General
5th Mak Self-Assessment Advocates for Diversification
The Quality Assurance Directorate (QAD) on Thursday, 9th May 2019 held a breakfast meeting to update Members of the University Council and Management on the latest findings of the 5th Makerere University Self-Assessment exercise. Held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, the meeting was presided over by the Chairperson of Council Mrs. Lorna Magara, represented by the Vice Chairperson Rt. Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega. It was attended by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-DVCAA Dr. Umar Kakumba, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)-DVCFA Prof. William Bazeyo as well as Members of Management, Principals, Directors and Members of the University Administration. The breakfast was also graced by the Guild President, H.E. Kateregga Julius, Vice Guild President H.E. Judith Nalukwago and Hon. Ahmed Abdirahman the Academic Affairs Minister.
Addressing the meeting, the Director QAD Dr. Vincent Ssembatya shared that Self-Assessment is an important measure of institutional progress and a good precursor for future planning. “Self-Assessment is one of the exercises that the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) expects Universities in Uganda to undertake and I am happy to report that Makerere has taken the lead.”
Some of the firsts in this year’s assessment include results from; Employer Expectation Surveys covering 100 institutions and corporate companies, Student Evaluation of Courses and Teaching (SECAT) obtained from over 300 class representatives and the proposal to adopt institutional performance targets in the run-up to the 100year celebrations in 2022.
In line with Internationalisation, Dr. Ssembatya pointed out the need to diversify conversion systems for International Applicants’ Qualifications to the Ugandan A-Level, Diploma and Mature Entry equivalents. This, he noted, would help attract more scholars; especially from countries that no longer offer the Advanced Level Education (S.5 and S.6), to Makerere. He also put forward the need to consider the resident tuition option as an incentive to attract short term students from leading universities worldwide.
Additionally, the presentation called for the need to strengthen the policy and support environments in line with institutional Internationalisation aspirations. Furthermore, the proposal to offer honorary professorships to academics from long-term partnering institutions was tabled as a way of further diversifying the composition of teaching staff.
On the teaching front, Dr. Ssembatya was happy to report that the University had with the construction of Central Teaching Facilities 1 and 2 met all its teaching space needs. He also called for the need to diversify the current offering of professional courses.
“It is on record that we are producing a large number of Bachelor of Commerce graduates. Makerere should now consider introducing the Master of Commerce in addition to the Master of Business Administration as an alternative for our professionals,” explained Dr. Ssembatya.
Responding to the presentation, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe observed that Self-Assessment is an important activity undertaken by QAD to help keep University operations on course. He therefore thanked the Directorate of the great job done and Vice Chairperson of Council-Rt. Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega for making the breakfast a priority on his schedule.
“We however need to extract the data for each college and share it with the respective leadership,” observed the Vice Chancellor in his reaction. “The assessment should also incorporate a comparison of Makerere’s colleges with peers in the region and Africa, so that we can rank our various disciplines” he added.
“Global trends reveal that research and publication is directly proportional to economic development of any nation. Therefore as we work towards increasing our population of graduate students, we shall improve our research and publications output, and thereby ably contribute to economic development of our nation. In this regard, we thank the Government for allocating UGX30billion in the next financial year to fund research at Makerere.”
In his remarks, the DVCAA Dr. Umar Kakumba thanked QAD for providing snapshot of institution’s health. “Institutions are living organisms; they need to be well nourished and taken care of otherwise they will get bedridden and eventually die. This is therefore a very important exercise.”
In line with improving enrolment especially at graduate level, the DVCAA urged colleges to submit proposals to the University Senate that allow them to run programmes on weekends and other periods that are more favourable for the working class.
“The College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the first unit to offer the block week modular release arrangement for the Master of Arts in Public Administration and Management (MAPAM). This can be emulated and adopted by other units” advised the DVCAA.
Dr. Kakumba further urged colleges to take advantage of their respective Centres of Excellence. “Our Centres of Excellence are of diverse origin and give the University strong latitude on Internationalisation, especially with regard to recruitment of staff and students.”
The DVCFA Prof. William Bazeyo on his part lauded Dr. Ssembatya for emphasising the need for diversification, adding that this should also be extended to finances, “because colleges have a huge potential to partner with corporate companies and other agencies to fund their initiatives.”
He urged Principals to work with their staff to quantify all their research, outreach as well as knowledge translation and transfer activities. Quantification, he said, would enable Makerere to meaningfully engage with all prospective partners.
“As leaders, we should also increase our physical engagement with the industry and other partners. Regular engagement opens more doors for our students to undertake internships in these organisations and keeps our graduates relevant to market demands” summed up Prof. Bazeyo.
“As Vice Chairperson of Council and Chair of the Quality Assurance, Gender and ICT Committee, I am immensely proud that this intense Self-Assessment exercise has been undertaken by the small team at the Quality Assurance Directorate. Thank you very much and congratulations!” remarked Rt. Hon. Kidega as he commenced the concluding address.
He noted that quality assurance is a very important aspect of any institution and thanked the Management, Staff and Student Leadership present for their contributions to the self-assessment discussion. “It was so refreshing to hear Makerere University’s contribution to National Development and I believe that the story of our research conversations and concern for country needs to be told more often!”
Rt. Hon. Kidega reiterated that research need not just be scholarly but ought to positively touch the population. He therefore urged the university leadership and researchers to always correlate their activities with the National Planning Agenda and Uganda Vision 2040.
He paid tribute to the outgoing 84th Guild led by H.E. Papa Were Salim for promoting a peaceful environment as the Council transitioned from the old to the current leadership. He thanked the 85th Guild President, H.E. Kateregga Julius and Members of his Cabinet for attending the Self-Assessment exercise despite the busy exam period, adding that he looked forward to a special engagement with the new Guild leadership.
“We come with a lot of humility to work with you. All the solutions to challenges faced by this University reside within us. On behalf of the University Council, I pledge to work with the University Management so that together, we make Makerere a better University” concluded Rt. Hon. Kidega.
Article by Public Relations Office
During the afternoon of September 21, 2026, Makerere University played host to regional discussions as students, academics, and government officials gathered to commemorate the International Day of Peace under the theme “Investing in Regional Peace and Trade for Shared Prosperity”.
The event organised by the Makerere University 92nd Guild Security Ministry in partnership with the Global Peace Guild, served as the official launch of the East African Peace and Trade Law Moot Court Competition. The idea was conceived as an annual event where the youth across East Africa will gather to deliberate on the nexus between regional peace and trade in fostering regional integration.
Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of Makerere University Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga graced the event, welcomed the distinguished guests and set a reflective tone for the day.
Reminiscing about his old days the VC noted, “lecturers were the ones who used to come and talk about politics, economics, and law but somehow, somewhere, things never went well”. He appreciated the Students’ Guild, and all who were involved in organising the celebration and launch for a good job done.
Prof. Mugagga further encouraged students to look beyond the classroom, urging them to engage in critical debates in different sectors while emphasising that peace is a prerequisite for all development.
People anchor Trade – Keynote address
Representing the guest of honor who was the Minister of State for East African Community Affairs Hon. James Magode Ikuya, Dr. Andrew Musiime – Commissioner for Political Affairs, delivered a keynote address.
His entry was that you cannot talk about trade and not talk about people. Trade is done by people, and therefore as a Ministry, they facilitate free movement of people.
Dr. Musiime provided a comprehensive breakdown of the East African Community (EAC) as an intergovernmental organisation.
“So it is an intergovernmental organisation. Therefore, the governments remain with their constitution, the governments remain with their sovereignty, the governments remain with their national boundaries, the governments remain with their national laws, Musiime explained.”
He mentioned that the East African Community is anchored on the four pillars for integration that is the Customs Union, the Common Market, the Political Federation and Monetary Union.
Dr. Musiime equally challenged the students to move beyond theory, urging them to research the EAC treaty and actively participate in regional integration.
In a gesture of togetherness, he told the distinguished guests that the Ministry operates an open door policy for students and those interested in engaging can apply for opportunities across the Ministry’s various departments.
From UPE to the Halls of Parliament
The event also featured inspiring remarks from the National Female Youth Member of Parliament, Hon. Mercy Kanyesigye. Reflecting on her own journey from Universal Primary Education (UPE) to the halls of Parliament, she delivered a powerful message on peace and security.
In agreement with Prof. Muggaga, she linked the day’s theme to the practical realities of trade, noting that sustainable trade can not exist without peace.
“This moot competition is therefore not just academic exercise. It’s a training ground for the next generation of East African traders, lawyers, negotiators, judges, policy makers who will defend the spirit of our East African common market and our custom union”, Kanyesigye told the attendees.
92nd Guild Calls for Embracing Dialogue
Hon. Denis Mabirizi, the Minister of Security for the Makerere University 92nd Guild, underscored the event’s purpose by highlighting that peace is the foundation for justice, opportunity, and cooperation. He then called upon the student community to reject violence and intolerance, urging them to use dialogue and established leadership structures to address their concerns.
Mabirizi also emphasized that universities are not just centers of academic excellence, but places where the leaders of tomorrow are shaped.
“Universities are not only centers of academic excellence, they are also places where future leaders are shaped. The conversations we have, the values we promote, and the decisions we make today will influence the kind of society we create tomorrow. Peace begins with each one of us, Mabirizi noted.”
The Global Peace Guild Initiative
Mr. Joseph Micheal Tenywa, the founder and President of the Global Peace Guild, shared the vision behind the organization. He explained that the Global Peace Guild was born out of a desire to involve young people in the promotion of peace, trade, and regional integration.
“Global Peace Guild is an initiative born out of a desire to have young people get involved into the promotion of peace, trade, and regional integration.”
He reminded the audience that regional integration would only become a reality when young people actively participate in the market and hold policy makers accountable.
“As we commemorate the International Day of Peace, it’s an invitation for young people to get involved, not only in ensuring that there is no violence, but that we also put in place the conditions that take our strength, and these are our economic provisions, we call it trade.”
The launch of the East African Peace and Trade Law Moot Court Competition marks a significant milestone for the student community as it brings together academic rigor with a focus on regional policy.
International Day of Peace is observed globally on September 21, 2026, under the unified United Nations theme: “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day”. The day emphasizes that achieving lasting peace requires continuous local action, shared civic responsibility, and strategic conflict mitigation to ensure long-term regional development.
Makerere University has urged female students admitted under the Makerere University Council Tuition and Functional Fees Waiver Scholarship for the 2026/27 academic year to take the opportunity seriously, focus on their academic performance, and stay alert about their personal safety.
The message was delivered during an orientation for the scholarship beneficiaries at the Senate Conference Hall, where officials from the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate welcomed the students and shared guidance on academic success, security, mentorship, and responsible social conduct.
The Chief Gender Mainstreaming Officer cautions students on safety and self-reliance
Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine, Chief Gender Mainstreaming Officer, congratulated the students on receiving the scholarship and urged them not to take it for granted.
She advised them to seek information from the relevant university offices instead of relying on assumptions or what fellow students tell them, and to keep records of official communication whenever they raise concerns or follow up on university matters.
Dr. Baine said students should take responsibility for their own security, warning them not to trust strangers easily and urging them to be careful about where they go and who they interact with.
She also reminded them that strong academic performance is required to keep the scholarship, and encouraged them to ask for help early whenever they face academic, social, or other challenges instead of waiting until the situation becomes harder to manage.
Students urged to aim for first-class results
The officers welcomed the students and encouraged them to put their studies first, urging them to aim for first-class academic results during their time at Makerere.
They advised them to use the academic support available to them, including help from course mates and any tutorials or mentoring offered within their colleges, and not to hesitate to seek assistance when they have concerns about their results or coursework.
The GMD team also spoke to scholars about personal safety, cautioning students against accepting help from strangers, including with luggage or transport, and referred to a recent incident in which a student’s belongings were stolen. She urged them to stay alert as they settled into university life.
Focus on academic foundations and safe social conduct
Other speakers, including Ms. Susan Mbabazi, who is the Principal Gender Officer, Ms. Abilat Lozirah, and Cynthia Ayaa Kamaketch emphasised the need to build a strong academic foundation from the start of the semester. They encouraged students to attend lectures regularly, read beyond classroom notes, use university resources such as internet access and the library, and develop steady study habits instead of waiting until exams are near.
They also warned students to be careful when meeting people they do not know well, advising them to hold academic discussions and social meetings in open, public spaces such as Freedom Square rather than in private rooms.
The students were also encouraged to seek mentorship from university staff and others who could guide them in their academic and career development, and to identify a mentor before leaving the orientation.
The orientation also pointed students to key university services and locations they should know, including the university health facilities, the Makerere Police Post, the Counselling and Guidance Centre, and places of worship on campus.
Speakers reminded the students that the scholarship gives them a chance to pursue their education at Makerere University, and that keeping it depends on their discipline, academic performance, and willingness to seek support when needed.
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