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Extension of Swedish Support to Ugandan Public Universities for Research

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Today, 14th May 2020, amidst all odds resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic that has turned the world upside down, I witnessed a moment of joy where Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice-Chancellor representing Makerere University and H.E. Ambassador Per Lindgärde, representing Sweden signed an amendment to the Specific Agreement of the Uganda-Sweden Research Training Partnership program, July 2020-June 2022. Hon Matia Kasaijja, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development signed the general Agreement on behalf of the Government of Uganda.

As you are aware, for the last 20-years, Makerere and Uganda in general have continued to enjoyed the generosity of the Royal Government and people of Sweden. To-date, we have received a total 814 MSEK (over USD $100 million). Tremendous achievements have been made including the creation of an environment conducive to high quality relevant research through investment in human resource development, ICT, library resources, and infrastructure development at Makerere and four Partner Public Universities, namely Kyambogo, Gulu, Busitema and Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

It is heartwarming to report that following a successful appraisal of our result-based management outputs and financial discipline, the Royal Government of Sweden has granted us a 2-year prolongation/extension. The prolongation comes with an additional budget support of 45 million SEK (USD 4.5 million; equivalent to UGX 18billion).

H.E. Per Lindgärde (Right) and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Left) show off the Signed specific Agreement

On behalf of the University Management, I convey our sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Sweden for the financial and material support that has helped to transform the research culture, capacity and quality of research outputs from Makerere University and its Partner Public Universities.

As the Program Coordination Office, DRGT will strive to attain the intended outcomes by applying the key  principles of human rights based approach in its operations, namely transparency, accountability,
participation and non – discrimination.

Sincere appreciation goes to the Principal Investigators (PIs) and researchers that were involved in preparing documents and proposals for this prolongation phase. A lot of work went into this.

Specifically, I wish to thank the Vice Chancellor for the patronage and support; the Government and People of Sweden for this substantial funding; and the entire University Management for creating an enabling environment at Makerere University where all this is happening.

We look forward to an exciting two years ahead.

Article by Professor Buyinza Mukadasi, Director, DRGT, Makerere University

 

Please see Downloads for the Press Release

Mark Wamai

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Directorate of Graduate Training concludes 9-day Phd Cross Cutting Training

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By: Moses Lutaaya

The Directorate of Graduate Training has completed a 9- day PhD crosscutting training course, inducting three groups of PhD students. The groups of students included those in Cohort 1, Cohort 2 and the Non Cohort PhD students. The number of PhD student participants were over 300 students learning via both face to face and online.

The training that started on Monday 2nd June 2025, took place in the New Library Building.

In his closing remarks, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma encouraged the PhD students to put up a spirited fight that would see them remain in the cohort up to the end of the three years of their doctoral studies.

“Get organized, show seriousness in your doctoral pursuit, stay together, make use of your supervisors as and when you need them. We will fully support you in your Doctoral academic journey.” Prof. Kikooma said.

Prof. Kikooma emphasized the need for PhD graduate training saying, “We need more research for the University and Country. This cannot be achieved without increasing the number of graduate students especially PhDs.”

At their different stages of PhD doctoral training, Prof. Kikooma encouraged the students to give feedback to the Directorate and the supervisors so that they are served seamlessly.

Prof. Kikooma further informed the students that going forward, they must cover all the three mandatory cross cutting courses meant to be taught under the three-year program of their doctoral studies.

“All three foundation courses including Scholarly Writing, Advanced Research Methods and Philosophy of Methods will be covered. Tighten your belts. We want to ensure that all these structured programs prepare you for the foundations you need for next two years of research. Success becomes easy when you undertake foundations.”

He challenged the students to use the program in guiding their research directions, making informed decision, improving their critical thinking and consumption of knowledge.

Dr. Dixon Knanakulya, one of the trainers of the doctoral students said, “At PhD level, it is no longer a normal research. It is at a level of knowledge production. The students must understand the main philosophical assumption behind the research methods they use and they must consider the ethical implications of their research. Philosophy of Methods enables them to go through that.”

“PhD students must be creative, innovative and start at the level of researching in the mind. This challenges them to think differently.” He added.

He further said that Philosophy of Methods helps in researches done at the different aspects of the national development plan. “Usually, the students question how the National plans are come up with and support improvement of government policies.”

Dr. Kanakulya added that the research output can be used by government for improvement because it is done by highly skilled researchers. Adding, “They come with very good insights which can be taken on to improve implementation of government programs such as Emyoga and Parish Development Model (PDM).”

He further said that policies are not enough without the social conditions and mindset of the people, saying that PhD scholars can help government know the social conditions and apply policies better.

The Cohort 1 PhD students’ president Mr. Wanyakoko Ebiru Moses said, “This training is extremely important for each student under taking doctoral studies and without it, they cannot acquire the fundamental skills they need to become independent researchers.”

He added that with the knowledge acquired in the Philosophy of Methods training, they will focus on research that aims to resolve societal and community problems.

Dr. Robert Kakuru, the President of Makerere University Academic Staff Association said that Philosophy of Methods is an important pillar in the doctoral journey of every PhD student.

“The Course, Philosophy of Method provides a critical foundation and Philosophical grounding for research methods that doctoral students use to undertake their respective studies. The course further underlines other critical issues that graduate students ought to know, integrate, adopt or adapt in their doctoral journeys.” He said.

Dr. Jim Spire Ssentongo, a senior lecturer and coordinator of the training said, “Philosophy of Methods builds a mass of critical researchers who are able to look at the world not from a narrow point of view but a holistic and broad based sense of understanding reality.”

He added, “Students understand how they can imagine the world to be. They take into account assumptions which inform the methods of research used, how they conduct themselves during research and how they approach respondents during the research process. Such assumptions are laid bear in this training and it helps participants to understand the things they have always held at the back of their minds without deliberately knowing that these are the assumptions they hold and this is how they affect and influence studies.”  

Dr. Ssentongo further said that once PhD students are engaged in reality in its broadness with right assumptions, they are then better placed as researchers to investigate such realities and that whatever they investigate, be it related to the National Development Plan and National Development Initiatives like Emyoga and Parish Development Model. This training positions, them at a more critical level as researchers not only in terms of assumptions but also being thinkers.

The Philosophy of Methods training was supported by the ICARTA – Institutionalization of Advanced Research Training in Africa, a NORHED II Project at Makerere University.

Mak Editor

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CARTA Early Career Researchers in Action

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A photo montage of Dr. Godwin Anywar at the project ‘Traditional medicine in Transition (TMT)’ at the Institute of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany (ISEB) and Botanical Garden, University of Zurich, Switzerland. 4th-12th June 2025. Photo: LinkedIn/Dr. Godwin Anywar

Godwin Anywar, cohort 6, facilitated a brainstorming session on grant writing and application during the research planning and conceptualization workshop and exhibition from a cooperative research and exhibition project, ‘Traditional Medicine in Transition,’ at the Institute of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany (ISEB) and Botanical Garden, University of Zurich, from June 4 to 12, 2025.

Within the month, Godwin also joined the Rising Scholars as a mentor. Formerly known as AuthorAID, Rising Scholars is a global network offering free support, mentorship, training, and resources to researchers across the Global South.

Source: CARTA Newsletter Issue 90

Mark Wamai

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Advancing Regional Health Priorities Through the CARTA Research Hubs

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Training of pre-service cadres in outbreak investigation. Photo: CARTA

Strengthening Research Capacity to Tackle Emerging Infectious Diseases in East Africa

Africa continues to shoulder over 80% of the global infectious disease burden, with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (EIDs and REIDs) like Ebola, COVID-19, tuberculosis, and Rift Valley fever posing serious threats to health systems, economies, and regional security. In biologically fragile regions like East Africa, home to dense populations, climate-sensitive ecosystems, and porous borders, multidisciplinary, cross-border responses are essential. 

To tackle this, the Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (TERID) Research Hub has been established under CARTA and is hosted at Makerere University. Led by CARTA graduate Charles Kato, TERID brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers to fill critical gaps in disease surveillance, policy, prevention, and rapid response, strengthening regional capacity through high-impact, locally relevant science. Learn more

Source: CARTA Newsletter Issue 90

Mark Wamai

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