General
Pro-Rector Hagen & Delegation Arrive Ahead of 30Year Mak-UiB Collaboration Celebrations
The Pro-Rector, University of Bergen (UiB), Prof. Margareth Hagen together with four members of UiB staff on Tuesday 5th November 2019 visited a number of units at Makerere University ahead of the 7th November 2019 celebrations commemorating 30 years of the Mak-UiB Collaboration programme. The delegation was hosted by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University Library and the College of Health Sciences (CHS).
The Pro-Rector was accompanied by the Assistant University Director-Mr. Tore Tungodden, Vice Dean for Research-Prof. Marit Bakke, Academic Coordinator Mak-UiB Collaboration (UiB)-Prof. Thorkild Tylleskär and Higher Executive Officer, Communication Services-Ms. Elinor Bartle. They were guided around the Campus by the Academic Coordinator Mak-UiB Collaboration (Mak)-Dr. Ronald Semyalo.
The first stopover for the delegation was CHUSS where they were welcomed by the Acting Principal-Assoc. Prof. Josephine Ahikire. With her were the Dean, School of Languages, Literature and Communication-Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi; Head, Department of Literature- Dr. Mark Okot Benge; Former Head, Department of Literature-Assoc. Prof. Dominica Dipio; and UiB Alumnus-Dr. James Taabu Busimba.
Assoc. Prof. Ahikire in her remarks welcomed the delegation to Makerere University and CHUSS in particular, noting that at 30 years, the collaboration had indeed matured and was worth celebrating. She added that colleagues not only in the Humanities but also in the Natural Sciences had obtained their degrees at UiB and sincerely thanked the Pro-Rector for the generous support extended to staff capacity development at Makerere University.
Complementing the Acting Principal, Assoc. Prof. Mushengyezi noted that the Department of Literature had made significant strides in oral literature, research and publication with support from the Mak-NUFU (Norwegian Programme for Development, Research and Education) Folklore Project under Assoc. Prof. Dipio and Prof. Stuart Sillars.
The Dean added that the Department of Journalism and Communication with funding from the Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED) had managed to recruit and train four PhD students. The funding was received under the Strengthening Media in Post-Conflict societies through Education and Research: Bridging Gaps, Building Futures in Uganda, Norway, South Sudan and Nepal project.
Contributing to the discussion, Assoc. Prof. Dipio appreciated the holistic support that her Department had received especially through the PhD training for staff. She also lauded multidisciplinary nature of the UiB Summer Research Schools and prayed that future schools would accord opportunity to more Humanities Scholars keen to share their knowledge with other disciplines.
Dr. James Taabu Busimba is a Lecturer in the Department of Literature who undertook the “madness” Re-language-ing Shakespeare for a Ugandan Readership as part of his PhD study. Recounting his experience, JTB as he is popularly known at the Department thanked UiB for the generous support accorded to him, which involved extensions to his stay as he finalized his thesis. This support, he said, enabled him to graduate with the highest distinction in philosophy, a feat he reckoned would have been hard to repeat elsewhere.
Delivering her remarks, Prof. Hagen thanked Makerere University and CHUSS for the warm reception accorded to her delegation as well as the invigorating discussions. The Professor of Italian Literature could not hide her excitement at being ‘home’. She noted that UiB under its Department of Foreign Languages offers degrees in nine languages namely; Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.
She commended the Department of Literature for producing 4 PhDs under the NORHED programme added that UiB through its Department of Information Science and Media Studies seeks to address the convergence between journalism, communication and evolving technologies. She added that the UiB joined leading media and technology companies in Norway to form the Media City Bergen cluster, which gives its students all-round exposure to trends in the industry.
As collaboration coordinator on the Mak side, Dr. Semyalo thanked UiB for sending close to 400 students annually to Makerere for short term study opportunities. He noted that almost two-thirds of these students belonged to the clinical sciences and urged other faculties to explore sending their students as well.
Prof. Tylleskär on the other urged more PhD students at Makerere University to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the two-week Summer School at UiB. Six parallel courses with an application deadline set for 1st February 2020 will run from 8th to 18th June 2020 focusing on; climate governance, sustainable cities, sustainable oceans, media and democracy, global food systems, as well as migrant health.
As a way forward, the meeting agreed to lay strategies for the teaching of a short course in Norwegian every summer. This, it is envisaged, will help prospective students to be grounded in the culture and language basics prior to setting off for their studies in Norway.
Under the Ethnomusicology in Uganda Project, the Department of Performing Arts and Film with the support from the Grieg Academy at UiB and other partners established Music Archive in the Main Library Makerere University. This was the first stopover for the UiB delegation as they made their way to meet the Deputy University Librarian, Dr. Ruth Nalumaga.
The Deputy Librarian in her remarks thanked UiB for the support extended in establishing the Library Information System (MakLIBIS) as well as conducting the Learning and Teaching in a Digital World (LATINA) course. She also thanked the Government of Uganda for advancing UGX1.5billion to the Library’s E-Resources budget for this financial year.
The discussions with the UiB team then centered around the increasing struggles by University Libraries the world over; especially in smaller countries, to meet the high subscription fees charged by important international scientific journals. The officials agreed that forming national or regional consortia should be encouraged to advocate for lower annual subscription fees.
As an innovation, Dr. Nalumaga shared the Main Library has plans to digitize its entire newspaper collection, so as to create a paid E-resource accessible to the whole world, a novelty that was welcomed by the UiB delegation. The meeting further discussed the need to conduct information literacy training for not only students but staff as well so as to help fight the growing ‘fake news’ trend.
Article by Public Relations Office
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In a landmark event symbolizing Uganda’s stride towards sustainable transportation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, commissioned the first Electric Fast-Charging Station at Makerere University on Friday 13th March 2026. The ceremony, held at the Senate Building Parking Lot, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s e-mobility journey, blending academic innovation with industrial application and governmental support.
The station, a DC Fast Charger C6-180 installed in collaboration with Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC), is designed to power electric vehicles efficiently, supporting Uganda’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This setup ensures high-power DC charging ideal for fleet operations.
Hon. Dr. Musenero, in her keynote remarks, highlighted the profound significance of the occasion, tracing its roots back to 2011 when Makerere unveiled the Kiira EV – Uganda’s first electric vehicle prototype. “This infrastructure is the physical manifestation of a journey that began on this very hill nearly two decades ago,” she stated, emphasizing how the university’s initial proof-of-concept challenged skepticism about Africa’s role in automotive technology.
The event, she noted, completes a narrative full circle, with the birthplace of the Kiira EV now hosting the infrastructure to sustain a modern electric fleet. The commissioning aligns seamlessly with Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy, which aims to localize 65% of the e-mobility value chain by 2040 and create over 500,000 high-quality green jobs.
Hon. Dr. Musenero underscored the strategy’s focus on reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while enhancing environmental well-being. “We are transforming Uganda into a net source of e-mobility solutions,” she declared, pointing to the potential for Ugandan intellect to produce vehicle parts and charging systems domestically.
In his remarks at the event, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe described the launch as a “multi-faceted achievement,” not only advancing the institution’s inclusive agenda but also setting an example for public institutions in adopting e-mobility. In so doing, Makerere University has positioned itself at the forefront of this transition.
On September 26, 2025, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja and handed over three Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) buses to Makerere University to enhance staff and student mobility. The fleet included two diesel-powered Kayoola Coaches and one electric Kayoola EVS 8.5m bus donated by KMC specifically to aid the movement of differently-abled staff and students. This move demonstrates academia’s capacity to integrate home-grown solutions into daily operations, impacting the economy through practical science.
The commissioning of the fast-charging station is rooted in a long history of collaboration. The Kiira Electric Vehicle Project, hatched in the former Faculty of Technology, has evolved into a national movement for automotive manufacturing. Hon. Dr. Musenero praised this progression: “We have moved beyond proving that an electric vehicle can be built in Uganda. We are now ensuring our electric vehicles are deployed across the continent, solving Africa’s mobility problems.”
Academia’s role remains central, as Hon. Dr. Musenero elaborated. While government provides policy frameworks and the private sector offers capital, universities supply the essential knowledge. The E-Mobility Skilling Programme at Makerere University‘s Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod) is training the next generation of electric vehicle engineers, who are tackling “moonshot projects” to redefine urban transport. Research into optimizing local resources, such as Uganda’s lithium and cobalt deposits for battery production, is also underway.
A key environmental highlight of this development is Uganda’s renewable energy advantage. With over 95% of the national grid powered by hydroelectric dams, every charge at this station utilizes clean energy. “We are using our own water to power our own vehicles, keeping our wealth within our economy rather than exporting it to purchase foreign oil,” Hon. Dr. Musenero remarked, framing the launch as Uganda plugging into the global renewable shift. She pledged the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Secretariat’s continued collaboration with Makerere University, KMC, and partners to proliferate such stations across Kampala and beyond.
Addressing Makerere students, Hon. Dr. Musenero issued a challenge: “See this charging station as a symbol of your own potential. The engineers who built the first Kiira EV were once sitting exactly where you are. They did not wait for permission to be great.” She urged them to leverage available resources to innovate, building on a legacy that has shifted national conversations.
The event drew distinguished guests, including Members of Management, Eng. Paul Isaac Musasizi, KMC’s CEO and his management team, private sector partners, development agencies, and university faculty.
Looking ahead, this launch propels Uganda towards a “Qualitative Leap” in its economy, as Hon. Dr. Musenero described. By fostering innovation and investing in young minds, the nation aims to lead in technological advancement. The station not only powers vehicles but ignites progress, ensuring Uganda remains at the forefront of Africa’s e-mobility revolution.
As the ceremony which was intermittently “blessed” by drizzles drew to a close, the feeling of hope for a cleaner, self-reliant future – one charged by Ugandan ingenuity, was unmistakable.
General
Makerere University and International Partners Sign MoU for the 9th Kampala Geopolitics Conference
Makerere University, on 10th March, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and Alliance Française de Kampala to organize the 9th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference (KGC), scheduled to take place on 15–16 April 2026 at Makerere University.
The signing formalizes the continued partnership that has established the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as one of the region’s leading platforms for dialogue on global affairs, bringing together scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, and students to debate the major geopolitical and socio-economic transformations shaping the world.
The conference, inspired by the Nantes Geopolitics Conference in France, was first launched in Kampala in 2018 and has since grown into a unique intellectual space for cross-continental exchange between Africa and Europe.
A Platform for Ideas, Dialogue, and Youth Engagement
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as a platform that connects academic discourse with global policy conversations while empowering students to engage with the complex challenges shaping the international system.
The Vice Chancellor noted that hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s long-standing commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and global dialogue.
“Makerere University is proud to host the Kampala Geopolitics Conference because it creates an important platform for debate and exchange on the global issues shaping our world, while giving our students the opportunity to engage directly with leading thinkers and policymakers,” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Prof. Nawangwe further commended the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala for their continued collaboration with Makerere University in organizing the conference over the years. He expressed confidence that the 2026 edition will once again provide a dynamic platform for dialogue, bringing together scholars, policymakers, and students to examine the geopolitical trends shaping Africa and the wider world.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E. Virginie Leroy, Ambassador of France to Uganda, highlighted the significance of the conference as a platform that encourages dialogue on global issues while empowering young people to participate in shaping the future.
Since its inception, the Kampala Geopolitics Conference has created opportunities for students, researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to engage with some of the most pressing global debates. The Ambassador noted that the curiosity and engagement of Ugandan students have become one of the defining features of the conference.
“This conference has become a unique space where students, researchers, policymakers and civil society exchange ideas on the major transformations shaping our world,” Ambassador Leroy said, adding that the event demonstrates the intellectual vitality of Uganda’s youth and the strength of the partnerships that sustain it.
Strengthening Partnerships for Global Dialogue
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a long-standing partner in the initiative, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting platforms that foster meaningful discussions on international affairs and regional dynamics.
Speaking during the ceremony, Anna Reismann, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Uganda, emphasized the importance of the conference in connecting local perspectives with global debates.
She noted that Africa has increasingly become a focal point in global geopolitics, attracting engagement from a wide range of international actors through investments, trade, security cooperation, and diplomatic partnerships. While these engagements create new opportunities for economic growth and technological advancement, they also raise important questions about sustainability, governance, and the terms of international cooperation.
According to Reismann, the conference provides an important forum to examine these issues and to encourage dialogue that bridges academic perspectives with practical policy considerations.
The 2026 edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference will focus on key global and regional issues shaping international relations and development.
Among the themes to be explored are the future of development cooperation, particularly as global aid dynamics evolve and countries explore more sustainable and balanced partnerships. Another panel will examine youth and public policy in Africa, recognizing the critical role that young people play in shaping governance, innovation, and development across the continent.
With Africa home to the youngest population in the world, discussions will highlight the importance of ensuring that young people are not only beneficiaries of public policies but also active contributors to their design and implementation.
Makerere University at the Centre of Global Conversations
Hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s continued commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and international dialogue.
Through its partnerships with global institutions such as the Embassy of France, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala, Makerere continues to create platforms that connect academic knowledge with policy discussions and real-world challenges.
The Kampala Geopolitics Conference is expected to once again bring together leading experts, scholars, and practitioners from across Africa and Europe, while providing students with a rare opportunity to engage directly with global debates.
As preparations for the 2026 edition gather momentum, the partners expressed confidence that the conference will continue to inspire critical thinking, encourage dialogue across disciplines and generations, and strengthen cooperation between Africa and its international partners.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
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