The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is a network of African universities. Until 2004, the Network had operated as a programme of the Rockefeller Foundation beginning in 1992 known as Forum for Agricultural Resource Husbandry (FORUM). FORUM focused on capacity building to enhance food and nutrition security, working with faculties of agriculture in 10 Universities in five countries (Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zimbabwe).
RUFORUM is now registered in Uganda as an International Non‐Governmental Organisation (NGO) with a membership of 126 universities in 38 countries across the African continent. Membership to RUFORUM is open to African postgraduate degree-awarding institutions with faculties, schools, institutes or equivalent units in the field of agriculture and related sciences and those offering science, technology and innovation programmes.
Why RUFORUM exists
Institutionally, RUFORUM aims to:
Foster integration of African universities into the national agricultural innovation systems (NAIS).
Provide a platform for training quality graduates to support development processes in Africa.
Rationalise resource use and enhance economies of scale and scope.
Provide a platform for networking, resource mobilisation and advocacy for agricultural higher education, science, Technology and Innovation in Africa
To achieve the above aims, RUFORUM developed its Vision 2030 Strategy through a wide‐ranging consultative prioritization and consensus building process among the member universities and other actors from within and outside Africa for implementing the three strategic goals.
Inclusiveness – by promoting both a balance in the gender of researchers (faculty, student and partner agencies) and in the inclusion of a gender perspective in the project proposals;
Social responsibility – by promoting links with, and understanding of, conditions in rural areas and to expose students and faculty to the rewards of service through the projects supported;
Long-term change – through a focus on systemic change and capacity building;
Sustainability – through awareness of the environmental impact of the proposed research
Diversity – by recognizing and valuing differences and similarities in perspectives, by ensuring an appropriate balance between generic and disciplinary approaches to problem solving;
Creativity – by providing faculty and students with opportunities to develop innovative solutions both in addressing the problems faced by smallholder farmers, and in managing research projects in remote areas;
Collaboration – through the multi-agency teams encouraged through the CARP and to a lesser extent the GRG. Through these teams RUFORUM is dedicated to the emergence of pro-active networks and better communication which is further consolidated through the establishment of a National Forum;
Excellence – through an independent selection of the best proposals and a mentoring and monitoring system to ensure quality in its programs and awards, through encouraging such systems in all member faculties, and through building the reputation of the research and networking that emerges from the CGS;
Equity – by investing in the member institutions which are under-represented in grant awards so that they may compete effectively in the future; and,
Enhanced human capital – by encouraging timely graduation and commitment to serving African development
The RUFORUM Secretariat is located at Plot 151, Garden Hill, Makerere University Main Campus, Kampala Uganda. Tel: +256-417-713-300, Email: secretariat[at]ruforum.org, Website: www.ruforum.org
Makerere University School of Public Health, through the Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, is accepting applications for a two-week online short course on Introduction to Decision Modelling for Economic Evaluation.
The course will introduce participants to the principles and practical application of decision modelling in economic evaluation, covering Markov modelling, evidence synthesis, model development, validation, sensitivity analysis and interpretation of results to inform policy and resource allocation.
Convened by Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa, Associate Professor of Health Economics at MakSPH, the course will feature Dr. Joseph Babigumira, Managing Consultant at GHE Consulting, as Guest Lecturer.
The training targets health professionals, researchers, policymakers, students and other individuals interested in applying decision modelling to economic evaluation.
Dates: 9–20 November 2026 Time: 3:00–6:00 PM EAT Mode: Online via Zoom Fees: UGX 800,000 (Ugandans) | USD 270 (non-Ugandans) Application Deadline: 1 November 2026
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The meeting in session.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (L) presents an assortment of Makerere Souvenirs to Prof. Dingyu Ou (R).
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (L) presents an assortment of Makerere Souvenirs to Prof. Zhuoqiong Xia (R).
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
Makerere University School of Public Health invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for three positions under the Wellcome Trust-supported NETOMA study, which examines the coexistence of health worker shortages and unemployment among qualified health professionals in Africa.
Available Positions
Research Officer To coordinate longitudinal research, data management, quality assurance, and statistical analysis across study sites. Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21465
Policy Scientist To undertake health workforce policy research, evidence synthesis, qualitative analysis and knowledge translation. Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21468
Research Assistants To support participant recruitment, field data collection, research documentation, and analysis. Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21470
Application deadline: Friday, 16 October 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EAT .