General
2nd Research Management Workshop for Departmental Chairs
The Second Research Management Workshop for Department Chairs organized by the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs (DVCAA) and the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) was held on Friday, 16th August 2019 at the Grand Global Hotel, Makerere, with participants drawn from five colleges. These included the; College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB). This workshop was the third in the series of trainings supported by IREX's University Administration Support Program funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Presenting the Rationale of the workshop, the DVCAA, Dr. Umar Kakumba acknowledged that with more than 60% of Academic Staff as PhD holders, Makerere University had made fundamental strides in developing its Human Resources capacity. He nevertheless called for the breakdown of discipline-specific silos so as to increase interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary networks within the University.
Dr. Kakumba advised the Chairs to quickly realign their research priorities so as to make the most of the newly awarded Government Research and Innovation Fund. “The Vice Chancellor has set up a Grants Management Committee that is already having a series of meetings and soon the funding calls will come out.”
Continuing from where the DVCAA had left off, the Vice Chancellor in his Keynote address shared that Makerere University had received the special funding from Government to support Research and Innovation that will inform National Development Priorities.
“The Government is committed to giving us at least UGX 30billion every year in recognition that Universities are the repositories of knowledge and we are living in a Knowledge Economy. The Ugandan Economy is not going to transform into Middle Income status unless we at Makerere University do our part” said the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Nawangwe urged Department Chairs to lead by example through; motivating their colleagues, maintaining high moral standards, setting priorities for themselves and those they lead as well as looking beyond themselves to the needs of others.
Delivering a presentation on Research Ethics, Integrity, Governance and the role of the Central Research Office , the Director DRGT, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi noted that the onus was upon all researchers in the institution to perform research that is ethical and avoid all pitfalls associated with plagiarism.
He also urged Chairs to ensure that Departmental Staff are shielded from publishing in journals with little or no impact on their h-index. “Before you submit your work to any journal, I urge you to first of all check if it is listed on Beall’s list of potential predatory publishers. This will safeguard your hard work against misuse and not contributing your reputation as a good researcher.”
Departmental Chairs received a wealth of knowledge on the topics of; Effective Research Leadership, Incentivising Research, Research Funding, Establishing and Managing Grants as well as Knowledge Transfer. The topics were presented by David Guwatudde, Prof. Tonny Oyana, Dr. Charles Masembe, Dr. Roy mayega and Prof. John Muyonga respectively.
Article by Public Relations Office
The Director of Makerere University Jinja Campus, Associate Professor Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala, has urged students to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding policy aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment.
Speaking during the safeguarding policy sensitization meeting held today Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at the Civil Service College, Jinja, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, emphasized the importance of awareness and adherence to the policy, which seeks to protect students, staff, and other stakeholders from all forms of abuse, harassment, exploitation, and discrimination.
“As Management we want every student to enjoy their stay at the University without being tormented and that can only happen, if students know their rights by reading about different policies on our website. You are meant to be living in a safe environment. We do not want anybody’s dream to be shattered or somebody to drop out from University,” Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, said.
In his speech, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, also called upon students who have complaints but do not know the reporting lines, to approach staff safeguarding champions to make sure that they live in a safe environment.
Addressing guests, Emmanuel Muchake, the Guild Administrator at Jinja Campus, pointed out that the launch of the safeguarding policy is timely because as a University, without creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning, they will not have students graduate.
On Friday, April 4,2025, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Right Honourable Lukia Isanga Nakadama, officially launched the Safeguarding Policy and commended Makerere University for crafting a policy that lays out the University’s framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and act swiftly on safeguarding risks.
The Safeguarding Policy was developed in response to the growing need for institutions of higher learning to implement proactive measures that address concerns related to student welfare, mental health, gender-based violence, and power imbalances in academic settings.
Some of potential safeguarding risks in Institutions of higher learning include emotional distress, Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH); material loss, financial exploitation, discrimination and neglect, unfair and illegitimate response to civic engagements, cyber security/threats, psychological and emotional harm, substance abuse and physical assault. Discrimination and neglect which are often high risks for students with disabilities and international students.
The safeguarding policy sensitization meeting in Jinja Campus brought together students and staff in a meaningful dialogue on safeguarding issues affecting learning.
The event was graced by Dr. Rodney Rugyema, from the Dean of Students Office, who emphasized the University’s commitment to the well-being of all its members. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of safeguarding policies in preventing abuse, harassment, exploitation, and other forms of misconduct within the Jinja Campus community.
“Safeguarding is not a one-time action, but a continuous culture of care and accountability. We all have a role to play in ensuring a safe and respectful space for learning and growth,” Dr Rugyema, said.
The sensitization session covered key topics including; recognizing signs of abuse, understanding reporting procedures on the MakSafeSpace and fostering mutual respect among peers.
Participants were encouraged to actively engage and reflect on their roles in upholding safety standards both on and off campus.
Students who attended the sensitization welcomed the initiative, with many expressing optimism that the policy would improve campus safety and encourage victims to come forward without fear of retaliation.
“We have seen issues go unreported in the past because students didn’t know where to turn. This policy provides clarity and assurance that the university is taking these matters seriously,” noted, a third-year student.
The University plans to conduct a series of sensitization workshops and distribute printed copies of the policy to ensure that every member of the campus community is well-informed. This initiative is part of Makerere University‘s broader strategy to reinforce its values of integrity, respect, and protection for all.
The Safeguarding Sensitization Meeting concluded with a collective pledge to uphold safety, dignity, and mutual respect within the University community.
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