The Academic Registrar Makerere University invites applications for the Special University Entry Examinations for admission to the Diploma in Performing Arts.

The examination will take place on Saturday 18^th May, 2024.

Application process is online for those intending to sit the examination. Kindly note that there is payment of a non-refundable application fee of Shs. 110,000/- excluding bank charges in any (Stanbic Bank Branch, Dfcu Post Bank, UBA and Centenary Bank). The application fees includes 2 Past Papers availed to you on completion of the online process.

TO BE ELIGIBLE TO SIT THE EXAMINATIONS, THE CANDIDATE MUST POSSESS AN O’LEVEL CERTIFICATE (UCE) WITH AT LEAST 5 PASSES.

The deadline for receiving the online applications is Thursday 16^th May 2024.

How to Apply

• Application is online for ALL applicants.
• Other relevant information can be obtained from Undergraduate Mature Age Office, Level 5 Senate Building, Makerere University or can be acceessed from https://see.mak.ac.ug
• A non refundable application fee of Shs. 110,000= for Ugandans, Easte Africans Applicants. Or US $ 75 or equivalent for internationalapplicants plus bank charges should be paid in any of the banks used by Uganda Revenue Authority.
• Apply through the application portal https://see.mak.ac.ug

Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza

ACADEMIC REGISTRAR

The Academic Registrar, Makerere University invites applications from Ugandan, East African, and international applicants for the undergraduate programmes under the private sponsorship scheme for the 2024/2025 Academic Year.

Each applicant should:

Have the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) with at least five passes, or its equivalent and at least two principal passes at Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) obtained at the same sitting. For day programmes only candidates who sat A’ Level in 2023, 2022 and 2020 are eligible to apply. For evening, afternoon, and external programmes, a candidate is not restricted on the year of sitting A’ Level. Detailed information on the weighting system can be accessed by following this link.

Other relevant information can be obtained from UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS OFFICE, LEVEL 3, SENATE BUILDING OR CAN BE found on the University Website https://www.mak.ac.ug. Effective Tuesday 30^th April, 2024.                                               

A non-refundable application fee of shs.50,000/= for Ugandans, East African and S. Sudan applicants or $75 or equivalent for internationals  plus bank charges should be paid in any of the banks used by Uganda Revenue Authority.                                           

 Candidates who hold grades X, Y, Z, 7 and 9 of ‘O’Level results should not apply because they are not eligible for admission.     

How to submit your application                                            

1. Applicants should access the Institution’s Admissions URL https://apply.mak.ac.ug/
2. Sign up by clicking on the REGISTER NOW. Use your full name, e-mail and Mobile No.  Please note that your name must be similar to the one on your supporting academic documents for your application to be considered valid.
3. A password will be sent to you on your mobile phone and email.                                      
4. The system will prompt you to change the password to the one you can easily remember.
5. To fill an application form, click on the APPLY NOW button displayed on the appropriate running scheme.                                              
6. Obtain a payment reference number by clicking on “Pay for Form” Button
7. Make a payment at any of the banks used by Uganda Revenue Authority                                            

MOBILE MONEY PAYMENT STEPS:                                                 

1. Dial *272*6# on either MTN or Airtel                                                             
2. Select option 3-Admission                                                     
3. Select option 3-Pay Fees
4. Enter reference number obtained from Application portal 
5. Details of Application form will be confirmed                                                              
6. Enter PIN to confirm payment                                                            

The closing date for receiving applications for undergraduate admissions is Wednesday 31st May 2024.                                                           

WARNING:                                                             

1. Applicants are strongly warned against presenting forged or other people’s academic documents to support their applications for admission.  The consequences, if discovered, are very grave indeed.
2. Do not buy any other documents not originating from the Academic Registrar’s Office.  Those who buy them do so at their own risk. 
3. The Academic Registrar has not appointed any agent to act on his behalf to solicit for additional funds other than the application fee stated above.    
4. Applicants are advised to use the right programme names and codes. the university will not be responsible for any wrong information entered in the system by applicants.                                               

Further details including fees structure can be accessed by following the link: Advert for Private Sponsorship Undergraduate Admissions 2024/25 Academic Year

Further information can be obtained by following the links below:

• Full Advert for undergraduate Admissions (Self Sponsorship Scheme) 2024/25 AY
• Weighting System and other Information

Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi
ACADEMIC REGISTRAR

The two-day Annual Forum for Graduate Research and Policy dialogue concluded on Friday 26^th April 2024 with the Directorate for Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) calling on PhD candidates to embrace the feedback received from peers and mentors as well as seek avenues of identifying and protecting any Intellectual Property (IP) arising out of their work. The Director DRGT, Prof. Edward Bbaale particularly reminded candidates that whereas their papers had been subject to single-blind peer review and passed, additional feedback should always be expected in an academic environment. The Deputy Director DRGT, Prof. Robert Wamala on the other hand called upon candidates to visit the Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO) to receive insights on aspects of their research, innovations and services that are unique and ought to be protected.

Day two of the forum was officially opened by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Umar Kakumba, who was represented by the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi. The DVCAA in his remarks reminded PhD fellows that their research will be of ultimate benefit to society when it transcends the initial objective of generating new knowledge, to translation into effective technologies, innovations and strategies that can be appropriately delivered to beneficiaries.

“It is therefore gratifying that this convention has helped to establish a supportive community of doctoral students and promote social and intellectual interactions among students and researchers from academia, industry and government” he appreciated.

Prof. Buyinza further highlighted that the current drive by Ugandan Universities to transition into centres of excellence in graduate training will be facilitated by training of high-calibre staff and enabling the development of new PhD curricula. Makerere University in particular, he noted, is currently developing Taught PhD curricula in most disciplines as a way of tapping into crosscutting knowledge that empowers graduates to tackle today’s multifaceted challenges.

He nevertheless urged PhD fellows on the current curricula to embrace the philosophy of interconnectivity by attending research dissemination outside their disciplines and incorporating those insights that help their research address the bigger picture.

Prior to this, the Chairperson of the Annual Forum’s Organising Committee and Deputy Director DRGT, Prof. Julius Kikooma had painted a picture of what had transpired on day one. He started off by thanking Hon. Dr. John C. Muyingo for presiding over the opening ceremony, where he launched the Research Information Management System (RIMS) as well as the Vice Chancellor for delivering an impromptu keynote address, which demonstrated his passion for research and the power that it’s commercialisation holds for driving industrialisation that can propel Uganda’s and Africa’s development aspirations.

Prof. Kikooma further highlighted that papers presented on day one each highlighted the importance of research as an awareness raising tool that can foster implementation of innovations that impact various spheres of societal well-being. Researchers on Day one nevertheless admitted that a lot of their findings never make it to the implementation stage, hence the need for research uptake strategies.

“Noteworthy were calls for multidisciplinary research teams, which were reechoed as a catalyst for championing a broader understanding of the different issues that may impact development, and foster reception and implementation by policymakers at both local and international levels” continued Prof. Kikooma.

The papers he highlighted equally took note of; increasing minority groups and marginalised persons albeit no interventions in sight, the need to close the knowledge gap in different interventions across numerous development sectors, financing for capacity building and interventions so as to create meaningful and lasting impact of interventions, and the need for more bankable data to foster decision making and policy formulation in areas such as health, environment and energy.

Highlights by Prof. Kikooma further took note of; the resourcefulness of community engagement and collaboration in research undertakings as an essential step to foster uptake and use of research findings, as well as socio-cultural biases, attitudes and stereotypes and constraints in the form of resources and technologies that affect scaling up of research efforts.

Prof. Kikooma equally took lead in the reflections on mental health and well-being for graduate students. He addressed the prevalence of mental health problems among graduate students and environmental factors that could actually be the source of these mental health challenges.

“It is crucial that we start more open conversations about mental health and well-being on campuses, to breakdown the stigma, to support students to build up their emotional resilience, and to enable more people to seek support from counseling and mental health services when things get tough” Prof. Kikooma proposed.

Graduate students as architects of knowledge production, pioneers of innovation, and catalysts of progress are an integral part of Makerere’s quest to become a research-led university. This position was reiterated by Prof. Edward Bbale’s remarks, wherein he further emphasized, “we count on you in terms of your dedication, your thirst for discovery, that must shape the future of our university and contribute to the socio-economic transformation of Uganda”.

He called upon PhD candidates to interest themselves keenly in the policies that govern their environment such as the; Intellectual Property Management Policy, Research and Innovations Policy as well as the Intellectual Property Management Office as structures that have been put in place to ensure that their research is well-facilitated.

“Makerere University is very resolute to explore and walk the entire journey along the value chain from research and innovation to commercialisation. In line with this, the Makerere University Innovation Pod was established to package and market research outputs and innovations for impactful adoption within communities” explained Prof. Bbaale.

In addition to emphasis that the Innovation Pod is multidisciplinary and therefore open to innovations from all disciplines, he equally reemphasied the need for staff and students to use the Makerere University Press (Mak Press) to publish their work. Mak Press, Prof. Bbaale noted, is well recognised across the globe and works published therein will receive wide consumption and appreciation.

Addressing the audience, the Managing Editor Mak Press, Dr. William Tayeebwa clarified that all scholars at Makerere University have the privilege of having their works published free of charge by his unit, and better still, are eligible to receive 20% of the proceeds from the sales of their publications. To practically illustrate the opportunity at hand, Dr. Tayeebwa admitted that paper presentations from the two-day forum were good candidates for compilation into a book that can be published by Mak Press.

He revealed that talks with College Principals had addressed the need to support Graduate Students to publish their work in college-based journals. “The commitment we want to make as Makerere University Press under the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training is to continue this conversation with College Principals, especially to have special issues dedicated to PhD student work.”

The President PhD Fellows at Makerere University (Pf@Mak), Ms. Clare Cheromoi not only thanked Mak Press, DRGT and the University Management for putting in place a supportive environment for the students to thrive but like the proverbial Oliver Twist, also asked for more. She called upon PhD candidates to not only consider university-wide events such as the Annual Forum as a marketplace for their powerful ideas but also an avenue to build lasting relationships.

“I thank you and welcome you all to our training on policy briefs that will be held on Wednesday 1^st May 2024,” added the President to the PhD community.

Prof. Bbaale concluded the day’s remarks by inviting the President and Executive Committee of Pf@Mak to consider making the Annual Forum a Bi-annual event so as to grant even more PhD candidates the opportunity to present their work.

“As the Directorate, we are committed to enhancing such meetings and interactions and we are very grateful that the University Central Management and Vice Chancellor is very passionate, and we received their utmost support financially and otherwise” he added.

Prof. Bbaale paid tribute to his predecessor and Principal Investigator RIMS, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi for ensuring that his idea saw the light of day. He reassured PhD candidates that they would receive priority in the implementation of RIMS, so as to make their journey even smoother.

He thanked the Annual Forum and Policy Dialogue’s Organising Committee led by Prof. Julius Kikooma for a job well done in organising the inaugural event, and tasked them to aim higher so as to make future events bigger. He singled out the contribution of the Forum’s moderator, the Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango for seamlessly steering the event, and the Media and ICT Teams for ensuring that the research findings shared at the Forum made their way to virtual audiences both in real-time and subsequent news broadcasts.