The Vice Chancellor-Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (2nd R), Stanbic Bank CEO-Ms. Anne Juuko (R), Ag. DVCFA, Dr. Josephine Nabukenya (3rd R) and other members of Central Management listen to DVCAA-Dr. Umar Kakumba (4th L) during the meeting on 12th April 2021, CTF1, Makerere University.
As Makerere University gears up for celebrations to mark 100 years of existence in the second half of 2022, a team from Stanbic Bank Uganda (SBU) led by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms. Anne Juuko on Monday 12th April, 2021 held discussions with a special session of Central Management on how to deepen collaboration. Chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the session specifically provided a platform for Stanbic to showcase the non-banking services that Makerere can take advantage of in the quest to become a research-led university.
The special session was prompted by a prior engagements between the Acting (Ag.) Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)-DVCFA, Dr. Josephine Nabukenya and Ms. Juuko, wherein the latter expressed SBU’s interest in partnering with Makerere to deliver her ten year strategic objectives. The Vision for the ten year (2020-2030) strategic plan is “a thought leader of knowledge generation for societal transformation and development”.
“Makerere University’s first strategic goal to translate into a research-led university requires a lot of thinking through on how the different services can be rehabilitated into frameworks that support our vision” remarked Dr. Nabukenya.
The Ag. DVCFA was speaking in reference to the research and innovations ecosystem that needs to be created to ensure that Makerere’s research will over the next 10 years have demonstrable economic, environmental, health and social impacts.
The Vice Chancellor thanked the Ag. DVCFA for initiating the discussions with SBU, noting that this was timely and would help take advantage of the huge potential that the University has to offer. “Thanks to funding from the Government of Uganda through the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) we now have hundreds of innovations produced by the various research teams.”
“Our biggest problem at present is the lack of funds to commercialise these innovations. Uganda has no venture capitalists but I believe that with the resources that you (SBU) have, we can work together to help support these innovators” remarked Prof. Nawangwe.
Prior to making her presentation the CEO thanked Makerere University for the supporting SBU’s business thus far, as well as the ensuring that the two partners enjoy a quality relationship with each successive Management team. “We take extra pride when it comes to working with Makerere University,” she added.
Ms. Juuko said the reorganisation of SBU in 2018 to include a holding company (Stanbic Holdings Uganda Limited-SHUL) had enabled the entity to enhance the value of products and services offered to its customers. In addition to SBU, other SHUL subsidiaries; Stanbic Properties Uganda Limited, Stanbic Business Incubator Limited, FlyHub and SBG Securities. These, she noted, enable Stanbic to offer a broader range of services to staff and students beyond banking.
Reflecting on the signing of the Final Investment Decision (FID) on 11th April 2021, the CEO shared that SBU in line with its support for responsible investment through assessing and managing environmental, social and governance risks would take keen interest in oil production. “One of the hottest topics is that oil mining is going to take place in one of the most ecologically sensitive zones. How can we partner with Makerere to ensure that this is conducted in a sustainable way?” she pondered.
The CEO also brought to the attention of Central Management that SBU had in 2020 partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to launch the Youth4Business Innovation and Entrepreneurial Facility as an answer to youth unemployment. As a way forward, she added that Makerere would be brought on board to form a three-way conversation on how best to achieve the facility’s objectives, especially following disruptions to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operations caused by COVID-19.
Other topics covered by the SBU presentation included; supporting the Makerere University Staff SACCO to grow their funds, Financial Fitness sessions for staff on how best to invest and grow their earnings, and a laptop loan scheme for staff and students where payments can be made over a period of two to three years. Also shared was how SBU is using data to reduce loan approval for customers to 120seconds as well as introducing alternative systems for making payments and receiving collections such as point of sale devices and virtual wallets tagged to customer phone numbers.
In some of the reactions that followed, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-DVCAA Dr. Umar Kakumba thanked SBU for reaching out to Makerere and advocated for increased internship placements for students in the SHUL subsidiaries. He also called for collaboration at the training level.
“The staff at the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) have in the past conducted financial literacy training for various organisations and are ready to partner with Stanbic as they reach out to various communities in their educational programmes,” added Dr. Kakumba.
Delivering the concluding remarks, the Vice Chancellor thanked the Ag. DVCFA for initiating discussions with SBU as well as the CEO and her team for sparing time to meet with Central Management. “Together, Makerere as the premier and largest University and Stanbic as the largest bank operating in Uganda can do a lot to transform this country.”
The parties agreed to formalise the collaboration by signing Memorandum of Understanding at a later date.
The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released admission lists of candidates admitted under the Talented Sports Men & Women, Disability and District Quota Schemes with Government sponsorship 2026/27 Academic Year including appeals and remarked cases.
Other admission lists released include A-Level Applicants with Ugandan and those with Foreign Qualifications, Diploma in Performing Arts, Mature-Age Entry and Bachelor of Education (EXTERNAL Batch 2) for the Academic Year 2026/2027 under self sponsorship.
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
Hon. Henry Musasizi unveils the Makerere University Strategic Plan (2025-2030).
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Lorna Magara.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
Hon. Henry Musasizi (3rd R) and Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (2rd L) display an autographed dummy of the signed Strategic Plan as L-R: Hon. Kadondi Gracious, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Rt. Hon. Daniel Kidega, Dr. Lorna Magara, H.E. Mubiru John Bosco and Prof. Sarah Ssali witness.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
Hon. Henry Musasizi.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Mr. Samuel Kasule.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
Visionary Blueprint to Drive Excellence, Innovation, and National Development.
Kampala, Uganda – July 2, 2026. — Makerere University today officially launched its Strategic Plan 2026–2030, outlining a bold roadmap for academic excellence, research innovation, and transformative impact on Uganda and the region. The high-profile launch event, held at Makerere University Main Campus, brought together government leaders, university stakeholders, development partners, and academia.
The Chief Guest, Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, presided over the official launch. In his presentation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe Barnabas highlighted the University’s past achievements and the new Plan’s strategic vision. “This Strategic Plan builds on our rich legacy while positioning Makerere University as a leader in addressing contemporary challenges through cutting-edge research, quality education, and innovation,” he stated.
The Plan was developed through an inclusive process led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, with input from across the University community. It aligns closely with national development priorities, as affirmed by Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of the National Planning Authority.
University Council Chairperson Dr Lorna Magara emphasised the Council’s oversight role and commitment: “The University Council is fully committed to providing the strategic leadership and oversight necessary for the successful implementation of this Plan. It will strengthen Makerere’s role as a driver of Uganda’s socio-economic transformation and ensure we remain a beacon of excellence in higher education across Africa.”
Development partners, Vice Chancellors from other public universities, college principals, deans, professors, and student representatives attended the event, underscoring broad stakeholder support.
Key Pillars of the Strategic Plan 2026–2030 include enhancing excellence in teaching and learning, advancing research and innovation, strengthening infrastructure and sustainability, promoting inclusivity, and deepening engagement with industry and government. Following the formal proceedings, guests participated in a networking breakfast and media engagement session.
Additional Quotes:
“Makerere University remains Uganda’s flagship institution. This Strategic Plan will further harness our intellectual capital to contribute meaningfully to the National Development Plan and Vision 2040.” — Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
“We are excited to embark on this new strategic journey. With the support of our dedicated staff, students, alumni, and partners, we will achieve even greater heights in the next five years.” — Prof. Nawangwe Barnabas, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University
Makerere University is Uganda’s oldest and largest public university, established in 1922. It is a world-class institution recognised for academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and cross-disciplinary innovation. With over 35,000 students and a strong alumni network, Makerere continues to shape leaders and solutions for Africa and beyond.
For more information, contact:
Ms. Eunice Rukundo, Deputy Chief, Public Relations