General
MoES, Council Commend Progress on DARP Project
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) represented by the Director Education Standards, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda and the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara have commended the progress made by the Digitalizing of Academic Records and Processes (DARP) project so far. DARP is a collaboration between the Department of the Academic Registrar (AR), the East African School of Library and Information Science (EASLIS), Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS), and School of Education.
Funded by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), the ultimate goal of the DARP project is to improve the status of both undergraduate and graduate academic records by preserving them, converting them into digital form, and automating academic processes for e-service delivery.
In her remarks at the blended dissemination event held on 1st September 2021, Dr. Turyagyenda who was part of the virtual audience congratulated the Makerere University Management and the Department of Academic Registrar upon embracing the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) by using ICT to strengthen its document retrieval processes.
“As you are aware, Makerere University is not only the mother University for Uganda but for East and Central Africa. It should always be ahead and set an example for the rest” noted Dr. Turyagyenda who added that the project was in line with the National e-Government Policy Framework.
She congratulated Makerere upon completing the first phase of the three-year project but nevertheless requested that the remaining phases be completed promptly so as to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
“I am really delighted to join you on the occasion of presenting yet another digitisation initiative at Makerere University” admitted the Chairperson of Council as she began her remarks.
Mrs. Magara noted that the digitisation of all university processes is the core target of the Council. This is illustrated by the ongoing initiatives such as the e-Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS), Academic Records Information System (MakARIS), digitisation of Financial Management process among others. She added that the DARP project was in line with the second goal of the university strategic plan that focuses on fostering innovations in teaching and learning that respond to the changing environment.
“The sudden change of our work environment following the outbreak of COVID-19 almost two years ago demands that we fast track initiatives to deliver services with limited physical contact. I see the digitisation of our academic records as a crucial step in adapting to the new working environment” she explained.
The Chairperson of Council nevertheless urged the University to develop a risk profile and management plan for e-resources to guard against the challenges of digitisation such as system failures and data piracy. “We must ensure that university systems have the necessary protection against these risks.”
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe noted that digitisation of student records has been of great concern to the University Council and Management, given the physical nature and age of some of the records. He therefore thanked the Government for providing funds to support the DARP project through Mak-RIF, and the commitment to continue providing resources for research and innovations at the institution.
Prof. Nawangwe equally thanked the Chairperson and Members of Council for their continual support to Management in the execution of various initiatives and institutional programmes. “The issue of digitisation has been one of the most important issues the Chairperson has been emphasisng to us and we thank Council for their leadership and support.”
The Vice Chancellor announced the University Management’s recommendation that part of the relief funding by the MasterCard Foundation to Makerere University following the fire that gutted the Main Building be allocated to support the DARP project to its conclusive end. The announcement was received with thunderous applause from the team and engagement participants.
The Academic Registrar, Mr. Alfred Masikye Namoah while inviting the Principal Investigator Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi to share project updates and achievements also thanked Government for supporting the non-funded priority areas in Makerere University. He additionally applauded Prof. William Bazeyo, the Head Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU) and Chairperson Mak-RIF GMC for leading efforts on resource mobilization for the university noting that these resources have benefited university scholars, students and even partners outside the university. He emphasized the need to work even harder to accomplish already running projects including the DARP project.
Making a presentation on what had been achieved under Phase I of the DARP project, the Principal Investigator (PI), Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi thanked the Government, University Council, Management and the Mak-RIF Grants Management Committee (GMC) headed by Prof. William Bazeyo for the funding and support that had propelled the project to its present stage. She paid tribute to the Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Dr. Josephine Nabukenya for the guidance during the grant preparation stage as well as the Academic Registrar, Mr. Alfred Masikye Namoah and Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) leadership for supervising the project.
Mrs. Mushengyezi introduced members of her team who included; Archivist-Dr. David Luyombya, Project Coordinator/ Administration-Dr. Peace B. Tumuheki-Mukombe, ICT Specialist/Administrator Records-Ms. Ruth Iteu Eyoku, Database Managers-Mr. Tonny Oluka and Mr. Juma Katongole, Monitoring and Evaluation in-charge-Dr. Betty Akullu Ezati and Project Accountant-Mr. Gyaviira Lubowa.
The PI shared that DARP is a multiyear project made up of the following three phases;
Phase 1: Planning/preparation for system design
- Identification and classification of records
- Physical organisation of records (sorting, arranging, labelling, archiving)
- Study visits
Phase 2: System Design and Implementation
- Scanning, archiving, data entry
- Digitizing records and automation of processes
- Policy formulation and approval
- Refurbishment of the Senate conference Hall for provision of ICT services
Phase 3: Implementation and Evaluation
- Installation of Records Management System
- Establishing a Records Verification and Certification Centre
Mrs. Mushengyezi shared that as a result of completion of Phase 1, the DARP project had; Sorted and cleaned at least 80% of undergraduate students’ results and files, Established 50% inventory of existing records, Recorded and labelled Senate minutes and records, Opened files for vital documents and closed redundant files, as well as Archived, labelled and systematically shelved boxes containing records.
Furthermore, the reorganisation had; Helped redeem space while creating a better working environment, Prepared records for digitisation under Phase 2, Facilitated easy retrieval of records, Conserved and preserved records – some over 50 years old, and Equipped 10 students of Bachelor of Records and Archives Management and Bachelor of Library and Information Science with hands-on experience.
The PI recommended that funds should be availed to help procure modern records storage facilities such as electronic rotating shelves, which help ensure efficient space utilisation. She further recommended that Makerere should identify land where an off-site record storage facility can be constructed and safely secured for university records. This, she added, could act as an income generating facility, whereby government and non-government entities could be allowed to store their records at a fee.
Appreciating the importance and long overdue implementation of the DARP project, Prof. William Bazeyo the Head Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU) and Chairperson Mak-RIF GMC announced that funding had already been earmarked for Phases 2 and 3 of the project.
“I would like to affirm to the Academic Registrar that of the resources we received, one of the projects Makerere will be happy to support is DARP Phases 2 and 3. The GMC has approved these subsequent phases because this is something we think we ought to do” announced Prof. Bazeyo to yet more thunderous applause.
Prof. Bazeyo paid tribute to the Chairperson and Members of Council for their support to Management, which underlined their commitment to cause change through digitisation of processes. He equally paid tribute to the Vice Chancellor for his vision of unlocking the potential of Makerere University.
The concluding remarks at the dissemination were delivered by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Dr. Umar Kakumba who was represented by the Deputy Director DRGT, Dr. Robert Wamala. He sincerely appreciated the Government for the first disbursement of funds to Mak-RIF for the current financial year despite the COVID-19 crisis and various commitments. He concluded by thanking the PI and her team for the commendable job done despite the enormity of the task, and the GMC for guaranteeing funding for the remaining phases of the project.
Rev. Can. Onesimus Asiimwe, the Chaplain St. Francis Chapel delivered the opening and closing prayers at the dissemination that was moderated by the Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango as well as the Director Communications, Learning and Knowledge Management, ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) and PRO Mak-RIF, Ms. Harriet Adong.
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.
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.
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. 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.
“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.
“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.
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
-
General13 hours agoUndergraduate Admission Lists 2026/2027
-
General1 week agoMakerere Hands Over CCE Hall to NEC for Renovation
-
General1 week agoFees Waiver Female Scholarship 2026/2027
-
General2 weeks agoMakerere University Set to Develop Curriculum to Transform Graduate Supervision and Mentorship
-
Education2 weeks agoMakerere University Signs MoU with Fukui University to enhance Research, Teacher Development and STEM Education