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Prof. Nawangwe Shares Mak’s ODeL Milestones at 16th RUFORUM AGM High Level Dialogue

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As part of activities to mark its 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) held a High Level Dialogue on the theme Realignment towards Online Teaching and Learning in Universities: Learning from each other. The virtual event held on 18th November 2020 was split into two sessions, with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe as Lead Speaker for the first and Prof Francis Petersen, Vice Chancellor and Principal, University of Free State, Southern Africa as Lead Speaker for the second.

Welcoming participants to the dialogue, RUFORUM Executive Secretary, Prof. Adipala Ekwamu noted that galvanizing efforts towards online teaching and learning in Universities in Africa remains an important and relevant factor. This, he said, would require in-depth analysis of modern digital technologies, pedagogical approaches that must be adopted as well as knowledge and skills to facilitate the transition to online teaching and learning in the face of COVID-19.

The first session was moderated by Prof. Dora F. Edu-Buandoh, Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. She asked the Lead Speaker, Prof. Nawangwe to give an overview of and discuss how integration of digital technologies can be effected in African universities’ systems to cause meaningful impact. She also requested him to share the key challenges universities have recorded in mainstreaming online teaching and learning in the Higher Education System in Africa.

Delivering his presentation in the context of Makerere University, Prof. Nawangwe shared that despite numerous technological advances and increased penetration of smart phones in Africa, the digital divide is still real and is further compounded by factors such as unreliable electricity supply. He nevertheless pointed out that the Makerere University E-Learning Environment (MUELE) is a Moodle-based Learning Management System (LMS) backed by some of the best ICT infrastructure with a bandwidth capacity of 0.5Mbps. MUELE had 791 well-designed, interactive, activity-based courses before April 2020 and 157 have since been added.

The Vice Chancellor said that Makerere University opted to embrace blended learning, which makes use of a combination of technologies, approaches and methodologies, to deliver courses to learners separated by time and space from facilitators as well as fellow learners. He added that the University Open, Distance and eLearning (ODeL) Policy was approved by the University Council in 2015. The policy paved way for the creation of an ODeL pedagogy support Unit, the Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning (IODeL).

Prof. Nawangwe shared that both the previous and current (2020-2030) institutional Strategic Plans had recognized ODeL as a major strategy and as such, put in place quality assurance systems as outlined in the Quality Assurance Policy. He said that whereas the current institutional budget of UGX 200Million per annum to support ODeL was still low, support towards the enabling environment; ICT Services and Internet bandwidth costs, is close to US$ 1Million.

Sharing results from the E-Learning Readiness Tracer Study conducted by the University prior to emergency ODeL rollout, Prof. Nawangwe noted that 75% of over 12,400 student respondents had expressed willingness to continue their studies online. Some of the challenges cited by students unwilling to continue learning online included high data costs, lack of laptops and poor connectivity in rural areas, among others.

To help support the emergency ODeL rollout and ensure that these genuine concerns were addressed, the Vice Chancellor had negotiated with telecommunication companies to effect zero rating of Makerere University’s E-Learning and other related websites. The University has also negotiated with equipment manufacturers to help secure affordable laptops for staff and students.

In the spirit of leaving no student behind, the University has appointed E-Learning coordinators for each School and is making progress with developing learning assistance/options for students with visual impairment and other disabilities. The Vice Chancellor concluded by sharing that Makerere University has since 1991 been preparing for ODeL delivery, which is the future of teaching and learning even after the COVID-19 pandemic dissipates. He summed it all up by saying that recent policy changes brought about by COVID-19 will enable the institution to rollout emergency ODeL to traditionally face-to-face programmes whilst strengthening existing ones.

The first panelist of the day was Prof. Address Malata, Vice Chancellor of the Malawi University of Science and Technology. In her presentation, she noted that lack of; policy frameworks, necessary infrastructure, experience in pedagogy by academic staff and experience in learning by students were some of the key challenges in realigning learning content for effective online delivery.

In line with online pedagogy, Prof. Malata said that the lack of knowledge and skills to; customize content for teaching, engage with and properly assess students were some of the biggest challenges for academic staff. She also identified lack of time management skills to effectively plan for online teaching as another major hindrance for staff.

On the part of online learning by students, she outlined the lack of knowledge and skills to; handle non-traditional forms of lecture delivery such as video and audio, engage with lecturers and fellow students, and deal with non-traditional forms of assessment such as quizzes as some of the challenges. Prof. Malata pointed out most students’ lack of experience with the learner centered approach, which requires them to actively participate in classroom activities as an additional challenge.

Linking African Universities with knowledge centres in the area of online teaching and learning is a precursor for institutions learning from each other. Explaining how this may be achieved, Prof. Malata said there is need to create centres of excellence in online teaching and learning in different Universities in Africa. These, she said, may be complemented by the creation of an annual peer-reviewed conference and an African Journal both dedicated to online teaching and learning.

 Prof. Youssao Abdou Karim Issaka from the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin was the second panelist of the day. He represented the Beninese Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, H.E. Hon. Prof. Dr. Eleonore Ladekan Yayi. Prof. Issaka noted that whereas internet bandwidth was initially insufficient to support online teaching and learning, the Government of Benin had managed to improve it to 100Mbps per University. The country has four major universities, with two of these being multidisciplinary.

In a bid to support online teaching and learning in the wake of COVID-19, the Beninese Government had successfully negotiated with telecommunication companies for zero-rating access to online teaching and learning platforms in all universities including privately-owned ones. In order to ensure quality in Higher Education, Prof. Issaka said that his Government had put in place a project to restructure all courses to be tenable online. This as well as other interventions have enabled Universities in Benin to stay on schedule to complete the current academic year in December 2020.  

Responding to a question from Prof. Edu-Buandoh on how the integrity of the examinations process will be maintained under ODeL, Prof. Nawangwe shared that examinations at Makerere University will not be conducted online for this academic year. He added that whereas exams for this semester would be conducted in situ, the University was working with experts from various fields on protocols to facilitate online examinations in the future.

Article by Public Relations Office

Mark Wamai

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Mak CEES discusses partnership with King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language

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Standing L-R: Dr. Ayoub Twahir Sekitto, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, Dr. Hanan Al Malki, Dr. Muhammad Musoke Kiggundu, and Dr. Ibrahim Ssali in group photo on 17th June 2025. Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga meeting with Dr. Hanan Al Malki, Director of Program and Centre Planning and Management, King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, aimed at building institutionalized partnerships in language education in Uganda and globally, 17th June 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

On 17th June 2025, the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga hosted a meeting with Dr. Hanan Al Malki, the Director of Program and Centre Planning and Management at the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, aimed at building institutionalized partnerships in language education in Uganda and globally.

The proposed collaboration presents Makerere University with a golden opportunity to increase the number of students studying the Arabic language at the Undergraduate and Masters’ degree levels respectively through provision of scholarships, as well as, staff and student exchange programmes.

With reference to the 2024/2025 academic year, over 40 students are studying Arabic Language studies under the Bachelor of Arts with Education degree programme, and two (2) students studying the Arabic language at the Masters degree level at the College of Education and External Studies.

Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, CEES Principal, delivering his opening remarks. Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga meeting with Dr. Hanan Al Malki, Director of Program and Centre Planning and Management, King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, aimed at building institutionalized partnerships in language education in Uganda and globally, 17th June 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, CEES Principal, delivering his opening remarks.

Welcoming Director Malki to the College, Prof. Mugagga expressed the readiness of staff members to collaborate with reputable partners to promote language education in Uganda and globally. He was delighted that through this meeting, the College had embarked on a fruitful discussion to partner with an international academy established to teach, promote and preserve the Arabic language.

The meeting brought on board the following academic staff at Makerere University: Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke-Head, Department of Humanities and Language Education, Dr. Ayoub Twahir Sekitto-Coordinator Arabic Languages at the School of Education, and Dr. Ibrahim Ssali- Coordinator Arabic Language, College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Committed to forging collaboration with the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, Dr. Malki disclosed that partnering with universities was one of the most effective strategies in the promotion of the Arabic language, and revival of the Arabic culture in Uganda. In line with advancing the Arabic culture and values globally, Dr. Malki emphasized the academy’s focus on language planning, computational linguistics, education, and culture.

Dr. Hanan AL Malki, the Director of Program and Center Planning and Management at the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language. Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga meeting with Dr. Hanan Al Malki, Director of Program and Centre Planning and Management, King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, aimed at building institutionalized partnerships in language education in Uganda and globally, 17th June 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Dr. Hanan AL Malki, the Director of Program and Center Planning and Management at the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language.

Contributing to the discussion on examining proficiency in the language, Dr. Malki recommended the use of digital testing to measure students’ proficiency in Arabic language.

During the meeting, both parties agreed to actively participate in the rejuvenation of Arabic studies at Makerere University and Uganda at large, through frameworks and institutionalized approaches guided by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU would set parameters for the collaboration integrating the proposed hosting of an Arabic Centre at Makerere University, provision of scholarships, staff and student mobility programmes, joint lectures and supervision, and establishment of teaching and learning facilities.

The College Principal supported the proposal to establish a specialized Arabic Institute with a Language Auditorium. According to Prof. Mugagga, the facility would provide one-stop centre for the teaching of the Arabic language and cultural exchange.

Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, Principal CEES receiving a sovereign gift from the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language. Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga meeting with Dr. Hanan Al Malki, Director of Program and Centre Planning and Management, King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, aimed at building institutionalized partnerships in language education in Uganda and globally, 17th June 2025, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, Principal CEES receiving a sovereign gift from the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language.

The Head of the Department of Humanities and Language Education, Dr.  Kiggundu Musoke stressed the need to prioritize teacher training in the Arabic language field. He explained that through its degree programmes, the College of Education and External Studies trains a number of students/teachers, who on completion of their studies, contribute to the teaching, promotion and dissemination of the Arabic language in Uganda and beyond.  However, the demand to enroll for the Arabic language studies is curtailed by the financial limitations faced by some of the prospective applicants.

Convinced that if the prospective students are supported financially to access University education the student enrollment in Arabic language studies would increase to the desired levels, Dr. Kiggundu Musoke urged members to expedite the finalization of the MoU to boost collaboration and provision of scholarships to both staff and students.

Ritah Namisango
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Makerere Charts Bold Path for Digital Learning with New ODeL Master Plan

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Stakeholders pose for a group photo at the unveiling and stakeholder review of the Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL). Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University has taken a significant step toward transforming its digital education landscape with the unveiling and stakeholder review of its Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL). The consultative workshop, held on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Hotel Africana, brought together university leadership, academic staff, student representatives, and development partners to review the 10-year roadmap aimed at scaling access to quality, affordable, and inclusive education.

The workshop was officially opened by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Professor Buyinza Mukadasi, who represented the Vice Chancellor. In his remarks, Prof. Buyinza underscored the transformative potential of the KOICA-supported initiative.

Professor Buyinza Mukadasi enjoys a light moment. Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Professor Buyinza Mukadasi enjoys a light moment.

“This project is a significant milestone in our journey to enhance the university’s capacity in ODeL,” he noted. “With support from the people of the Republic of Korea, KOICA’s grant will enable us to strengthen our ODeL infrastructure, develop high-quality digital content, and build staff capacity. This investment will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on our institution and the wider education sector in Uganda.”

Prof. Buyinza also paid tribute to the late Prof. Sung Seyeoung, the head of the Project Management Consultant team in Seoul, who passed away earlier this year, describing him as “a dedicated partner in this transformative journey.”

Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Ms. Ahn Jihee and part of the audience at the event. Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Ms. Ahn Jihee and part of the audience at the event.

The project, which began in 2024, is being implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS). It focuses on three core components: development of a strategic and contextualized ODeL masterplan; capacity building for academic, administrative, and technical staff; and enhancement of ODeL infrastructure, including a new Learning Management System (LMS), Content Management System (CMS), ICT equipment, and the construction of a dedicated ODeL building.

Professor Henry Alinaitwe, the Project Investigator, emphasized the forward-looking nature of the initiative. “Through this masterplan, we are not only expanding access to higher education across Uganda and beyond, but also redefining how knowledge is delivered in the 21st century,” he said.

Professor Henry Alinaitwe. Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Professor Henry Alinaitwe.

The workshop aimed to disseminate information about the masterplan, gather stakeholder feedback, and prepare the document for preliminary approvals by the University Senate and Council. The draft was developed by a joint task force composed of Ugandan and Korean experts, including representatives from KNOU, KDS, Makerere’s Institute of Open, Distance and e-Learning (IODel), and the Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS).

Prof. Alinaitwe noted that all three project components are progressing steadily. Training sessions are underway both in Uganda and Korea, and the design for the Mak-ODeL building is currently 60% complete, with construction expected to commence later in the year.

The ODeL Master Plan (2025–2035) envisions Makerere as a regional hub for digital education. It outlines strategies to increase the number of accredited ODeL programmes, enhance ICT infrastructure, improve content development, and ensure that distance learners can access high-quality and flexible education through the university’s Moodle-based MUELE platform.

Left to Right: Part of the Makerere team—Co-PI Dr. Venny Nakazibwe, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo, PI Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, and Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda, Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Left to Right: Part of the Makerere team—Co-PI Dr. Venny Nakazibwe, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo, PI Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, and Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda.

Speaking at the workshop, KOICA Country Director Ms. Ahn Jihee commended Makerere for its commitment to digital transformation. “We believe education is a powerful driver of national development, and we are proud to partner with Makerere University on this ambitious journey,” she said. “Our partnership is not just about technology, but about building resilient systems and empowered people who can shape the future.”

She also recognized the efforts of both Ugandan and Korean teams and encouraged continued dialogue and knowledge sharing.

Currently, only 8 of Makerere’s academic programmes are offered through ODeL. However, the university’s Strategic Plan (2020–2030) envisions a substantial increase in that number. The new masterplan draws from international best practices including models from KNOU, Hanoi Open University, and the Africa Virtual University.

Ms. Ahn Jihee. Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Ms. Ahn Jihee.

Prof. Alinaitwe extended special thanks to KOICA and its Kampala-based experts Prof. Kim Hyunjoo and Mr. Kim Kihun for their ongoing support, and acknowledged the contributions of the Makerere team—Prof. Paul Muyinda, Dr. Godfrey Mayende, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo, Dr. Richard Kajumbula, Mr. Samuel Mugabi, and Co-PI Dr. Venny Nakazibwe.

“We are laying the foundation for a future where Makerere University can provide education that is not just accessible, but also adaptable to the needs of learners wherever they may be,” he concluded.

The masterplan, once finalized and approved, is expected to usher in a new era of blended, learner-centered education that meets both local and global demands.

Professor Anthony Muwagga Mugagga. Unveiling and stakeholder review of Draft Master Plan for Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL), funded by KOICA and implemented with technical support from the Korea National Open University (KNOU) and the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), 5th June 2025, Hotel Africana, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Professor Anthony Muwagga Mugagga.

In his closing remarks, Professor Anthony Mugagga, who represented the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), applauded participants for their insightful engagement. He emphasized the need for academic units to take ownership of ODeL implementation.

“The future of education is blended and borderless,” Prof. Mugagga said. “We must collectively embrace this shift—not just through policy, but through action: by developing new programmes, supporting learners, and investing in infrastructure that will carry us into the next generation of higher education.”

He also expressed appreciation to KOICA for its continued support and funding, which he said is helping to shape a more resilient and inclusive education system for Uganda and the region.

Betty Kyakuwa
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Trump vs. Harvard: A Threat to Academic Freedom Driving African Students to China

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Harvard Business School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Source: Faith Ninivaggi

By Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru

The escalating fight between veteran US President Donald Trump and the powerful American institutions like Harvard University is politics, it’s bare-faced incursion into intellectual freedom that can reshape the international world of higher education, particularly for Africans. The latest “scandal,” Trump’s combative condemnation of colleges as liberal ideological hotbeds, amplified by legal intimidation and political retaliation against colleges like Harvard, is damaging America’s international reputation as the academic gold standard. Unless the trend continues, African scholars have long regarded American colleges as embodiments of intellectual liberty will seek further afield, such as China’s Tsinghua University, and redefine the landscape of scholarship.

Trump himself, bloated-check on his 2024 campaign and beyond, denounces elite universities as “woke” indoctrination centers. Demands to defund universities, ideological segregation, and laser-beam focus on diversity programs have chilled the atmosphere. Harvard, already on trial for affirmative action and accused of suppressing conservative thinking, is under greater scrutiny than ever. The Trump-endorsed Supreme Court win in 2023 over the case against racially discriminatory admissions, as a triumph for Trump and his faithful, has been exerting political pressure on institutions to fall in line. Politicization is destroying the very essence of intellectual freedom: freedom to pursue truth through means of open-ended inquiry, unhampered by interference.

For African students, it is shattering the American academic dream. America has been the preferred destination of African Muslims for many years, with 400,000 or more African students enrolled in American universities by 2023. Harvard stands for hope, intellectual activism, and interdependence worldwide. But when academic freedom is attacked, either in Muslim nations by executive fiat or group demonization, students question the system. The image of American universities as payoff politics centers rather than temples of knowledge is a great discourager.

Take the case of China, which has placed its universities at the world map. Tsinghua University, affectionately referred to as “China’s MIT,” features among the top 20 universities in the world with state-of-the-art research in AI, engineering, and global governance. China’s Belt and Road initiative has already prompted scholarship collaborations with Africa, awarding more than 50,000 African students scholarship annually. China provides an open alternative to America, in which political anti-foreigner prejudice and visa controls have tightened but in which Tsinghua’s insistence upon technical discipline and non-Western-inspired political scandal-mongering offers a sanctuary to those denied security and possibility.

Life for African students is a game. If the shine fades from American campuses, Nigerian, Kenyan, or Ghanaian students may be lured by the more appealing prospect of subsidized campuses and meritocratic competition culture of Tsinghua. Chinese universities, though not inexpensive, are another deal: intellectual seriousness untainted by ideational competition distorting American campuses. To Africans bureaucratically and financially strained in America, China’s streamlined visa process and subsidized schooling are appealing. Tsinghua welcomed 20% more African applicants in 2024, and the figures can only go up if America’s learning environment deteriorates.

This has far-reaching implications. Chinese-educated Africans will increasingly adopt the Beijing approach to geopolitics, enhancing China’s soft power in Africa. America will lose the intellectual and cultural capital that it has gained through decades of exportation of Africa’s best and brightest for studies in its institutions. Harvard-educated African leaders have led the innovation and governance driver in the continent; a transition to Tsinghua would funnel those networks into China’s quarter. In order to ensure academic freedom and global competitiveness, America should not politicize its colleges and universities. Institutional autonomy must be upheld by academics and legislative members in a situation where scholarship, rather than ideology, is the basis of higher education. For the students from Africa, the consequence is ominous: college selection not only determines their future but that of the continent. And if the Trump-Harvard soap opera continues chewing away at American scholarship’s trust factor, Tsinghua’s gates will swing wider and wider, and Africa’s best and brightest will walk through them with the U.S. in their rearview mirror.

About the Author

Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru is a Doctoral Student at East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru is a Doctoral Student at East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Makerere University.

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