gender-based violence is pertinent to them and central in their lives and operations.Mr. Eric Tumwesigye delivering his presentation on gender concepts

 “The issue of gender is part of FIDA Uganda through protecting women and girls, to curb the root causes of sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and gender discrimination,” she said.

Mrs. Namuli Lubega revealed that through this partnership, FIDA Uganda will work with Makerere University GMD, students and its partners to find solutions to the root cause of gender-based violence.

Eric Tumwesigye, Senior Gender Officer at Makerere University called upon the student peer trainers to work hand in hand with the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate to end social misconceptions about gender and empower women and girls.

 “Let us put an end to the roles that hinder women transformation and guard against stereotyping to ensure that both men and women receive equal opportunities,” said Mr. Tumwesigye.

Written by: Esther Joyce Nakibombo, Volunteer, Mak Public Relations Office

Elias Tuhereze

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Special Exam Results -Diploma in Performing Arts 2025/26

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The results for the 2025/2026 special entry examination for the Diploma in Performing Arts held on Saturday 17th May, 2025. Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the Examination and have been recommended to the university’s Admissions Committee for consideration.

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Mature Age Scheme Exam Results for 2025/2026

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The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released full results for the Mature Age Entry Scheme Examinations for the Academic Year 2025/2026 held on Saturday 14th December, 2024.

The Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the examination and have been recommended by the Pre-Entry & Mature Age Committee to the University’s Admissions Board for Consideration.

The Aptitude Exam  Results for 2025/2026 Academic Year released in February 2025 can be found here.

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Call for Application: 2025 SNRM session 4 Summer School

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Participants in focused group discussions. Leiden-Delft-Erasmus East Africa Research Network (LEARN) in collaboration with the Urban Action Lab at Makerere University a workshop to deliberate strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change in urban centres in the East African Region, Theme: “Resilient Urban Futures: Adapting Livelihoods to Climate Change”, 4th-5th September 2024, School of Public Health Auditorium, Kampala Uganda.

Context:
Natural resources in Africa are being depleted at an alarming rate due to several factors, including unsustainable human activities, climate change, and population growth. A primary condition of sustainable development is to ensure that the pressures do not exceed the environmental limits, and that demand for the resources does not exceed levels that can be sustainably provided by nature. Therefore, there is a pressing need for transformative, systems-thinking approaches and tools that can tackle the diverse challenges facing these systems. In Africa, this need is compounded by a lack of data and monitoring, which significantly hinders sustainable decision-making.

Investing in young scientists who are committed to take lead in sustainable management of Africa’s natural resources is very important. Capacity building of young scientists will enhance their knowledge and skill on sustainable natural resources and their involvement for implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) in Africa. To this effect, SNRM summer schools have been implemented in three sessions in 2019, 2020, and 2022 with support from Volkswagen Foundation; to build a critical mass of skilled and competent young natural resource scientists in Africa through training, capacity building and mentorship. Session 4 (2025) will target competent young scientists (MSc and PhD students) in Africa and Germany to further develop their knowledge and skills in systems thinking, advanced data collection and analysis, and application of emerging digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), internet of things (IoT), and embracing transdisciplinary approaches. In addition, we include an ideation workshop where students can work on real problems to come up with solutions for sustainable transformations in natural resource use.

Organizers: Leibniz Universität – Hannover (Germany), University of Antananarivo, University of Abomey Calavi (Benin), Makerere University (Uganda), University of Ghana (Ghana), University of Parakou (Benin), The Technical University of Kenya, with financial support from the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany).

Venue and dates: Nairobi, Kenya, 16-28 November 2025

Target: MSc and PhD students, early in the program of less than 35 years of age from any university/research institution in either sub-Saharan Africa or Germany with an interest in natural resources management.

Participants and Scholarships: The course is fully funded and open to 20 MSc and PhD students from Africa, and 5 from Germany. Funding will cover the costs of air ticket, accommodation, meals, visa, and transportation. However, participants will cover the cost of their travel health insurance.

Topics

SNRM Summer School Session 4: Transformative pathways in biodiversity management and conservation.
This summer school is designed to deliver four modules over a two-week period. The modules are designed to enable the students to acquire new ways of designing data collection protocols and analysis for transformative sustainable natural resources management.

Module 4.1: Data collection I
Skills in data collection for a transformative and sustainable management of natural resources (water, wildlife, forest, land, livestock, crops) monitoring and data collection techniques; remote monitoring tools, earth observation system data, e.g. satellite data sources, LIDAR, and UAV aerial images. Collect and analyse In-situ data on biotic and abiotic parameters, map and analyse data using R or Google Earth Engine, field data collection and retrieving data from online databases.

Module 4.2 Data management and processing
Introduction to tools and methods of managing large and diverse data sets of natural resources such as time series, spatial, directional, and multivariate data. Practicals will include data storage, organization and conversion into various formats using databases such as PostgreSQL and statistical programming software such as R and Python; scripts.

Module 4.3 Ecological monitoring, modelling and management
This module aims to teach participants how to anticipate and validate trends that can be observed in various ecosystems. Lectures include ecological monitoring and its design; population monitoring studies; metrics in population monitoring; methods for monitoring and assessing marine ecosystems; human ecology to socio-ecological systems; climate change impact of ecosystems; suitability assessments; overview of the principles underlying wildlife monitoring and prediction systems for climate change adaptation. Practicals will include field data collection (individual and group); ecological data analysis using R or PAST; modelling and experiencing the behaviour of complex systems using Vensim.

Module 4.4 Natural habitat restoration ideation lab
This module is designed to spur students’ innovation and creativity, and to help students comprehensively identify interdependencies across the 17 SDG goals. Participants will be trained on ideation processes for solutions and intervention for transformative natural resource management. They will work collaboratively in small groups on case studies and develop pathways of transformative sustainable natural resource management. Examples of projects include forest (mangrove) ecosystem and habitat restoration, improved technologies for agricultural production, nature-based solutions for improving water quality, and reversing land degradation.

Language: The course will be delivered in English. Participants are expected to be fluent in writing and speaking the English language.

How to apply

Applicants are kindly requested to fill in the application form available from https://snrmafrica.com/ and submit the following documents in English through the system.

  • a curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages)
  • a letter of motivation (maximum 1 page)
  • a confirmation of university enrolment
  • a reference letter from the academic supervisor
  • project summary of MSc/ PhD project (1 page including objectives, methodology
    and key findings or expected outcomes).

Important dates
Application deadline: 30th June 2025.
Announcement of accepted applicants: 15th August 2025.
Confirmation of attendance by selected participants: 12th Sept 2025.
Summer school held: 16 – 28 Nov 2025.

Further information is available from

The secretariat info@snrmafrica.com
Dr Lydia Olaka lydiaolaka@tukenya.ac.ke
Prof. Dr. Hartmut Stuetzel stuetzel@gem.uni-hannover.de

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