Business & Management
ECRLF Helping to Co-create the Future of African Academic Leadership
Makerere University in partnership with University of Pretoria on 14th September 2021 hosted the Future Africa’s Early Career Research Leader Fellowship (ECRLF) Dissemination Workshop in the Central Teaching Facility 2 (CTF 2) Auditorium and virtually. ECRLF’s aim is to offer an opportunity for development of research leaders who will be able to fill a critical gap in the African research capacity ecosystem. This fellowship program is offered by the University of Pretoria with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The Principal Investigator (PI) of the ECRLF program at Makerere University and Lecturer in the Department of Population Studies, Dr. John A. Mushomi, thanked Future Africa for the first-of-its-kind fellowship accorded to young African academics.
“We are used to taking leave from academia at a much later time in life, where we have professors taking their sabbaticals, but within five years of finishing my doctorate, I was given an opportunity to spend two years at the University of Pretoria and interact with academics from across different disciplines and universities in Africa” explained Dr. Mushomi.
In this respect, he thanked the Carnegie Corporation of New York for sponsoring the ECRLF and the University of Pretoria for hosting the fellowship. He equally thanked Dr. Cori Wielenga from the University of Pretoria for the mentorship accorded to him during the fellowship.
“We had the opportunity to interact with fifteen researchers from different disciplines and spent time learning and training together, and we have not been the same since. We were not just invited to participate but to also co-create what we think is the future of African academic leadership” added Dr. Mushomi.
Speaking on behalf of Future Africa, Rachel Fischer said, “In particular we see with this conference today our very important objective to work with a transdisciplinary mindset and engagement towards forming partnerships, and to collaborate across various disciplines.”
She added that the shift from physical to virtual and online collaboration is an active endeavour towards breaking down silos within disciplines, partnerships as well as across various countries on the African continent. The outcomes from such partnerships, she noted, would allow all stakeholders to have a peaceful and secure Africa that is stable and fully functional, while ensuring that the values and ideals of Africa are prioritised.
The Dean, School of Statistics and Planning (SSP), Dr. James Wokadala, who was represented by the Head, Department of Population Studies, Dr. Stephen Wandera noted in his remarks that SSP encourages staff to go beyond conducting research and publishing to mentoring students into the next generation of African academics by co-publishing with them.
In line with the workshop he thanked the University of Pretoria for the partnership, noting that “collaboration among African academics helps us to build more comparative studies across the continent, allowing colleagues to learn from each other the best practices and opportunities that can move us forward.”
He congratulated Dr. John Mushomi upon completing his post-doctoral research experience at UP, which culminated into the exciting workshop.
Officially opening the workshop, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-DVCAA, Dr. Umar Kakumba applauded the University of Pretoria supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York for the great capacity development for future academia and African leaders. The workshop was based on the theme, History Meets Demography: Multi-Disciplinary Inquiry on Poverty, Resource.
“I applaud the University of Pretoria on this move and demonstrating the great potential that Africa has, especially the academic institutions, in mobilising resources, bringing together the African scholars and giving them an opportunity to explore and forge South-to-South collaboration” remarked Dr. Kakumba.
He added that South-to-South collaborations help to build a solid academia across the continent, enabling them to find solutions to emerging problems of African societies. The DVCAA noted that COVID-19 had brought to light the vulnerability of Africa’s dependence on the global North to solve her fundamental problems as well as the greater role that universities ought to play.
“And we cannot play this role as Universities outside the shadows of partnerships between our institutions, and without building the huge capacity of early career researchers” he observed.
The DVCAA therefore noted that workshop’s theme and its concerns about issues of history and demography were source of great hope, especially given its transdisciplinary nature.
“We are able to dialogue on history and demography and see how we can address issues of poverty in light of our past experiences as well as interrogate the nature of our population and the characteristics that affect our society in various ways” he stated.
In his welcome message, Prof. Cheikh Mbow, Future Africa Director at the University of Pretoria noted that his organization had over the years been holding academic workshops on different topics across different African countries.
“The reason why were are trying to empower the early career scientists is actually to be able to close the loop in terms of availing science in order to package and deliver knowledge to everyone who needs it, particularly the stakeholders.
“Today’s topic is very timely. It’s about poverty in Africa, it’s about resources in Africa, and it’s about mobility in Africa. The poverty line which had come to be stable at some point or decreasing quite slowly over the projected years to come has just suddenly gone into a spike – Africa now has more than 50 million new poor people coming into the statistics of the World Bank” remarked Prof. Mbow.
He concluded by noting that research is not only about hardcore science but looking at all other aspects of life as contributors to knowledge production. “The transdiciplinary theme of the workshop is one of the most important discussions that ECRLF could have.”
The workshop featured four parallel sessions that covered;
- Governance, Security, Peace and Conflict I
- Mining, Resource, Extraction and Policy frameworks
- Global Trends in Interdisciplinary Research and Governance, Security, Peace and Conflict II and
- Education and Development and Resource extraction and Policy frameworks II
During the closing ceremony, Dr. Cori Wielenga on behalf of ECRLF thanked participants for the wonderful conference proceedings as fostered by Dr. Mushomi’s involvement with the University of Pretoria.
“The purpose of this fellowship and its collaboration is to promote interdisciplinary research as well as collaboration between institutions on the continent and in this regard Dr. Mushomi has made excellent use of the fellowship to meet its objectives including through this conference” she elaborated.
The program mentor from UP added that her collaborative work with Dr. Mushomi was particularly in the areas of resources, identity and migration, which remain a challenge to Africa and the entire globe.
Dr. Wielanga thanked Makerere University for supporting the event, and Dr. Mushomi as well as the coordination team for organizing a successful hybrid event. “We do hope that we will be able to meet in person in the near future as we deepen the collaboration between our institutions.”
Addressing participants, the Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Dr. Eria Hisali congratulated Dr. Mushomi upon successfully convening the hybrid workshop and extended his appreciation to the funding partners for supporting both the event and work of early career researchers.
In terms of providing sustainability to the collaboration, Dr. Hisali appealed to all the partners to regard the day’s workshop as a starting point and work towards strengthening their collaborations so that a lot more work can be done in other fields of research.
He equally appealed to the collaborating parties to use the findings generated thus far to engage policy makers, civil society and the private sector under a framework of policy labs, at least once every quarter. The Principal further called for the integration of students into research activities, as a way of creating multiplier effects that can continue to inform policy debates.
“As the College of Business and Mangement Sciences, we commit that out of our small grants research programme, we should be able to take up funding to further studies in some of these areas” concluded Dr. Hisali.
Delivering the closing remarks, the Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Dr. Josephine Ahikire noted that interdisciplinarity increases the University’s relevance to society by bringing forth perspectives that enrich the understanding what is at stake in terms of development challenges.
“It is very exciting that we are re-centering history as a key perspective in whatever we do as a university. We know that in the past decade, history had been relegated as a study of the past but actually, history is not just a study of the past, it is the understanding of the totality of humanity for you to be able to actually craft a way forward” Dr. Ahikire explained.
The Principal noted that resource conflicts and contestations are at the heart of human existence. As such, she opined that issues such as citizenship, tribe and nation were very important and the workshop had commendably provided a space where early career researchers can try to provide answers to questions of the time on the African continent.
“A research-led university is one where the people engage intellectually. These engagements improve the academic environment for staff as well as students” she concluded.
The abstracts and presentations from the workshop will contribute to an edited book to be published by Palgrave.
Please click the embedded video below to view proceedings from the Workshop
Opening Session
Session 1A: Governance, Security, Peace and Conflict I
Session 2A: Global Trends in Interdisciplinary Research and Governance, Security, Peace and Conflict II
Closing Ceremony
Business & Management
Makerere University Signs MoU with World Association of Noonomy: Sets pace for the African Centre of Excellence
By Ritah Namisango and Monica Meeme
Makerere University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Association of Noonomy, setting the pace for academic collaboration, research and the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Noonomy in Africa.
On behalf of Makerere University, the MoU was signed by Professor Sarah Ssali, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), during the World Congress on Noonomy held in Rome, Italy, from 16th-19th September 2026, paving the way for the establishment of a dedicated institute of Excellence for Noonomy at College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).
Uganda was the only African country represented at the World Congress on Noonomy, with a Makerere University delegation including Prof. Sarah Ssali-Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Edward Bbaale-Principal College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Dr Peter Babyenda-Lecturer at the School of Economics and Policy Engagement Coordinator, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), and Mr. Tonny Mayambala Sebbaggala, a Ugandan Economist based in Russia.
Commenting on the development, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe said, “By signing this MoU, the African Centre for Noonomy has been established at Makerere University. This adds to the growing number of African continental research centres that are coordinated by Makerere University. Makerere is clearly a leader on the Continent.”
The MoU signed on 19th September 2026 in Rome-Italy, builds on the inaugural conference on Noonomy, held in Uganda on 20th August 2026 at Makerere University under the theme, “The Theory of Noonomy and its Role in Resolving Modernity Issues: Pathways to Sustainable Social and Economic Transformation.”
At the Global Congress of the World Association of Noonomy, the scholars from Makerere University delivered three (3) presentations focusing on Noonomy and development challenges in East Africa, the transition from informal to formal employment, and the role of universities in advancing Noonomy.
About the Theory
The Theory of Noonomy is an emerging theoretical approach developed by Professor Sergey Bodrunov, Director of the S.Y. Witte Institute, which examines the changing relationship between knowledge, technology, production and human development. The theory places emphasis on knowledge and human potential as important drivers of development, while highlighting humanistic values and solidarity in shaping economic and social progress.
Advancing Alternative Economic Thought in Africa
Speaking at the Annual gathering in Rome, Prof. Sarah Ssali described Makerere University’s partnership as a great honour, highlighting the importance of creating space for broader theoretical perspectives on political economy and the global economy.
Reflecting on the evolution of political science and political economy studies, Prof. Ssali noted that following the era of Glasnost and Perestroika, free-market ideology and neoliberalism became increasingly dominant in global economic thinking.
“This dominance created a need for scholars to critically examine both the opportunities and limitations of market-based approaches,” she said.
She welcomed the opportunity to explore alternative ways of understanding the world, including not only the material relations of production, but also the material relations of consumption.
Prof. Ssali also acknowledged the Witte Institute for initiating the initiative and for choosing Makerere University as a key partner on the African continent.
She said Makerere University plans to establish a dedicated centre focused on the emerging area of study, with the institution aiming to launch the centre in February 2027.
“We hope the centre will become a leading African platform for research, teaching and dialogue on these issues,” she asserted.
Prof. Ssali noted that the ideas emerging from the Kampala meeting (held on 20th August 2026) are already being incorporated into Makerere University’s theoretical classes, with plans to substantially expand the initiative following the establishment of the centre of excellence.
She reaffirmed Makerere University’s commitment to the partnership and to expanding scholarly engagement on alternative approaches to political economy.
Call for Growth that Advances Social Welfare
Delivering the presentation titled: “The Role of Noonomy in Addressing Development Challenges in East Africa,” Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal of the Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), explored the potential of Noonomy as an alternative framework for understanding and addressing persistent development challenges in East Africa.
Prof. Bbaale noted that the approach contributes to emerging academic discussions on how economic systems can better connect economic growth with social wellbeing and inclusive development outcomes in the region.
“The study contributes to emerging academic discussions on how economic systems can better link economic growth with social wellbeing and inclusive development outcomes in the region,” he said.
The paper was co-authored with Dr Peter Babyenda and formed part of the scholarly contributions presented at the World Congress on Noonomy in Rome, Italy.
Prioritizing Human-Centred Development
Dr Peter Babyenda said Makerere University’s participation in the World Congress on Noonomy in Rome marked an important step in the University’s international engagement with the Theory of Noonomy.
“The engagement paves the way for establishing a Centre of Excellence for Noonomy at the School of Economics, under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS),” he stated.
Dr Babyenda explained that the Theory of Noonomy places human welfare at the centre of development, arguing that development should be assessed not only through productivity and infrastructure, but also by how it improves people’s wellbeing.
He said consumption, knowledge transfer and solidarity are important considerations, including in the application of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
Dr Babyenda revealed that Uganda has been offered an opportunity to host an upcoming World Congress on Noonomy, which he said could bring together participants from more than 55 countries and create opportunities for academic exchange, industry engagement and international visibility for Uganda.
He called upon the academia and industry to collaborate with Makerere University in advancing its engagement with the emerging field.
The Signing of the MoU at the Global Congress of the World Association of Noonomy marks a milestone in Makerere University’s efforts to contribute to international scholarly discussions on alternative approaches to understanding economic systems and development.
Business & Management
CoBAMS, European Partners Launch Programme to Equip Students with Polycrisis Management Skills
By Hasifa Kabejja and Ritah Namisango
Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), in collaboration with international partners, is implementing a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) aimed at equipping a new generation of professionals in Africa and Europe with the knowledge and practical skills needed to understand and respond to complex, interconnected global crises.
Held under the PolyCIVIS network, the programme, titled Enhancing Skills in Polycrisis Management: African and European Approaches, brings together participants from Makerere University, the University of Salzburg, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
It was competitively secured under the 6th Call for CIVIS Blended Intensive Programmes by the Makerere PolyCIVIS team, comprising Prof. Edward Bbaale from the School of Economics, CoBAMS; Dr. Anthony Tibaingana from the School of Business, CoBAMS; and Dr. Kamatara Kanifa from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The European facilitators include Prof. Gudrun Zagel, Dr. Sabine Hennig, and Dr. Roman Puff, all from Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria.
Tackling the Growing Reality of Polycrises
Funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme under the Jean Monnet Networks, the initiative responds to the growing reality of polycrises – situations in which multiple crises, including climate change, pandemics, displacement, poverty, environmental degradation and economic instability, interact and compound one another, often resulting in consequences more severe than those of individual crises.
The BIP Workshop at Makerere University
The BIP combines virtual and physical learning to give participants both theoretical grounding and hands-on experience in polycrisis management.
During the virtual component conducted in May 2026, participants including students and academics from the participating institutions worked in interdisciplinary teams to analyze real-world scenarios, including climate disasters, refugee crises, pandemics and urban waste management. The students were required to develop and present polysolutions from the perspectives of different stakeholders, including governments, civil society and academic institutions.
The physical component, taking place in Kampala from 7th-11th September 2026, brings together students from across CIVIS consortium universities to complete the remaining course content, participate in practical activities, and develop solutions to real-world polycrisis challenges. It also provides participants with an opportunity to examine real-life Ugandan cases, including the Kitezi landfill disaster and the Bulambuli landslides. Through these case studies, students will explore how crises intersect with public health, environmental protection, poverty, security, and sustainable development, while gaining practical insights into integrated approaches to crisis management.
On the first day of the training, participants undertook an excursion to the Kiteezi Landfill. During the week, they will also engage with experts from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), civil society and academia, and work in thematic groups to explore the legal, economic, sociological, historical, communication and educational dimensions of Kampala’s waste management challenges.
The teams will subsequently develop a Kampala waste policy paper and accompanying presentations, proposing integrated approaches to addressing the city’s waste crisis.
The learning approach incorporates case studies, simulations, role-play, guest lectures, peer learning, interdisciplinary teamwork, and problem-based learning. Participants are encouraged to move beyond identifying problems to developing practical and sustainable solutions.
Call for Integrated Approaches to Complex Global Challenges
Officially opening the programme, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. Henry Mwanaki Alinaitwe commended the team for securing the programme.
Addressing participants, he emphasized the need for universities to move beyond fragmented approaches to problem-solving and develop integrated responses to increasingly complex global challenges.
“Interconnected problems cannot be adequately addressed through fragmented solutions,” Prof. Nawangwe observed, stressing the importance of collaboration across disciplines, institutions, sectors and countries.
He noted that no single discipline or institution possesses all the knowledge required to address the challenges confronting societies today, calling for stronger integration of fields such as economics, public health, environmental science, engineering, governance, technology and the social sciences.
Embracing Innovative and Sustainable “Polysolutions”
Prof. Nawangwe further emphasized the importance of developing innovative and sustainable “polysolutions”- integrated responses that address multiple, interconnected crises while minimizing unintended consequences across other sectors.
He underscored the value of combining African and European perspectives, noting that while crises may manifest differently across regions because of differences in history, institutions and resources, challenges such as climate change, migration, pandemics, conflict and economic instability increasingly transcend national boundaries.
He described the partnership as an opportunity for mutual learning and co-creation of knowledge, rather than a one-way transfer of expertise.
“We must bring these experiences into conversation and determine what works, under what circumstances, and how solutions can be adapted to different social, economic and institutional contexts,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
Collaboration Beyond the Blended Intensive Programme
The Vice Chancellor expressed hope that the collaboration would extend beyond the BIP into joint research, publications, teaching, student supervision and other sustained academic initiatives.
He challenged the participants to make the most of the opportunity by learning across disciplinary boundaries, questioning established assumptions and focusing on solutions.
“The world you are preparing to lead will require people who can understand complexity, work across institutional and disciplinary boundaries, and convert knowledge into practical responses,” he said.
Ebola Outbreak Demonstrates the Interconnected Nature of Modern Crises
The Vice Chancellor further observed that the postponement of the physical component of the training following the outbreak of Ebola underscored the interconnected nature of modern crises. He noted that a health emergency can quickly disrupt education, international mobility, economic activity and institutional planning.
Appreciation by the Vice Chancellor
He commended the PolyCIVIS team and partner universities for bringing the initiative to fruition, expressing confidence that the programme would generate practical and innovative polysolutions to some of the challenges facing societies.
Strengthening international academic collaboration
In his capacity as Principal of CoBAMS, Prof. Edward Bbaale described the programme as a significant reflection of the College’s commitment to fostering an integrated approach to teaching, research, policy engagement and international collaboration.
He noted that the increasingly complex challenges facing society require institutions and professionals to transcend geographical and disciplinary boundaries and collaborate across diverse fields of expertise.
Prof. Bbaale further highlighted the value of bringing Makerere students and faculty into direct engagement with colleagues and practitioners from partner universities.
“Such engagements enrich the learning experience while creating opportunities for sustained collaboration in research, teaching and student supervision. For Makerere University, the programme represents a practical expression of its internationalization agenda, creating opportunities for students and academics from different countries to exchange knowledge, share expertise and work together to address complex societal challenges.”
Preparing future leaders for complex challenges
The programme seeks to enable learners to identify, assess and manage polycrisis situations in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while building competencies in addressing the social, environmental and economic dimensions of crises.
It also aims to develop practical skills in designing and evaluating integrated policies and polysolutions, including effective communication and public awareness strategies.
Ultimately, the initiative seeks to strengthen participants’ critical thinking, digital, spatial and 21st-century skills while promoting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration.
The BIP also serves as a pilot initiative for the planned Joint Master’s Programme on Managing Polycrises under the PolyCIVIS framework.
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