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E-Learning Platform Launched for African Agriculture Universities

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The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), has launched a regional e-learning platform that will help facilitate universities use ICT to improve teaching and learning among the continent’s higher learning institutions.

The organisation made up of 147 universities in 38 African countries, is piloting the plat- form in universities spread across the countries of Uganda, Malawi and Zambia, and is targeted at priority agriculture education course programmes.

The platform is the first and one of the pillars of the Africa Digital Agriculture Programme (AfriDAP), an initiative meant to harness digital technologies for agricultural transformation of Africa, and enhance higher agricultural education in the continent’s universities. The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) is supporting the digi tal learning platform, with a number of co- funders also coming on board to supplement the bank’s seed money, said Dr Francis Otto Knowledge Hub manager at RUFORUM. “Although many higher education institutions world-wide have moved towards adoption of e-learning, many universities in Africa still lag behind and have been severely affected by especially the COVID-19 pandemic,” he told the Seventh African Higher Education Week and RUFORUM Triennial Conference 2021 taking place in West African country of Benin.

Some 13 universities both public and privately owned have been picked for the pilot, explained Dr. Otto.

“From the needs assessment survey conducted, 13 institutions were identified for strengthening infrastructure to operate e-learning platforms as they have demonstrated the need to implement e-learning”, he explained on selection of the pilot universities.

The Commonwealth of Learning, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are the other co-funders of the platform, he disclosed.

So far promoters of the platform have developed blended educational material, and even more important, identified and selected “market-demanded courses” for different universities, to be offered on the platform.

A total of 13 courses have been selected in research, science, ICT, project management, and in agriculture fields, for inclusion in the e-learning platform. They include Research Methods, Scientific Data Management, and popular agriculture fields such as Plant Breeding, Agri-business, Climate-smart Agriculture and in Biotechnology and Seeds Systems.

RUFORUM is working with two ‘focus’ universities Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Malawi and Uganda’s Makerere University and 10 others to support capacity building in online teaching and learning for both staff and students, Dr. Otto disclosed.

Going forward the official noted, training a pool of content developers will be escalated and as well as that of course instructors. Skills development training in use of digital technologies for university administrative staff will also be conducted.

Deployment of ICT for remote learning has become urgent in Africa since the advent of COVID-19, However numerous challenges including lack of electricity, poor broadband connectivity, lack gadgets and low human capacity to conduct online teaching has impeded this.

Read more in the RUFORUM Newsletter December 2021

Mark Wamai

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Admission Lists for – Bachelor of Laws 2025-26

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The Office of the Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released the admission lists for Bachelor of Laws for the Academic Year 2025/2026.

Please note that the list includes Government Sponsorship for Bachelor of Laws i.e  A-Level (Direct Entry), Bachelor of Laws-Day – (LAW) and Bachelor of Laws-Afternoon – (LAA)

The lists can be accessed below:

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Undergraduate Admission List Self Sponsorship Scheme 2025/2026

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Mak CoBAMS Graduands jubilate on the third session of the 72nd Graduation held on 25th May 2022.

The Office of the Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released the undergraduate admission lists for self-sponsored students for the Academic Year 2025/2026. The cut-off points can be accessed by following this link.

Please see attachment below for the A-Level Applicants who have been successful.

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Makerere University Receives 700 Tablets from UBOS to Boost Statistical Activities

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Dr. Chris Mukiza (L) hands over the donation to Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi (2nd L) as UBOS Board Director Dr. Allen Kabagenyi and other officials witness on 30th June 2025. Makerere University receiving 700 digital tablets from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), aimed at enhancing statistical research, teaching, and data-driven decision-making across the institution, 30th June 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University has received 700 digital tablets from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), aimed at enhancing statistical research, teaching, and data-driven decision-making across the institution.

The donation was made on June 30, 2025, as part of UBOS’ broader initiative to distribute a total of 3,025 tablets to ten government-funded institutions of higher learning. The handover ceremony was attended by Makerere’s Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi and Mr. Simon Kizito, the Deputy University Secretary among other Vice Chancellors and accounting officers.

Vice Chancellors from government-funded institutions of higher learning that received the donation of tablets from UBOS. Makerere University receiving 700 digital tablets from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), aimed at enhancing statistical research, teaching, and data-driven decision-making across the institution, 30th June 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Vice Chancellors from government-funded institutions of higher learning that received the donation of tablets from UBOS.

Dr. Allen Kabagenyi, a UBOS Board Director, who coordinated the distribution of the tablets to the respective 10 Public universities, underscored the significance of inter-institutional collaboration in fostering a data-literate and innovative generation. “This initiative is a testament to the power of partnerships between public institutions. In a country like Uganda, with one of the youngest populations globally, equipping our future leaders with the right tools is critical to achieving both national and global development goals,” she remarked.

The tablets had initially been procured and deployed during the recently concluded National Population and Housing Census. UBOS Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza explained that their redistribution marks the beginning of the Bureau’s post-census utilization strategy.

Dr. Chris Mukiza (L) flanked by his Board Director Dr. Allen Kabagenyi (R) addressing the meeting. Makerere University receiving 700 digital tablets from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), aimed at enhancing statistical research, teaching, and data-driven decision-making across the institution, 30th June 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Dr. Chris Mukiza (L) flanked by his Board Director Dr. Allen Kabagenyi (R) addressing the meeting.

“We acquired 120,000 tablets to conduct the census, and as we committed earlier, we are ensuring that these resources continue to serve the country even after the census,” said Dr. Mukiza. “Our expectation is that these tablets will strengthen data collection, teaching, and research in universities and higher institutions. We want to see a culture where statistics are not only produced but also actively used to influence development outcomes.”

Dr. Mukiza encouraged academic institutions to take full advantage of the extensive data available at UBOS, emphasizing that greater use of statistical resources will translate into more impactful research and policy interventions.

Some of the accounting officers who attended the handover ceremony. Makerere University receiving 700 digital tablets from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), aimed at enhancing statistical research, teaching, and data-driven decision-making across the institution, 30th June 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Some of the accounting officers who attended the handover ceremony.

During the same event – cultural institutions also received tablets.

With this donation, Makerere University is well-positioned to further empower students and researchers in statistical analysis, evidence-based planning, and innovation-driven teaching.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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