Engineering, Art & Tech

CEDAT Holds 10th Open Day, Celebrates 50 Years of MES

Published

4 years ago

November 22, 2021

The Minister of State for Minerals-Hon. Peter Lokeris (2nd R) together with the Principal CEDAT-Prof. Henry Alinaitwe and UEGCL Officials hand over a dummy cheque to the best exhibitor of the 10th Annual CEDAT Open Day and MES@50 Celebrations held 19th-20th November 2021.

The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) held its Annual Open day on the 19^th and 20^th of November 2021 on the Theme; ‘Innovation and Technology in Combating Crisis’

The event which was also an avenue to celebrate 50 years of Makerere Engineering Society (MES) was characterized by a display of many student ideas and innovations in line with the theme of the event.

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero was Chief Guest at the event held at Makerere University Central teaching Facility II. In her remarks Dr. Monica Musenero expressed her commitment towards building the future in partnership with the young engineers. She applauded the great work done by the students as seen from the exhibitions and expressed optimism that the future of the nation was assured with the kind of work the students were doing.

‘We are standing at cross roads, we are standing between the past and the future, standing between what has been and what we want to be, she said adding that we need to choose whether we go forward and take our future in our hands or choose to sit down, lament and blame everybody else’.

Dr. Musenero noted that the young people were the face of the future and congratulated Makerere Engineering Society for the 50 year milestone whose success she said, should be used to reflect on what had been realized as seen from the number of Engineers and products nurtured. She emphasized to the students that they were privileged given that science and technology where engineering falls was a key component for development.

The Minister informed the gathering that her Ministry was ready to support ideas and innovations in areas that included digital technology such as electronics, infrastructure engineering like roads and railways, mobility, the pathogen economy, import substitution and creating products for export as well as space engineering. She charged the students to have the right mindset and determination and assured them of the support of the Ministry.

The 2021 CEDAT open day later in the course of the event hosted the State Minister for Minerals Hon. Peter Lokeris who not only inspected the exhibition of the innovations by the students but also handed over a prize of Five Hundred Thousand Uganda Shillings to the best innovator courtesy of the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL).

Hon. Lokeris informed the Engineering students that the Mineral Development sector had a big docket and urged them to continue striving to become big innovators as demonstrated in the exhibition. He noted that the positive side of COVID 19 made it possible for certain innovations to be seen and that in times of crisis, the mind works at its best.

Related Topics:#MESat50 CEDAT COVID-19 Development Engineering featured innovation mineral STI technology UEGCL

Up Next

Mak & Partners receive a grant worth EUR 6.9 Million

Don't Miss

Dr. Eng. Dorothy Okello inducted as a UNAS Fellow

Engineering, Art & Tech

Makerere University Announces Call for Papers for 10th National Conference on Communication (NCC 2026)

Published

12 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Alex Isemaghendera

The 10th National Conference on Communications (NCC 2026) is officially here, hosted by the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) at Makerere University in collaboration with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). This milestone edition, themed “Accelerating Market-Driven Innovation for Uganda’s Development,” serves as a premier platform for advancing research, innovation, and knowledge exchange within the nation’s ICT ecosystem. Scheduled for 24th – 26th June 2026 at Makerere University, the conference will bring together thought leaders to discuss the future of connectivity and digital transformation.

We are now inviting submissions from researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers across eight diverse conference tracks. These tracks cover critical areas such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Digital Financial Services (Fin Tech), Smart Societies, and ICT for Social Impact in health and education. Whether your work focuses on digital infrastructure or environmental resilience, NCC 2026 provides the visibility needed to drive meaningful technological advancement in Uganda.

Prospective contributors can submit Full Research Papers (up to 8 pages), Extended Abstracts for work-in-progress, Industry Case Studies, or Policy and Position Papers. All submissions should be made through the link : https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ncc2026

Please take note of the upcoming deadlines;

The Submission Deadline is 1st May 2026, with Acceptance Notifications being sent out by 22nd May 2026. For more information regarding the program and registration, please contact the organizing committee via email at ncc.cedat@mak.ac.ug.

Join us as we shape the future of communications and technology in Uganda.

Engineering, Art & Tech

Makerere University and University of Warwick Strengthen Ties in High-Level Visit

Published

2 weeks ago

February 18, 2026

Alex Isemaghendera

On Friday 13th February 2026, Makerere University was honored to host Prof. Daniel Branch, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Warwick. This visit marked a significant follow-up to a 2025 delegation from Makerere to Warwick, emphasizing a growing and reciprocal relationship between the two prestigious institutions. Organized by the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF), the day began with a strategic meeting in the office of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, alongside key university leadership including Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi chairperson of Mak-RIF and Mr. Simon Kizito the Deputy University Secretary.

During the initial discussions, Mr. Simon Kizito, reflected on the eye-opening experience of visiting Warwick, specifically praising their forward-thinking approach to industry collaboration and innovation. These observations set the stage for exploring new possibilities for student exchange programs. Such initiatives are envisioned to allow students from both universities to share valuable experiences in research and technology, fostering a global academic environment.

Prof. Nawangwe provided Prof. Branch with an overview of Makerere’s historical significance as the oldest university in East Africa and its immense research capacity, supported by an academic staff holding approximately 1,390 PhDs. He highlighted Makerere’s leadership in technological advancements, citing the design and production of Africa’s first electric car, the Kiira EV. Prof. Nawangwe also addressed the global knowledge gap, noting that Africa currently contributes only 3% of the world’s knowledge. He emphasized that collaborating with institutions like the University of Warwick is essential to increasing this percentage by improving supervision capacity and research impact.

Click here for details

Engineering, Art & Tech

Makerere and BOKU University Strengthen Ties at Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems Conference

Published

2 weeks ago

February 17, 2026

Alex Isemaghendera

From February 11th to 12th, 2026, the CEDAT conference hall became a hub of innovation as it hosted the Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems Conference. This two-day event marked a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between BOKU University and Makerere University, a collaboration that has consistently driven major advancements in renewable energy research. The conference served as a platform to celebrate these achievements while charting a course for future technological breakthroughs.

The event was officially opened by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, who emphasized the critical role of electricity in national development. Drawing a comparison to his observations in Austria, where electricity is universally accessible, Prof. Nawangwe noted that the lack of widespread energy access in Uganda remains a significant barrier to technological learning. He reaffirmed Makerere University’s commitment to being at the forefront of solving these energy and technological challenges to better serve the nation.

Click here for more details