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.
The Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has today, Friday, 26th June 2026 handed over the CCE (Complex) Hall of Residence Site to National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Managing Director and CEO, Lieutenant General James Mugira for renovation and overhaul works. The UGX 12billion Government of Uganda-funded works, expected to be completed within a year, are the fourth project to be undertaken by NEC. They were preceded by; construction of the University Perimeter Wall, Renovation of Lumumba Hall, and Renovation of Mary Stuart Hall.
NEC’s Record Lauded
Prof. Nawangwe in his remarks at the handover ceremony lauded these projects. “The quality of work done by NEC makes us proud because we can finally say that we have Ugandans who can do the things, which we previously depended on foreigners to do.” He therefore thanked the Government of Uganda for fully funding the projects and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni, whose visit set the renovation projects in motion.
The Vice Chancellor added that as the Alma mater for most members of both the Contractor and Project Management Teams, this was a moment of great pride as their expertise and skills have saved the country billions of taxpayers’ money. “Thank you for being patriotic”, he commended.
Prof. Nawangwe concluded by noting that CCE Hall, by virtue of its location, provides a first impression of Makerere University as a whole. He therefore urged the contractor to ensure that upon renovation, CCE Hall would create a memorable and lasting first impression, exceeding even that of the renovated Mary Stuart Hall.
A Project Fueled by Nostalgia
Speaking of impressions, Lt. Gen. Mugira, with nostalgia recalled that close to 42 years ago, he not only attended his first lectures in Hall 1 of the CCE Complex but also, on a more personal note added, “my wife was a resident, and so I have every motivation to put in a lot of effort and make sure that I deliver more than was done with Mary Stuart and Lumumba.”
He therefore extended heartfelt appreciation to his Alma mater Makerere University for the trust and confidence bestowed in NEC, which underscored their ability to deliver. “Trust is earned through performance, through integrity and consistency, and your decision to engage us motivates us to work even harder to exceed your expectations.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) Prof. Henry Alinaitwe reechoed the need to ensure that the project is executed with adherence to the cost, quality, specifications and safety related issues as earlier shared by the Acting (Ag.) Chief Engineer of Estates and Works, Eng. Ezra Sekadde.
“NEC has already demonstrated this (with previous projects), and that is why we have all the confidence that you can deliver this project within 12 months” remarked Prof. Alinaitwe. He equally lauded the Project Management Team (PMT) led by Arch. Dr. Kenneth Ssemwogerere whose supervision ensures timely project completion.
Relatedly, Arch. Dr. Semwogerere was on 25th June 2026, the eve of the handover, promoted to the rank of Associate Professor, a milestone Prof. Alinaitwe attributed to his track record as Head of PMT. He therefore, on a light note, urged him to keep up the good work as this could equally contribute to his promotion to the rank of full Professor.
Also present at the handover ceremony was the Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Prof. Anthony Mugagga, whose unit will be greatly affected by the renovations. He nevertheless welcomed and reiterated his full support for the project, noting that just as renovation of Lumumba and Mary Stuart Halls had resulted in many alumni revisiting, the CCE Complex would upon renovation attract former residents and teaching professionals to give back or forge new partnerships.
Student Welfare at the Forefront
On her part, the Dean of Students Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli lauded the renovations of Halls of Residence as a clear demonstration of Government’s dedication to the improvement of student welfare, and creating an environment conducive for nurturing responsible citizens who can contribute to national development. She pledged her Office’s and the Student Leadership’s readiness to ensure that the renovated facilities used responsibly for the benefit of future generations.
As a resident of the recently renovated Mary Stuart Hall, 92nd Guild President H.E. Kadondi Gracious could not help but appreciate how impactful the renovation of CCE Hall would be to student welfare. “The female students will be very excited (to occupy CCE Hall) but the male students will be left complaining – so we shall be expecting more renovations, not just for the female but also the male students,” she amiably concluded.
General
Makerere University Leads EU-Funded MAGNETISE Project to Strengthen Gender Equality in Higher Education Across Sub-Saharan Africa
A consortium of African and European universities has intensified efforts to mainstream gender equality in higher education through the MAGNETISE project, with Makerere University taking a leading role in hosting a high-level workshop that brought together policymakers, researchers, and gender experts to reflect on institutional progress, persistent gaps, and future strategies.
The initiative, focused on Mainstreaming Gender in Higher Education Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa (MAGNETISE), is supported by the European Union and implemented through a multi-country partnership involving institutions in Uganda, South Africa, and Europe. It aims to move beyond policy formulation to practical implementation, monitoring, and institutional accountability in gender equality.
At the heart of the discussions was a shared concern: while universities across the region have developed gender policies over the past decades, translating these frameworks into measurable, lived institutional change remains uneven.
A Consortium Approach to Gender Mainstreaming in Academia
Opening the workshop, held at Makerere University recently, the project lead, Professor James Acai Okwee who is also deputy Principal CoVAB, described MAGNETISE as a collaborative effort designed to strengthen institutional capacity for gender equality planning across higher education systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He explained that the consortium includes Ugandan partners such as Makerere University and Muni University, alongside South African institutions including University of KwaZulu-Natal, Rhodes University, and Nelson Mandela University. European partners include Katholieke Hoge school VIVES Zuid (VIVES) and KMOP Policy Centre from Belgium, as well as Research Innovation and Development Lab (ReadLab) and University of Peloponnese. The consortium also includes additional European academic collaboration through the University of Applied Sciences and related policy and research networks.
According to Acai, the core objective is not simply to produce policies, but to ensure universities develop functional gender equality plans supported by implementation tools, monitoring frameworks, and institutional accountability systems.
“We have had policies since the early 2000s, but the real question is: where is the implementation plan, and how do we track progress?” he noted. “If a policy says 40 percent representation for women in leadership, we must be able to measure whether that is being achieved.”
He emphasized that MAGNETISE would support training, capacity-building exchanges with European institutions, student engagement programmes, and the development of a digital knowledge hub for gender equality.
Makerere University’s Institutional Position on Gender Equality
Representing university leadership, Dr. Suzan Mbabazi of Makerere University’s Gender Mainstreaming Directorate reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to advancing gender equality across its academic, research, and community engagement mandate. She highlighted significant progress made over more than two decades, citing policies such as the Gender Equality Policy and the Regulations Against Sexual Harassment, alongside governance frameworks that have institutionalized gender equity. Makerere has also established key structures, including the Institute of Gender and Development Studies and the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, to coordinate initiatives across faculties. Yet, Dr. Mbabazi cautioned that structural achievements do not erase systemic challenges. “Despite progress globally and locally, we must acknowledge persistent gaps, biases, and inequalities within higher education institutions,” she said, stressing the need to bridge policy and practice. She urged participants to prioritize awareness creation, institutional analysis of existing gaps, and deliberate action to dismantle structural barriers. Reaffirming management’s support, she called for continued collaboration among institutions and stakeholders to sustain momentum in gender mainstreaming.
Preliminary Survey Findings Reveal Mixed Progress
Presenting the initial findings of a university-wide survey, Dr. Peace Musiimenta of the School of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University revealed that responses from 82 participants across various units highlight both progress and persistent challenges in advancing gender equality. While many acknowledged strides in gender mainstreaming, structural and cultural barriers remain entrenched. The study found that although gender policies exist, their implementation is often inconsistent, and initiatives risk being treated as isolated projects rather than integrated institutional practices. Dr. Musiimenta noted that some staff perceive gender programs as overly focused on women, fueling resistance and ideological tensions within academic spaces. She emphasized that the challenge is no longer the absence of policy but the need to ensure visibility, ownership, and effective application of existing frameworks to embed gender equality across the institution.
Gender Audit Highlights Structural Gaps and Progress
Expanding on the institutional audit, Dr. Florence Ebila outlined the methodology and preliminary findings of the gender audit conducted between May and June 2026.She explained that the audit examined institutional policies, governance systems, practices, organizational culture, and perceptions of gender equality.
The study drew data from multiple administrative units including human resources, academic registrars, estates and works departments, and student leadership structures. Ebila reported that Makerere University has made significant institutional progress, including the establishment of gender-focused units and integration of gender considerations into teaching, research, and governance. However, she identified persistent disparities in representation, particularly in science-related disciplines where male staff and students remain dominant.
She also highlighted infrastructural gaps, noting that while newer buildings are increasingly accessible, several older facilities lack adequate support for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Another concern raised was limited gender-responsive budgeting, with insufficient allocation of resources to sustain gender mainstreaming activities across all units. “The challenge is not just policy design, but operationalization at all levels of the institution,” she said.
Gender, Identity, and Institutional Culture: A Critical Reflection
A keynote reflection by Dr Josephine Ahikire introduced a deeper theoretical lens to the discussion, situating gender mainstreaming within broader questions of institutional power, identity, and cultural norms.
Ahikire emphasized that gender mainstreaming is not a technical exercise but a structural transformation process that challenges entrenched systems of privilege.
She used the example of Makerere University’s centenary monument, where a male graduate is prominently positioned in front view while a female graduate is placed at the rear, to illustrate how symbolic representations can reflect deeper institutional biases.
“What appears natural often hides embedded inequality,” she argued. “Even symbolic structures matter because they reflect how institutions imagine gender.”
Ahikire acknowledged Makerere University’s progress in policy development and institutional frameworks but cautioned that deeper cultural transformation is still required.
She emphasized the need to interrogate curriculum design, research systems, and informal institutional practices that may perpetuate inequality despite formal commitments to inclusion.
She further argued that gender discourse must retain its political dimension, noting that terms such as feminism should not be avoided but engaged critically in order to address structural inequality.
“Gender equality work is not about comfort,” she said. “It is about questioning established norms and rethinking how power is distributed.”
Institutional Achievements and Remaining Challenges
Across presentations, several common themes emerged.
Participants acknowledged that Makerere University has developed one of the most advanced gender mainstreaming frameworks in the region, including:
- A dedicated gender equality policy framework
- Sexual harassment regulations and safeguarding policies
- Institutional gender mainstreaming structures
- Student engagement programmes and gender clubs
- Scholarships supporting women in science and disadvantaged backgrounds
- Increasing integration of gender into teaching and research
However, speakers consistently highlighted persistent challenges, including:
- Limited implementation of gender policies at departmental level
- Uneven representation of women in senior academic ranks
- Infrastructure gaps affecting accessibility and inclusion
- Weak gender-responsive budgeting mechanisms
- Resistance and misunderstanding of gender equality concepts
- Fragmentation of gender work across isolated units
Towards a Comprehensive Gender Equality Plan
A key outcome of the MAGNETISE project is the development of a comprehensive institutional gender equality plan for Makerere University, supported by monitoring tools and a sustainability framework.
The plan is expected to consolidate existing policies into a coherent implementation strategy, linking institutional commitments to measurable outcomes.
It will also include a handbook for monitoring gender equality initiatives and a digital platform for knowledge sharing among students and staff.
Project leaders emphasized that sustainability will depend on institutional ownership beyond donor funding, particularly through integration into university governance systems.
A Continuing Institutional Journey
The workshop concluded with a shared recognition that gender equality in higher education remains a work in progress, requiring sustained institutional commitment, cultural transformation, and accountability mechanisms.
While Makerere University has made notable progress over the past decades, speakers agreed that the next phase of gender mainstreaming must focus on implementation, visibility, and structural change.
As the MAGNETISE project continues across partner institutions in Africa and Europe, it positions itself not only as a research initiative, but as a long-term institutional reform effort aimed at reshaping how universities understand and operationalize gender equality in higher education.
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