General
Mak enters Research & Training Partnership with Somali National University
Makerere University – Mak and Somali National University (SNU) on Monday 21st November 2021) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will commence a collaboration between the two African Universities.
The signing ceremony took place at Makerere University between Professor Hassan Omar Mahadalle, the Rector of Somalia National University and his Ugandan counterpart Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University. The Somali Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Ali Mohamud Mohamed witnessed the signing.
Professor Barnabas Nawangwe said the two institutions have agreed to collaborate in research and training.
The agreement will enable Makerere University through its School of Public Health (MakSPH) under the College of Health Sciences support Somali National University which is currently pioneering its public health training and research program at its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Makerere has since 1984 implemented training and research in public health and will through this partnership support efforts to enhance Somali National University’s capacity to provide high quality graduate and undergraduate training in public health and facilitate collaborative research by both students and faculty at both universities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, Makerere University said he was happy that Somali National University had chosen Makerere University as a potential collaborator.
“We are not the only University but we are an old University with very important lessons we can share with you. We are happy that now you have come to formally establish working relations with us,” said Prof. Buyinza.
He further expressed Makerere’s readiness to support SNU through this partnership and hailed Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, the Dean of MakSPH for initiating discussion with the embassy and University.
He cited that the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda had already interested Makerere University to work with and support universities in Somalia especially in areas of research.
“Makerere University is a very old institution and we want to really work together with institutions in the region that have the same vision and mission. Ours is not only to build research capacity but actually how do we inform national policy. I am happy that Rector has requested us to set up a research office and systems. We are very much willing and available, once you formally make that request to the Vice Chancellor,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor walked his visitors through a brief history of Makerere University and how it started as a humble technical institution in 1922, citing that it has trained thousands of people and impacted a lot of lives through edge cutting research.
“We currently have 37,000 students. We had actually reached 50,000 students a few years back but there was an outcry that we did not have the facilities to manage the numbers so we started reducing the numbers. And we are still reducing gradually because we want to reduce the number of undergraduates and increase the number of graduates. We think that the optimum number will be about 25,000,” said Prof. Nawangwe said.
According to Prof. Nawangwe, Makerere University wishes to collaborate with Somali National University in every area in order to learn from each other. “You have chosen to start collaboration in the area of public health which is a very important area for our region because of our very fast population growth and the challenges we are going to face, climate change and new diseases and so on. But we are open to collaborate in all the other areas,” he said.
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Sweden through SIDA has supported Makerere University to develop capacity and research, supporting over 400 staff to acquire PhDs.
Prof. Hassan Omar Mahadalle, the Rector of Somalia National University requested Makerere University to support the university in establishing research systems
“We appreciate the hospitality. We look forward to working with Makerere University. Somali National University was created in 1950, about 28 years after Makerere University was created. We were one of the largest universities in Sub-Saharan Africa before a civil war broke out in 1991. At that time, we had about 11 schools. When war broke out, everyone who was involved in education left for overseas. The University was reopened in 2014 after relative peace and stability and since 2014, we have established 12 Faculties and I am here now six months as a Rector,” said Prof. Omar Mahadalle.
He added that; “We were very shy when we were asking for this MoU and we limited ourselves in public health but in fact we need help in every College. We need support in Medicine, we need support in Education, we need support in Engineering, we need support in general Sciences, all our faculties need capacity building support. We will appreciate”
The Somali Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Ali Mohamud Mohamed said Somalia has stabilized and the country is resuming to empower universities to continue training and research.
“Somalia is now a peaceful country courtesy of countries with troops under bodies like AMISOM, and one of them is Uganda. We thank President Museveni and all the Uganda government for the support. Now 80% of Somalia is peaceful. There is nothing to worry about if your teams wish to come to Mogadishu,” said H.E. Ambassador Mahamud Mohamed.
He also said it was a great privilege for Somali National University to partner with one of the best universities on the continent citing that it has produced several of the region’s leaders as well as those in currently under the Somali government.
“I am glad and privileged today to witness the signing of the MOU between two great institutions and I thank everyone who has been able to see this come through.”
Professor Rhoda Wanyenze said the School of Public Health at Makerere University is a founder member of the Association of School of Public Health in Africa, citing that it would be important for SNU to join as well.
She added that MakSPH is working towards integrating Sustainable Development Goals, being a member of SDG Cluster 3 of the International Association of Universities (IAU), created under the auspices of UNESCO.
“IAU has mapped out clusters for each Sustainable Development Goal and we are a set of universities that are doing this. We coordinate the Cluster and we represent Africa on that Cluster for SDG3. There are also other members from other continents like Western Sydney University, Karolinska Institutet several others. Each continent has a University,” said Professor Wanyenze.
The Somali delegation also had Dr. Mohamed Gedi Qayad, Dean Faculty of Health Science & Tropical Medicine, Mr. Abdulwahab M. Salad, Director School of Public Health & Research, Mr. Ismail Abdullahi Ibrahim, Director of Social & Student Affairs Office at Somali National University and Mr. Liban Hussein, the Educational Attache Somali Embassy.
Dr. Fredrick Makumbi, the Deputy Dean MakSPH said; “We are very excited about the MoU with you. The School of Public Health where you are is one of the 29 Schools in the 10 Colleges with nine academic programs with more than 800 students. We are proud of being part of public health research and innovations and we have extensive partnerships. We proud that you are going to be part of this amazing network of partners.”
In this three-day visit, the delegation of Somali National University paid a courtesy call to Principal, Deputy Principal, and other Deans in the College of Health Sciences, Mrs. Winifred Kabumbuli, the Dean of Students Makerere University (Mak) and held talks with MakSPH Heads of Department to discuss way forward as well as interfacing with Somali Embassy and Makerere University Somali Students.
Article originally posted on MakSPH website.
General
Makerere Explores Strategic Industry Partnership with Psalms Food Industries to Strengthen Manufacturing Innovation
On 2nd March, 2026, representatives from the Advancement Office, the College of Business and Management Sciences and the University Innovation Pod visited Psalms Food Industries to discuss a prospective partnership aimed at strengthening university–industry collaboration in manufacturing, research, innovation, and skills development.
Psalms Food Industries, a homegrown snacks innovation and manufacturing company, operates three major brands, namely, Sumz, Afrikan Harvest and Krunchables, which have grown to a range of 37 products and target the introduction of five new products annually. The company distributes products across Kenya, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and, recently, Tanzania. As a labour of love, the idea of producing snacks was born during the honeymoon of Mr and Mrs Ngabirano, who now run Psalms Food Industries side by side.
Dr. Denis Ngabirano, CEO and Co-Founder of Psalms Food Industries, during the meeting, described the company as “a snacks innovation house, with all our products developed in-house.” He noted.
He emphasised the company’s commitment to quality assurance and consumer-centred research, noting that Psalms conducts surveys and gathers customer feedback to inform product development, supported by an internal microbiology and chemistry laboratory.
Dr. Denis Ngabirano noted that the company had only recently introduced two brands, “Afrikan Harvest for it’s health conscious clientele and Kruchables for it’s volume centric clientele.
“Afrikan Harvest has no additives, it is a brand for health-focused consumers,” he explained, while highlighting the differentiated positioning of their product lines. “Sumz is our premium brand, and Krunchables focuses on volume.”
Student-Centered Experiential Learning
A key focus of the meeting was structured experiential learning for students across disciplines. Potential areas of collaboration include internships, graduate trainee pathways, and hands-on exposure within Psalms’ incubation and production facilities.
The proposed engagement spans multiple fields, including environmental sciences, engineering, procurement and logistics, finance and accounting, quality control, production and manufacturing, human resource management, marketing, and international business.
The partnership could provide students with direct exposure to real-time production systems, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and quality assurance frameworks, strengthening the practical relevance of their academic training.
Among the innovative ideas discussed was a potential competition involving students from the Fine Art and Industrial Design disciplines to redesign packaging for selected Sumz products. The proposal would allow top designs to be commercially adopted, creating a direct bridge between creativity, intellectual property development, and industrial application.
Research, Innovation and Commercialisation
Both institutions expressed interest in joint applied research initiatives, particularly in process optimisation, data analytics for manufacturing efficiency, product improvement, and sustainable production systems.
Opportunities were also discussed around collaborative research in machine design, crop development for snack processing, and factory energy solutions, areas that not only benefit Psalms but have broader implications for Uganda’s manufacturing sector.
The engagement further highlighted potential linkages with the University’s innovation and commercialisation structures, including the University Innovation Pod (UNIPOD), to support co-creation and scaling of student-led innovations.
Mr Awel Uwihanganye, Chief Advancement Officer at Makerere University, proposed strengthening the engagement through structured programming, including a planned collaboration between the University’s innovation Hub and the upcoming incubation Hub at Psalms Food Industries, particularly to support the commercialisation of research outcomes for both students and staff.
Curriculum Co-Creation and Staff Exchange
Beyond student placements, discussions also focused on co-developing academic content that responds more directly to industry needs, particularly within the manufacturing value chain.
Proposals included guest lectures by industry practitioners, staff exchange programmes to expose academic staff to factory operations, and tailored short courses for Psalms staff based on identified skills gaps.
Dr. Jude Mugarura, Head of the Department of Marketing and Management at COBAMS, emphasised the importance of embedding the partnership within academic programming. He proposed “internships for students in HR, marketing, international business, accounting and finance,” as well as staff exchanges to give University staff hands-on exposure to manufacturing operations.
He further suggested specialised courses tailored to the factory’s needs and attachment of research students interested in manufacturing. Such collaboration would contribute to curriculum responsiveness and ensure that graduates are equipped with market-relevant competencies.
Strengthening University–Industry Linkages
The engagement reflects Makerere University’s continued commitment to strengthening partnerships that bridge knowledge generation and real-sector application.
Both institutions expressed a shared vision of building a structured, mutually beneficial collaboration that integrates research, innovation, skills development, and enterprise growth, positioning the University as a key knowledge partner in Uganda’s manufacturing transformation.
Discussions remain ongoing as both parties refine priority areas for formalisation.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office.
General
Makerere University commemorates 13 transformative years of partnership with Mastercard Foundation
On Friday, 27th February 2026, Makerere University proudly celebrated 13 years of a significant partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, a prestigious independent organisation headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Since its inception in 2013 with the launch of the Scholars Program-currently headed by Prof. Justine Namaalwa, this collaboration has grown significantly, expanding to include two additional initiatives: The E-learning Initiative-headed by Prof. Paul Muyinda Birevu and the Africa Climate Collaborative-headed by Prof. Gorretie Nabanoga. This long-term partnership underscores the shared commitment to fostering education, innovation, and sustainability in Uganda and across Africa.
The colourful event coincided with the 76th Graduation Ceremony, during which Makerere University honoured Ms. Reeta Roy, the Founding President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation, with an honorary Doctor of Laws.
In her commencement speech, Ms. Roy thanked Makerere University for considering a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and for conferring upon her a prestigious honorary award.
“Mastercard Foundation is honoured to collaborate with this esteemed university, and I appreciate the recognition through this award. I am excited to be associated with Makerere University and look forward to actively embodying its values. Joining the broader community of alumni from this distinguished institution is a privilege, and I am eager to contribute to its legacy,” stated Ms. Roy.
During the reception in honour of Ms. Roy, the Chairperson of Makerere University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, acknowledged the invaluable support from the Mastercard Foundation. She emphasised the profound impact of the Foundation’s various initiatives, particularly the scholarships for disadvantaged youth, which enable them to access higher education and opportunities that might have otherwise been beyond their reach.
“On behalf of the Makerere University Council and the broader University community, I extend our sincere gratitude to Mastercard Foundation for its commitment to collaborating with Makerere University in various endeavours, especially for providing scholarships to our underprivileged young people who would never have stepped inside a lecture room at the University.” Dr. Magara stated.
Dr. Magara, in a special way, thanked Ms. Roy for her transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to supporting young people in Africa, citing her efforts to ensure young people get their voices heard.
“As a university, our business is with young people. We are therefore committed to providing the environment and education that deliver meaningful pathways. We will provide an environment that ensures young people have a voice and agency to create meaningful change in society.” Dr. Magara pledged.
Dr. Magara further congratulated Ms. Roy on her honorary Doctor of Laws from Makerere University, noting that it is the university’s highest honour for individuals who have excelled in their careers.
“On behalf of the Makerere University community, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your honorary Doctor of Laws. This esteemed recognition represents the highest honour our institution can bestow on individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievement and excellence across various facets of their career.” Dr. Magara remarked.
Prof. Justine Namaalwa, the Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and the Coordinator for all Mastercard Foundation Initiatives at Makerere University, expressed her appreciation for the thirteen-year collaboration between Makerere University and the Mastercard Foundation. She highlighted that the partnership had yielded significant, impactful results.
“In 2013, Makerere University partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to educate the next generation of transformative African leaders who can positively impact their lives, their communities, and the economies of Africa. The partnership has had a significant impact. I thank the University Management and the Foundation team for this visionary collaboration,” remarked Prof. Namaalwa.
Prof. Namaalwa articulated that the partnership with the Mastercard Foundation is primarily focused on empowering young people as agents of change for transformational leadership in Africa. She presented compelling statistics demonstrating the positive impact of the scholars’ program, highlighting the success of individuals who have completed their education and their subsequent professional experiences after university graduation.
“This partnership focuses on young people, aiming to create positive change in their lives. To date, the Scholars Program has graduated 974 alumni, with 48% securing formal employment, 18% starting their own businesses, 8% participating in internships, and 5% pursuing further education. Overall, 72% of Scholar alumni are actively engaged in employment or entrepreneurship,” Prof. Namaalwa stated.
The colourful event showcased a dynamic array of activities that highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of Scholars and alumni from the Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University. Attendees enjoyed a mini-exhibition featuring innovative products from these ventures.
A video documentary illustrated the positive impact of the three Mastercard Foundation initiatives. The event also featured inspiring poetry recitations by Scholars and a lively atmosphere of music and dance, creating an engaging and memorable experience for all participants.
The high-level event was attended by senior University officials, led by the Chairperson of Council, Dr. Lorna Magara; the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe; the Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, Deputy, and the Ag. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance and Administration Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta. Mr Yusuf Kiranda, the University Secretary; and Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Academic Registrar, Chancellor Emeritus-Prof. Ezra Suruma, former Chairperson of the Steering Committee of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program-Prof. Umar Kakumba, and the Deputy Executive Secretary, RUFORUM, and former Program Coordinator of the Scholars Program at Makerere University-Dr. Florence Nakayiwa, among many other officials graced the function.
The event was also graced by a high-level delegation from the Mastercard Foundation, led by Ms. Reeta Roy, the Founding President of the Foundation, and included the Mastercard Foundation Teams from the Country offices in Kigali, Nairobi, and Kampala; the Program partners; the Mentors, Scholars and alumni; as well as the Program staff of the three Mastercard Foundation Initiatives at Makerere University.
At the end of the event, Makerere University honoured Ms. Reeta Roy with University memorabilia, including a pencil-drawn portrait, a pencil-drawn photo of the Ivory Tower, and other Ugandan crafts. Ms. Roy cut a graduation cake together with the 10 graduates of the 76th graduation ceremony from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
Bernard Buteera is the Principal Public Relations Officer for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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