The Chancellor-Prof. Ezra Suruma (Right) confers a PhD upon CoNAS' Ms. Uwimbabazi Moreen during Day 1 of the 70th Graduation Ceremony, 14th January 2020, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.
Biokinetics and modelling of pollutant accumulation in Cat fish (Clarias casonii) and Silver fish (Rastreneobola argentea) from selected aquatic ecosystems in Uganda
Ms. NNAMUYOMBA Proscovia’s study was purposely to examine the levels of pollutants (heavy metals and DDT residues) in the two fish species and to develop a model for predicting heavy metal accumulation in Cat Fish living in contaminated environments. The current experimental methods used to determine pollutant levels are laborious and expensive, which makes it hard to generate data whenever need arises. The research established that biokinetic modelling provides an alternative cost effective method of determining pollutant levels in fish living in polluted aquatic ecosystems. The model can be used to estimate long-term metal accumulation in environmental risk assessments. This study was funded by ADB and Gulu University, and was supervised by Prof. Jolocam Mbabazi and Assoc. Prof. Muhammad Ntale.
UWIMBABAZI Moreen (Ms)
Influence of fruit seasonality on macronutrient and energy intake and its significance on reproduction in female chimpanzees
Ms. UWIMBABAZI Moreen examined how diet-quality in terms of macronutrient content relates to the timing of reproductive events in female chimpanzees of Kibale National Park in Uganda. She found that female chimpanzees ingested more carbohydrates and lipids and reduced their foraging costs during preferred fruit abundant periods. However, they maintained stable energy intake despite the variations in diet quality through feeding behavior modifications and as such were able to breed throughout the year. The findings highlight the relevance of different food tree species in natural forest ecosystems and their significance in maintaining wild populations of chimpanzees, a specie which is threatened by forest degradation in Uganda. This study was funded by Kibale Chimpanzee Project, and was supervised by Prof. Richard Wrangham, Prof. Jessica Rothman, Assoc. Prof. Gilbert Basuta and Prof. Mnason Tweheyo.
WOKIYI Dennis
Solutions to Ill-posed Cauchy problem for a non-linear heat equation.,
Mr Wokiyi’s study focused on estimating the temperature distribution below the earth's surface using temperature and heat-flux measurements on the earth's surface. The study enhanced the understanding of how temperature governs a variety of the geological processes such as; formation of magmas, minerals, fossil fuels and deformation of rocks. The candidate demonstrated that the problem is uniquely solvable under a suitable choice of function spaces and showed that numerical solutions were consistent with the existing theoretical proofs. The study was funded by International Science programme – Sweden, Makerere Staff development and Eastern Africa Universities Mathematics Programme (EAUMP). Mr Wokiyi was supervised by Prof. Vladimir Kozlov and Prof. Fredrik Berntsson from Linkoping University-Sweden, Prof. John Mango and Dr. Godwin Kakuba from Makerere University.
College of Education and External Studies (CEES)
ATWEBEMBEIRE Juliet (Ms)
Management practices and quality of teaching and research in private chartered universities in Uganda
Ms. ATWEBEMBEIRE Juliet examined the influence of management practices which included, staff participation, performance monitoring and staff development on quality of teaching and research in four private chartered universities in Uganda. Results demonstrated a significant contribution of staff development and staff participation on quality of teaching and research. There was no sufficient evidence to show that performance monitoring influences quality of teaching and research. The study recommended the development of more user-friendly methods of performance monitoring, giving of constructive feedback and rewarding staff basing on performance reviews. A model of shared governance was suggested for effective management of these universities. The study was funded by Uganda Management Institute, and supervised by Prof. John. Chrysostom Musaazi and Assoc. Prof. Proscovia Namubiru Ssentamu.
AYEBARE Justin (Ms)
Internationalization of higher education and the global citizenship of graduate students at Makerere University
Ms. AYEBARE Justin investigated the effect of internationalization of higher education on the global citizenship of graduate students at Makerere University. This was due to the seemingly low levels of global citizenship amongst university graduates in the country. Using the sequential explanatory research design, the study revealed that the internationalization of academic staff, curriculum, and the student community have significant positive effect on the global citizenship of graduate students. These findings reinforced the belief that the more internationalized a university is, the more likely its graduate students would become global citizens. This study presents to university managers aspects of internationalization that greatly impinge on the global citizenship of graduate students; thus, calls for significant efforts to internationalize these, and other aspects of university operations. This study was self-funded and, and was supervised by Dr. David Onen and Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine.
KAAHWA Yuda Taddeo
Equity implications of the district quota and disabled students’ scholarships in public universities in Uganda
Mr. KAAHWA Yuda Taddeo investigated how the district quota system and disabled students’ scheme were ensuring equity at both opportunity and process of university education for the intended beneficiaries. Findings revealed that majority of students on district quota system come from low socio-economic status families, the district quota system is gender equitable, there is numerical geographical equity on district quota system; but there is geographical inequity on disabled students’ scheme. The study recommends that for students to qualify for district quota system, they should have studied both primary and secondary school in that district. The percentage of district quota should be increased from 25% to 50% of government scholarships, urban districts should be excluded from district quota, and government should establish information support services for disabled students. The study was funded by Makerere University Staff Development and was supervised by Prof. Anthony Mugagga Muwagga and Assoc. Prof. Betty Ezati.
LUNYOLO Olive (Ms)
Adapting Leech’s model to explore predictors of successful doctoral student completion in Makerere University
Ms. LUNYOLO Olive explored the predictors of successful doctoral student completion (SDSC) in Makerere University. She operationalized SDSC as readiness to teach at university level, creativity, and readiness to conduct research and publish. The study isolated motivation, thinking style, self-efficacy; curriculum and standards of the program of study; the supervisor and other faculty; and the culture of the college on graduate education as predictors of SDSC. SDSC is important to the student, the university and the labour market, thus stakeholders concerned with doctoral students’ issues in Makerere University should put in place strategies that enhance predictors of SDSC. The study was self-sponsored, and was supervised by Assoc. Prof. Fred Edwardus Bakkabulindi and Dr. Hilary Mukwenda Tusiime.
SSALI Kizza Francis
Determinants of academic staff retention in Makerere and Kyambogo Universities
Mr. SSALI Kizza Francis investigated the determinants of academic staff retention in Makerere and Kyambogo Universities. This was due to the persistent low levels of academic staff retention reported in the two universities in recent times. Using the descriptive cross-sectional survey design, gender, terms of work and work life balance were found to enhance the retention of academic staff more than their marital status, age, work experience, and interpersonal relationships. Therefore, it was concluded that certain factors were more critical than others in determining the retention of academic staff. It was, thus, recommended that the management of the two universities should engender policies that can improve the terms of work and promote optimal work-life balance amongst academic staff. The study was self-sponsored and was supervised by Dr. David Onen and Dr. Genza Gyaviira Musoke.
Please click the links below to navigate to the PhD Citations for the respective Sessions.
The 19th RUFORUM AGM in Yaoundé calls for consolidated efforts towards transforming higher agricultural & tertiary education to contribute to sustainable development & food security in Africa
The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a consortium of 163 universities in 40 African countries held its 19th Annual General Meeting at the Palais De Congres in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 28th October to 2nd November 2023. The first of its kind in West and Central Africa, the RUFORUM AGM 2023 provided an opportunity for over 600 delegates from Africa and beyond including; Ministers, Development Partners, University leaders, students, private sector leaders; farmers and farmer representatives; emerging and early career researchers as well as other key stakeholders in agriculture and higher education to share experiences and chart a way forward for transforming higher agricultural and tertiary education to contribute to sustainable development in Africa under the theme: Transforming Higher Education to Sustainably Feed and Create Prosperity for Africa.
Officially opened by His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, represented by Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé provided a platform for participants to deliberate on key strategies for transforming higher agricultural and tertiary education to contribute to national, continental and global development as well as building consensus among key stakeholders in agriculture and higher education on the actions required to strengthen the role and/or integration of universities in agricultural and national development processes in line with the aspirations of the African Union Agenda 2063 ‘The Africa We Want’.
Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, viewing some of the posters that were presented by participants at the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
In a speech presented by Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo at the official opening ceremony, His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon stressed RUFORUM’s significant efforts to support the African Union Agenda 2063 when he said, “RUFORUM’s vision 2030, makes the body a significant contributor to transformation of Africa and vehemently seeks to harness the discovery, engagements and learning of vibrant transformative universities to catalyze sustainable, inclusive agricultural development to feed and create prosperity for Africa.”
According to him, it is worth indicating that agriculture in Africa should be understood in its broadest sense to include but not limited to animal and crop production, livestock, wild life, fisheries and forestry. Hence RUFORUM’s mission since its inception in 2004, of strengthening the capacities of universities to foster innovation responsive to demands of small holder farmers through the training of higher quality researchers, the output of impact-oriented research and maintenance of collaborative working relations among researchers, farmers, national agricultural research institutions, the Private sector and government is worthy prioritizing.
Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s State Minister, Ministry of Higher Education, receiving the Contemporary painting on behalf His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon.
He called upon participants to use the meeting forum to change the face and image of the African continent through constructive and fruitful deliberations on agricultural production, food safety research and better health food security. To him the RUFORUM AGM is a bigger opportunity to think and act, make proposals, formulate recommendations and necessary resolutions which if acted on can change the face of the African continent.
“This is the turning point for the African continent to think big and have the courage to dream big. This is our opportunity to make a difference in our world. This is the opportunity Africa needed to change the target of its demand of action. We have to mutualize and federate our actions and voices in the interest of a united, strong and prosperous Africa,” he said.
The contemporary painting presented to His Excellence Paul Biya, President of the United Republic of Cameroon by RUFORUM in recognition of his outstanding, selfless and patriotic services s to the people of Cameroon and Africa at large.
The 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting carried a unique vibrant turn as being the first to be held in West and Central Africa. The weeklong event broke the record as the most and well attended ever with over 600 participants across the region as well as international delegates. The colorful event was embroiled with informative, constructive, edutainment activities in form of pre-AGM events, side events, Business Meetings, capacity building and mentoring sessions, scientific conferences, poster sessions and exhibitions well aligned to key thematic areas as well as the AGM theme: Transforming Higher Education to Sustainably Feed and Create Prosperity for Africa.
Additionally, high-level policy dialogues with Ministers, Senior Government Leaders and Development Partners were held to review the finance and other resource mobilization strategies as well as following up on the actualization of the available national, regional and global policies geared towards higher education transformation and ensuring of food security in Africa.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji, the RUFORUM Board Chair and Vice Chancellor University of Bamenda thanked His Excellence Paul Biya and the Government of Cameroon for accepting to host the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting and equally appreciated the financial support towards the same cause.
Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji, the RUFORUM Board Chair and Vice Chancellor University of Bamenda.
In a special way, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji thanked the Ministry of State for Higher education and all the sister ministries of Government of Cameroon that worked hard to see to it that the 19th RUFORUM AGM is a success. Equally, the Board Chair, extended her sincere gratitude to the people of Cameroon for the warm reception and support.
“My special tribute goes to the members of AGM 2023 Sub committees. You have indeed done a great job throughout the ten months of organizing this significant event. On behalf of RUFORUM Network, I thank you. To the RUFORUM Secretariat under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Patrick Okwori, accept our immense gratitude for your strong determination and dedication,” she gratefully said.
An exhibitor showcasing her work at the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
She recognized the tremendous achievements and developments aligned to RUFORUM’s nineteen years (19) of existence noting that the strong network has wisely selected its priority areas of focus to transform higher education and agricultural sector in Africa as;
Reform the training agenda for Africa to meet the development needs
Entrepreneurship and business incubation for wealth creation
Research for Development and wealth creation
Partnerships for scale and impact
“As African people, permit me to use the adage of a broom; it is easy to break a single broom piece but when you combine several small brooms together they then make a broom stack that will not be easy to break. The collective power that RUFORUM has put together through 163 universities from across 40 countries bears such strength. The Vice Chancellors gathered here today remain committed to the core values and foundations of the network. To illustrate this Your Excellency, each of the Vice Chancellors meet their own costs of participation.” She happy said.
Some of the exhibition stalls at the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
In the same spirit the RUFORUM Executive Secretary Prof. Patrick Okori deeply thanked the host Universities that is, University of Bamenda, University of Ngaoundere, University of Dschang, University of Buea and University of Maroua under the strong and able leadership of the RUFORUM Board Chair, Prof. Theresia Nkuo-Akenji for successfully hosting the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting.
He also recognized the Former Vice Chancellor of University of Ngaoundere Prof. Florence Uphie Chinje Melo who heavily supported the AGM preparations. He was astonished with the presence of the Africa Development Bank, MasterCard Foundation, research international communities, RUFORUM for Agricultural Research in Africa, the Africa Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services, sub regional Agricultural organizations such as the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF).
“You have all provided support for this engagement, thank you very much. Together we will continue this journey of transforming Africa’s Agricultural and higher education to produce human resources and development solutions that Africa and indeed the world needs,” he said.
The RUFORUM Executive Secretary Prof. Patrick Okori.
Reflecting on the AGM’s theme, Prof. Okori emphasized the need for Africa to become food secure when he said, “Africa must be an equal opportunity creator for the young generation, it must create wealth for its people and provide opportunities for the present and future and these are well summarized in agenda 2063. It is our collective duty therefore to turn these opportunities and actions into investment.”
According to him, the RUFORUM Network remains strong in building capacity and providing the necessary development solutions and opportunities. He noted that Africa generates about 10-12 million job entrants annually but the continent’s economy in its current configuration can only produce 3 million jobs. To him, for Africa to therefore reap from its demographic dividends, there is need to strengthen the paths to demographic transition of keeping young girls in school.
Prof. Okori also mentioned that RUFORUM is currently intensifying its inclusion and diversity targets. From 45%, the network has an ambitious target of at least 70%. “We must slow the rate at which girls give birth when young. It is the only way we are going to benefit from our population dividend,” he said.
Some of the dignitaries at the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
According to him, the higher degree needs for Africa is pretty dire. The World Bank recommends 10,000 PhDs to Africa. This can be compared to India whose signal population of 1. 4 billion registers 24000 PhDs a year. The pressure therefore on Africa’s side to intensify graduate training is real.
“Our graduate training in sciences therefore is one of the drivers to achieve this and it is the immense reason as to why in this meeting we have social and development partners. We are launching a journey with the Africa Development Bank that will bring us together as apex organizations in Africa to work together and solve our own challenges. However, as we do all these, we need to celebrate Africa. We should be recognizing and celebrating people who made what Africa is today,” he said.
Africa is informed by a number of important mutually interacting factors that collectively, are affecting the growth and progress of the continent. The economic outlook of the African continent in 2023 by the African Development Bank and other global apex development financial institutions was positive. However, Africa’s economic growth has since then decelerated, and is now projected to be lower than the previously projected rate of 4.1%.
Colorful moment when flags of RUFORUM member states were displayed at 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Agriculture a key sector, continues to be affected by both natural and human induced factors. It continues to face serious threats from climate. Studies by the United Nation’s Convention to Combat Desertification show that Africa accounts for 44% of severe droughts recorded globally in the last 50 years, causing economic losses of more than USD 70 billion. In 2022, an estimated loss of US$ 8.5 billion in economic damages was experienced due to climate change. Clearly, climate change and weather variability, remains one of the grand challenges of the 21st century for Africa and the World, because it affects key livelihood and strategic areas of emerging economies.
Unemployment facing Africa’s dominant demographic-the youth, raises questions about education, skilling and jobs creation while inclusion and diversity, the underpinning for an equal society, remains challenging. The question then to academia, researchers, development practitioners and policymakers is, “what step must we take right now to address the challenges to our current and future generations?”
“Our resounding response as RUFORUM is in line with what Malcolm X said many years ago, “Education and research for development are the passports to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today,” said Prof. Partick Okori.
According to the Deputy Minister for Education in Malawi, Her Excellence Mdooko Nancy Chawola who represented the visiting ministers of RUFORUM partner countries, African countries should put in place vibrant resource mobilization mechanisms to collectively finance Africa’s education and support governments that are battling with competitive budgetary demands.
“For the universities to offer solutions for the challenges the continent is facing, there is need to rebuild the curriculum that responds to our current needs and not what we needed yesterday. Our respective countries are grappling with higher levels of unemployment, can investors assist by producing graduates with entrepreneurial skills so that they are able to employ themselves and others. Of course there will be need to put in place support mechanism for such graduates to take over,” she said.
Participants at the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
She equally acknowledged the national regulatory frameworks such as the Malawi Regulation Framework 2063 developed inline with the African Union Agenda 2063 the Africa we want, in which the continent aspires to be prosperous by 2063 through various means such as modernizing agricultural for increased production and productivity there by making people food secure.
She applauded RUFORUM’s efforts towards zero hunger in Africa through its vision 2030. According to Mdooko Nancy Chawola, food security is supposed be prerogative as well highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) that is geared towards ending hunger, attaining food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable development.
In Cameroon, Agriculture and Education have been prioritized as drivers for economic growth and transformation. Through an agricultural flagship program initiated by His Excellence Paul Biya, science programmes and financial services as well as favorable ways of accessing market have been introduced in the country with the aim of transforming agricultural sector into a value added industrialized and integrated system engine of economic growth.
According to Prof. Ngomo Horace Manga- Vice Chancellor, University Buea, the government of Cameroon has resolved to grant its people with education that can help them manage their personal, national and Africa’s present and future economic destiny. In 2022, His excellence Paul Biya endorsed the recruitment process of 2000 lecturers in universities to ensure the quality of higher education in Cameroon.
Prof. Ngomo Horace Manga – Vice Chancellor, University Buea.
“Collectively these education reforms and investment actions affordably can transform the people of Cameroon into a strong emerging market. Cameroon carries the highest science female adoptive rate in sub-Saharan Africa at 73%. This is a strong result of government delivery of United Nations SDG 5 of achieving education and build human capital for the country,” he noted.
The Opening Ceremony for the 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting unlocked the floor for critical discussions and meetings throughout the week. At the same function, RUFORUM presented a contemporary painting to His Excellence Paul Biya, President of the United Republic of Cameroon in recognition of his outstanding, selfless and patriotic services s to the people of Cameroon and Africa at large.
On 25th October 2023, the RUFORUM Network equally participated in the Cameroon Higher Education Day, the first of its kind in the country.
Welcome to the 2nd Issue of the Mak-RIF Bulletin. Makerere University has continued to receive funding from the Government of the Republic of Uganda, earmarked to support faculty members to conduct high impact Research and Innovations that contribute to national development.
In this issue of our Bulletin, we share about how the Mak- RIF Research Agenda and themes highlighted there in are guiding and contributing to our operations, awards made in the past financial years, a highlight of the research achievements, impact to-date, and a flash back to some of the fund activities among others.