For several years, the Carnegie Corporation of New York has capitalized research capacity development and staff retention efforts at Makerere University. The different forms of Corporation support have resulted into the development of a critical mass of staff graduating with PhDs, Master and Postdocs which has ultimately helped to improve the quality of supervision, publication, and scholarship as well as sharped the strategic direction of Makerere as a research led university.
On 12th September this year the Corporation gladly approved a 2-year grant aimed at “Supporting Early-Career Academics at Makerere University, (SECA).” This grant will focus on enhancing the research capacity of Makerere University staff by providing research fellowships to the early-career academics, to be awarded on a competitive basis.
We have, however, noted the gender gap within the research and academic ranks is still very wide with low women proportions in advanced research management and leadership. There is, a need to strategically and systematically mainstream or enshrine gender into the University wide functions, with a view of ensuring that there is gender equity, equality, and empowerment.
In this regard, the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) in collaboration with the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) held a Workshop today, 17th December 2019 to train prospective fellowship applicants of Gender-responsive Research and later ensure compliance with the University gender policy.
As the Coordination office for the Carnegie-funded project, we shall adopt a transparent and all-inclusive policy of the University that emphasizes equal opportunities to all disciplines and gender.
Our sincere appreciation to the team of resource persons including Dr. Euzobia Baine Mugisha, Director GMD and Prof Consolata Kabonesa, distinguished expert and Champion of Gender policy at Makerere University.
After today's training, it is now clear that Gender-sensitive research is far from the numeric balance of men and women but a deliberate effort to integrate gender concerns at all stages of project cycle (i.e. planning, contextualization of the idea, theoretical framework, development of data collection tools and analysis, gender-based budgeting, Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E), gender dis-aggregated data reporting, capacity building, etc. It is not enough to have a female PI nor a female Research Assistant in the project team.
Professor Buyinza Mukadasi, Director, DRGT, Makerere University
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