General
Mak signs Agreement with CIVIS-An Alliance of 10 European Universities
Introduction
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Associate Prof. Umar Kakumba, together with the Deputy Director Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Associate Prof. Robert Wamala and the International Relations Officer, Ms Martha Muwanguzi attended an event , New Horizons for a European –African Partnership at Aix-Marseille University, France. The event was on the invitation of the Vice –President of International Relations of Aix-Marseille University. Held from 8th to 12th March, 2022, the event was organized by CIVIS ; a European University Alliance – and punctuated by conferences and workshops with a focus on importance of the Alliance in strengthening Europe-Africa partnerships.
The Opening ceremony was held in the Amphi Gastaut. the Main Hall of Aix Marseille University. In his welcoming remarks, the Rector Aix Marseille University, Prof Eric Berton was delighted to receive participants especially those from Africa. CIVIS wants to create socially justifiable partnerships and Africa is an essential part of the Alliance with the European universities.
The Director of Strategic Projects and Networks at Aix Marseille, Ms. Camille de Garidel-Thoron introduced the participants to CIVIS. This was followed by another presentation by the Coordinator, CIVIS African and Mediterranean partnerships, University of Tübingen, Germany, Dr Christian Möllman.
Background to CIVIS-A European Civic University
In his remarks, the Coordinator explained that CIVIS is a European Civic University formed by the alliance of ten leading research higher education institutions across Europe namely: Aix-Marseille Université (France); Universite of Bucharest (Romania); Sapienza Universitá di Roma (Italy); Stockholm University (Sweden); Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium); Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Eberhard Karls Universitӓt Tubingen (Germany), University of Glasgow (United Kingdom); The Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (Austria) and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece).
The Alliance brings together a community of more than 470,000 students and 58,000 staff members including 35,000 academics and researchers. The CIVIS member universities actively contribute to the social, cultural and economic activities of the urban environments they are situated in and also promote inclusiveness, gender equality, non-discrimination and social equity. CIVIS strengthens interactions, knowledge production and skills amongst its members and with citizens, the communities, businesses, social and cultural associations. These interactions help reduce inequalities, increase access to quality training and opportunities for students and staff.
CIVIS is governed by a Board of Rectors, headed by a President and two Vice Presidents who make decisions. It has a Steering Committee headed by the President and a CIVIS Administration with a Project Team. There are three councils namely, Global Participant Council, Global Student Council and a Global Consultative Council.
Alliance between CIVIS and African Universities
Humanity now faces global problems such as climatic change, diseases and epidemics, unplanned cities and settlements, to mention but a few. It is important to note that these challenges cut across borders and continents. Therefore, collaboration and partnerships with African Higher Education Institutions (HEI) would be crucial and important to establish. It is on this basis that particular African universities were invited by CIVIS to participate in the events with the aim of extending the partnership to the African continent. Six universities were invited: (i) Makerere University (Uganda); (ii) University of Sfax (Tunisia); (iii) University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa); (iv) Université Hassan II de Casablanca (Morocco); (v) Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique), and (vi) Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (Senegal).
The collaboration and partnership broadens the network for student and staff mobilities as well as study visits. Further, it also supports equitable research partnerships in higher education agreed upon in the European Union and African Union Innovation Agenda which opens up new channels for South-South cooperation. University partnerships have also become powerful vehicles for promoting civic and democratic engagement as well as international economic development.
Presentation by Makerere University
The Vice Chancellors in the African countries presented information about their universities, including identification of areas where they could work together with the European counterparts in the Alliance.
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Associate Prof. Umar Kakumba thanked the organizers of the event and the invitation extended to Makerere University in particular. He supported the idea of a European-African Universities partnership and believes that it will contribute to the Africa Agenda 2063 and its attendant action plan. The aim should be to support research collaboration in selected fields among Africa and the member universities and to strengthen the research infrastructure at the member universities such as Science laboratory and training equipment; research in agricultural value addition and food security; infrastructure planning and management; research in public health and infectious diseases management as well as research in refugee and migration issues.
Prof. Kakumba emphasized that signing an MoU is a great step in the right direction. This should follow a statement of clear roles and responsibilities, and mutual benefits. Furthermore;
- There is need to plan big but start small.
- There should be options of choosing a low cost, simple activity with high impact such as seminars, workshops, regular partnership meetings, student/staff exchange to give partner institutions a chance to learn about each other’s systems, processes and stakeholders.
- There is need to plan and understand the individual institution’s responsibilities and obligations in the partnership and set up timelines, deliverables and milestones.
- It is crucial to establish exactly who will be involved, how communication should happen and what decisions need to be taken in the short term.
Following presentations by all the six African Universities, a discussion was made to explore common grounds on how the European Alliance can serve African partners. In his remarks, Associate Prof. Robert Wamala emphasized the need to document the roles and expectations of the African in the Alliance. In his remarks, Robert Wamala noted that Universities in the CIVIS Alliance were at a higher advantage in regards to research capacity when compared to the African counterparts. Therefore, the need to build an equal partnership in an unequal world needed to be prioritized.
Expectation(s) of the Collaboration
Collaboration in CIVIS is organized around hubs in five multidisciplinary research areas linked to CIVIS values where multiculturalism and multilingualism are encouraged and emphasized , working together to address UN Sustainable Development Goals. The four Hub Chairs made presentations of respective hubs: (i) Hub One focuses on Climate, Environment and Energy; (ii) Hub Two focuses on Society, Culture and Heritage; (iii) Hub Three focuses on Health; and (iv) Hub Four focuses on Cities, Territories and Mobilities. Hub Five is yet to be established. Activities in the Hubs include webinars, workshops, summer schools, field camps and course offerings. Each Hub must have at least three or more CIVIS universities.
All participating universities agreed that there was need to move from unilateral projects to multilateral partnerships and provide input into AU-EU Innovation Agenda and establish advanced study centres. It was noted that in order to have successful international partnerships, equity, trust, transparency and mutual respect for the needs and interests of partners were key to their success and sustainability.
Research collaboration is very important with European universities. The funding received is normally from Erasmus+ but there is need to move further to funding agencies that provide support for education such as CIVIS. It was further noted that mobility and exchanges of students and staff is there to stay and cannot replace human interaction, and other forms of education need to be developed and blended with virtual mobility. Furthermore, what is good for our students is good for our partnerships“Together we are stronger”. In this partnership, there is need to have a joint practical collaboration by “Building an equal partnership in an unequal world”
Signing of Agreements
At the end of the three- day conference, the Vice Chancellors of the African universities signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with CIVIS (A European Civic University Alliance) to lay a foundation for collaboration in research and education focusing on societal challenges, mobilities and institutional development.
Expectations of Makerere University
Similar to the rest of the African Universities, Associate Prof. Umar Kakumba presented the expectations of Makerere University from the Alliance. These included, but were not limited to the following:
- Potential for staff and student mobility within member universities in the Alliance
- Development of joint degree programs around the hub themes
- Mobilization of international funding for research
- Cross disciplinary activities including workshops, seminars and Conferences
- Improving research infrastructure in partner universities in the Alliance
Photo Gallery
Compiled by Ms. Martha Muwanguzi, International Officer, Makerere University
General
From Information to Innovation: ‘This Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint’—Academic Registrar and Director of Graduate Training Urge PhD Cohort 11
By Moses Lutaaya
A strong message of transformation, resilience, and purpose defined the orientation of PhD Cohort 11 (2025/2026) held on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at the Makerere University School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering Conference Hall, with academic leaders urging students to rethink what it means to pursue doctoral education in the 21st century.
Presiding over the function, the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, delivered an expansive and deeply reflective message, challenging the new doctoral candidates to embrace a fundamentally different academic journey.
Welcoming the students, he reminded them that their admission followed a highly competitive process, placing them among a select group entrusted with shaping the future through research.
“You have come from a competitive pool of deserving Ugandans to embark on a journey that may turn out to be the most challenging in your life, but also the most transformative and rewarding intellectual experience,” he said.
Drawing a clear distinction between earlier academic stages and doctoral study, Prof. Buyinza emphasized that PhD candidates must now take full ownership of their learning journey.“The first time you were here, someone was driving you. This time, you are going to sit in your own seat and drive it.”
He stressed that doctoral study is not a quick academic exercise but a long-term intellectual commitment requiring discipline and endurance. A PhD is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Don’t burn out so fast. Build your stamina, be consistent, and be resilient.”
In a powerful reflection on global change, he noted that today’s complex challenges can no longer be solved within single disciplines. “No single discipline can solve the challenges of the day. You need multi-disciplinarily, inter-disciplinarily, and collaboration to address complex problems.”
He urged students to abandon disciplinary silos and embrace collaborative thinking. “Gone are the days when one discipline could despise another. The world has changed; we need all of these fields working together.”
Prof. Buyinza further emphasized the shift from the information age to the innovation age, challenging students to move beyond consuming knowledge to producing new ideas. “Artificial intelligence can tell us the known. For you, we want you to tell us the unknown.”
He dismantled the traditional image of isolated doctoral study, calling it outdated in the modern academic environment. “That mental image of being hidden away in a library for years is outdated. A PhD in 2026 is very different and the landscape has changed dramatically.”
He emphasized that success in doctoral education depends heavily on collaboration and global academic engagement. “No scholar has ever flourished in isolation. Success today requires peer-to-peer collaboration, cross-cultural learning, and a global mindset.”
In a striking moment, he reframed failure as an essential part of the research process. “Ninety-nine percent of what you try may fail, but the PhD is about using that failure as data to improve your next step.”
He also cautioned against overdependence on artificial intelligence, stressing academic integrity and independent thinking. “Use AI to strengthen your thinking—not to replace it. There are no ghostwriters in scholarship. You must be the thinker.”
Addressing mental health, he urged students to build supportive academic communities. A PhD can be emotionally exhausting. Build communities around you. Take care of your mental health, we need you alive.”
He further called for structured planning and accountability in the doctoral journey. “Write your study plan from day one, how you will move from semester one to semester six. This must be well-structured, well-managed, and supervised.”
Warning against perfectionism, he added: “Perfection is the enemy of completion. If you want everything to be perfect, you may never finish. The world will judge you immediately as a PhD holder. It has no time for excuses. You must be ready.”
In his opening remarks, the Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma, welcomed the cohort and reinforced the university’s structured approach to doctoral education.
He explained that the cohort system is designed to ensure students progress together and support one another throughout their studies. “You are coming in as a group, and we have put systems in place to ensure you move as a group. This reduces the feeling that you are alone.”
He emphasized that doctoral research must be aligned with national and global priorities. “You are not here for research for its own sake. Your research must be fit for purpose and aligned to the challenges facing society.”
He reminded students of the structured three-year timeline for completion. “We have a contract with you for three years. It may look long, but it is also short. It requires commitment and responsibility on both sides.”
On technology, he cautioned against intellectual dependency on artificial intelligence. “AI is part of our reality, but it must not take over your thinking. Do not outsource the skills you are supposed to acquire.”
He concluded by reaffirming institutional support while stressing student responsibility. “We will do everything possible to ensure you complete in time, but you must also play your part.”
Speaking on behalf of the students, PhD outgoing President Habibu Malyamungu encouraged his colleagues to embrace practical habits and peer support systems.
He urged students to celebrate their achievement but remain grounded in discipline. “You need to congratulate yourselves for joining this program, it is a very important step.”
He challenged the perception that PhD study must be unnecessarily long and difficult.“A PhD is not necessarily a long journey. Sometimes simple things, like writing a few paragraphs before checking your phone can make a big difference.”
He emphasized the importance of collaboration among students.“A colleague can give you a solution that helps you overcome a problem in seconds.”
He further announced psychosocial support initiatives aimed at improving student well-being. “We are planning sessions to help you relax, engage, and relieve stress. These moments are important and they help the brain reset.”
The event closed with a unified message: doctoral training at Makerere University is evolving into a journey of innovation, interdisciplinary, and real-world problem solving—anchored in collaboration and resilience.
General
Advanced Research Methods Training of Trainers Sparks Transformation in Doctoral Training at Makerere University
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has intensified efforts to strengthen graduate supervision and research excellence through a dynamic three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop in Advanced Research Methods held from April 28 to 30, 2026 at the Senate Building Telepresence Hall.
The high-impact training, organized by the Directorate of Graduate Training with support from iCARTA and funding from the NORHED Project, brought together lecturers from across colleges including the School of Law, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), College of Natural Sciences (CONAS), College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (COVAB), and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS).
The training aimed to build institutional capacity to enhance supervision of graduate students and improve doctoral completion rates, a long-standing challenge in many universities.
Opening the workshop, Prof. Julius Kikooma underscored the strategic importance of continuous staff development in responding to evolving academic demands.
“This particular training is one of the routine tools that we use as the Directorate of Graduate Training to continuously re-tool and re-engage with staff in response to the requirements of the new policy of teaching and learning,” he said.
Prof. Kikooma highlighted that the training is anchored in the university’s shift toward competence-based education, a model increasingly being adopted globally and nationally.
“We are going to be engaging with very important issues on how to redesign and support learners in this new dispensation of competence-based teaching and learning,” he added.
He also pointed to recent reforms in doctoral training, including the introduction of a structured framework for PhD-by-research programmes aimed at addressing delays in completion.
“The expectation is that all staff should be aware of that framework and appreciate that it is designed such that the student picks up a range of skills and knowledge that gives them competence,” he explained.
The workshop also serves as preparation for lecturers who will facilitate upcoming cross-cutting PhD courses, with a long-term vision of decentralizing doctoral training to individual colleges.
Sharing his perspective, Dr. Robert Kakuru a Lecturer at the department of Philosophy described the training as both necessary and timely for strengthening the university’s academic core.
“By all standards, all academic staff are required to do research and supervise graduate students. Therefore, a ToT in Advanced Research Methods becomes important,” he said.
He noted that while the initiative is commendable, more staff still need to be reached.
“This is still a drop in an ocean we have more than 1,000 academic staff who all need these skills,” he observed.
Dr. Kakuru emphasized that improved understanding of research methods by both lecturers and students could significantly ease doctoral journeys. “Once the lecturers know the methods and the students know the methods, then the job is well cut out,” he said.
He further linked the training to Uganda’s broader development agenda, noting that research plays a central role across sectors. “Research has a multiplier effect… every programme area requires research,” he added.
From the participants’ perspective, Dr. Sarah Nakijjoba, a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Linguistics, English Language Studies & Communication Skills described the training as transformative and aligned with global shifts in higher education.
“We are being encouraged to move away from the traditional knowledge-based methods of teaching and embrace competence-based pedagogy,” she said.
Dr. Nakijjoba explained that the training emphasized learner-centered and practical approaches such as peer review, simulations, case studies, and role play. “Research methods is a practical course and requires learners to go out and do as opposed to just knowing,” she noted.
“This training is timely, it prepares us as instructors to deliver our content effectively,” she said, adding that the knowledge gained would be cascaded to other staff and students.
She also highlighted the wider implications for national development and employability. “If we have graduates who have the ability to problem-solve, they will devise practical solutions to real challenges,” she said, emphasizing the potential for evidence-based policymaking.
Dr. Nakijjoba further described research methods as central to the university’s agenda of being research led. “Research is the engine, the backbone and everything rotates around it,” she said, reinforcing Makerere’s ambition of being a research-led institution.
Participants were also equipped with skills in curriculum design, research ethics, academic writing, and the use of statistical tools, all within a competence-based framework. A key focus was on authentic assessment that measures what learners can do.
The training marks a significant step in Makerere University’s broader strategy to enhance graduate education, strengthen supervision, and produce competent researchers capable of addressing national and global challenges.
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