General
EfD-Mak Acquires Video Conferencing Facility, Equipment Worth over $20,000
Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak) Centre Uganda has acquired an assortment of IT equipment worth over $20,000 funded by the project funds from Sida.
The acquired equipment includes a video conferencing facility, 65” screen, camera and other accessories including a 30-seater conference table and 20 chairs. The centre procured six laptop computers for the core administrative staff, a four-seater workstation, projector, printer, scanner and photocopier as well as a water dispenser, file cabinets, still photo camera and a recorder.
The equipment was handed over to the centre by the Principal, Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Prof. Eria Hisali on behalf of the university management on 24th August, 2020.
Prof. Hisali thanked the Centre Director for inviting him to the EfD-Mak Office Premises. The centre was allocated space on the fifth floor of the University Centralized Teaching Facility Two (CTF 2).
“It is true that I have been one of the people following the activities of the centre quite closely and I want to say that, on behalf of the university and college management, we most sincerely appreciate all initiatives like this one.
This are very important for the visibility of the university first and foremost, but also for purposes of capacity building for the university staff through research that is being undertaken through participating in different networks” Prof. Hisali remarked.
The Principal expressed the college and university’s commitment to continue supporting this initiative and to create a good environment that enables the centre to grow an even into a bigger self-sustaining entity.
“These are important contributions to not only the development of our country but to the continent and indeed the world as a whole. My purpose of coming was to not only see the equipment but also thank and encourage you to continue working harder” , The Principal appreciated.
Prof. Hisali however noted that the centre’s limited office space and advised the leadership to look at the possibility of having the video conferencing facility allocated its own home.
“I think the immediate thing is for you to consult the Estates and Works department because ordinarily, this video conferencing facility can be used by quite a number of people and the space here will limit the value we can get from accommodating a bigger number of participants”, the Principal advised.
The Centre Director Prof. Edward Bbaale thanked the EfD Secretariat and Sida for the financial support.
“Having this video conferencing facility is very much welcome and we thank EfD and Sida for the grant that led to the procurement.
We have now a fully furnished video conferencing facility that is going to help us in exchanging ideas locally and interacting with other researchers globally via zoom and other modern communication channels. This is very great to us as a young centre”, Prof. Bbaale expressed.
Prof. Bbaale also said, with such a fully furnished centre, researchers were going to enjoy managing huge data sets that require more processing power and computers with the latest software.
He thanked the Principal for the support rendered to the centre and his personal engagement in a number of EfD activities right from the proposal writing stage to date.
“The main reason we have invited you is to account for the equipment and furniture that the centre has acquired given the roles in your docket. This is Council space and you can allocate any user available.” The director explained.
The EfD-Mak is a new Centre at Makerere University established in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2018, under the Environment for Development Initiative (EfD), a global network of environmental economics research centres sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
EfD-Mak started its full operations in the financial year 2019/2020. The centre is headed by Prof. Edward Bbaale, from the School of Economics, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) as the Director, deputized by Prof. Johnny Mugisha, from the School of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
Report Compiled by: Jane Anyango, Principal Communication Officer, CAES.
Makerere University on 23rd January 2026 hosted the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) validation meeting of the draft minimum standards for implementing Competence-Based Education (CBE) in Higher Education Institutions. The meeting held in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium brought together Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Principals and Academic Registrars from Higher Education Institutions in Uganda.
Hosted by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali, the meeting followed institutional input into the draft minimum standards and was aimed at validating them prior to their formal adoption by the NCHE Council at their next meeting in February 2026. The minimum standards cover nine areas namely; 1) Curriculum Design, 2) Teaching and Learning Approaches, 3) Assessment, 4) Faculty Training and Support, 5) Student Support Services, 6) Quality Assurance Systems, 7) Industry and Community Linkages, 8) Monitoring and Evaluation, and 9) Gender and Equity Mainstreaming.
Following feedback into presentations by the various leaders present, a motion to adopt the draft minimum standards, with institutional input incorporated, was moved by Bugema University, seconded by UMCAT School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and unanimously supported by institutions present.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Prof. Sarah Ssali appreciated NCHE for choosing Makerere to host the landmark event, reiterating that the University greatly respects each and every Higher Education Institution and regards them as partners and collaborators in the quest to improve Uganda’s Higher Education sector.
The Executive Director NCHE, Prof. Mary Okwakol reassured leaders present that all the pertinent issues raised for input into the draft minimum standards would be incorporated, and urged those with pressing issues to submit them before month’s end. She reiterated NCHE’s readiness to continue lobbying Government for the resources required by Higher Education Institutions, particularly Public Universities, to implement Competence-Based Education (CBE).
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