Today, 18th May 2020, we held a successful virtual Annual Research Planning Meeting with our Swedish Collaborators. The meeting was attended by 145 Participants from five partner Ugandan Public Universities (Makerere, Mbarara, Kyambogo, Busitema, and Gulu) and 11 collaborating Swedish institutions. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, officiated at the opening of the two-day meeting.

The meeting reviewed and regretted the lost research time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and proposed a catch-up/mitigation plan. Even amidst the pandemic that has turned the world upside-down, the researchers and students are resolute in their target to achieve the programme’s high-level goal; establishing a vibrant Ugandan research community able to lead world-class research that impacts positively.

The goal will be achieved through the continued strengthening of doctoral training to enhance the local production of well-trained researchers; improving the institutional capacity of participating Ugandan public universities; building a critical mass of researchers to support high-quality research by improving research infrastructure, strengthening research capacity development, enhancing research management and administration, and establishing appropriate policies and incentives.

In general, the meeting resolved to have adopted the Theory of Change, premised on the assumption that building of research capacity, and research training is dependent on existence of strong institutional support that provides an environment conducive for the production of high-quality research undertaken by its academic staff enrolled in the PhD programme. This will be the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT)’s continued basis to focus on producing that critical mass of researchers through PhD training, training of supervisors and also through the cross-cutting courses that emphasise professional development leading to production of critical, independent researchers in the next two years of Uganda-Sweden engagement.

The meeting continues tomorrow, Tuesday 19th May 2020 at 1pm.

Professor Buyinza Mukadasi, Director, DRGT, Makerere University