Agriculture & Environment
New CAES Principal Delivers Inaugural Speech, explains strategies for improving the College
Published
3 years agoon

The new Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University, Dr. Gorettie N. Nabanoga delivered her inaugural speech to the College community on Friday, 4th March 2022. During the event held in the Biology Laboratory at the School of Agricultural Sciences, CAES, the Principal acknowledged the transformative leadership of the outgoing Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha. She also recognized the former deans and Heads of Department for the excellent service to CAES and Makerere University in general. These included; Prof. Johny Mugisha, Dean School of Agricultural Sciences (2013-2021); Prof. Jacob Agea who served as Head Department of Extension and Innovation Studies (2015-2019); Prof. Paul Kibwika, Head Department of Extension and Innovation Studies (2011-2015); Prof. Archileo Kaaya, Head Department of Food Technology and Human Nutrition (2011-2019); Prof. Phillip Nyeko, Head Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism (2011-2019); Dr. Denis Mpairwe, Head Department of Agricultural Production (2011-2019); and Dr. Yazidhi Bamutaze, Head Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences (2015-2019). Dr. Nabanoga presented plaques to the outgoing Principal and former administrators in recognition of their excellent service to the College and University in general. The Principal together with members of staff from the School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, led by the Dean, Dr. Fred Babweteera presented various gifts to the outgoing Principal.

Principal’s address
Addressing the CAES community, Dr. Nabanoga appreciated the support accorded to her by all staff and students while she served as Deputy Principal. “The support motivated me to offer myself to serve as Principal of this mighty College,” she noted.
She acknowledged the support rendered to her by the outgoing Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha that greatly advanced her leadership skills. “The job description of the Deputy Principal is shaped/defined by the Principal, and it on this note that I am profoundly grateful to Prof. Bashaasha for having incrementally assigned me roles and responsibilities that nurtured my leadership skills. Your selfless service and leadership were a source of inspiration that gave me confidence to pursue this leadership position, to add a building block on your achievements,” she said.
Dr. Nabanoga explained that Prof. Baashaasha’s contribution remains a strong foundation for CAES’ journey to excellence. “There’s no price I can pay to reciprocate your contribution to my leadership skills, except ensuring that your contribution to CAES’ growth is sustained. Thank you very much for building a firm foundation on which I will ably make a contribution.”

While appreciating the Deans and Heads of Department, Dr. Nabanoga noted that the great performance of a Deputy Principal is anchored on the committed service and management skills of the former. “I appreciate the Deans and Heads of Department that I worked with in the last eight and a half years as Deputy Principal. You indeed made it easy for me to deliver on my mandate,” she explained.
Dr. Nabanoga equally applauded Prof. Jacob Godfrey Agea and Dr. Patrick Okori for offering themselves for the position of Principal, CAES. “You indeed demonstrated to Makerere University that CAES has potential leaders. I know that you have a lot of experience, knowledge, and competences to make good leaders. I pledge to seek and integrate the ideas presented in your manifestos and will continue to seek your counsel and guidance for the betterment of CAES,” she said.
She appreciated the Search Committee, the University Management, Council and the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma for their trust and confidence in her leadership potential. Following a rigorous search process, the Chancellor appointed Dr. Nabanoga Principal, CAES effective 1st February 2022 for a period of four years.

CAES’ Journey to 2025
Highlighting the achievements, challenges and strategies for improving CAES in the next four years, Dr. Nabanoga reminded members of staff that CAES is a great College with a lot of potential in the area of human capital development through the teaching programmes offered and research and innovations that significantly contribute to Makerere University ranking and brand. “All achievements in the areas highlighted have been possible because of staff commitment, an enthusiastic student community, as well as productive and well maintained research and incubation centres including the Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement (MARCCI), Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK), the Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS) and the Food Technology and Business Incubation Centre (FTBIC),” she explained, noting that despite the enormous achievements, there is still a lot more potential opportunities that can move CAES to greater heights. “This can only be possible if we deliberate and focus to address the historical and contemporary challenges, while harnessing the unlimited opportunities within and around us,” she noted.
Quoting General George Washington, the First United States President who said “The Honour and Success of the army depends upon harmony and good agreement with each other”, Dr. Nabanoga explained that success can only be realized if there is collective consciousness on the shared mission in an organization. “We are an army of intellectuals whose sole purpose is to shape discourses in our respective disciplines. This can only be possible if we cultivate harmony at CAES and have meaningful engagement with partners. This is a mission I will wake up to pursue every day,” she said.
Structural and operational challenges and strategies to address them
Highlighting the structural and operational challenges that undermine teaching and learning as a key component of the University and College mandate, Dr. Nabanoga explained that CAES programmes require skills development, calling for improvement in practical training. “The quality of practical training at the College has declined over the years majorly because of insufficient and late disbursement of funds for conducting practical training. We do not have enough technical staff in our laboratories. These challenges limit the skillset imparted to the CAES graduate, yet the world today requires human resource with appropriate skillset. As Makerere works towards improving the budget prioritization and funds disbursement routines, we need to diversify collaborations with industry to enable our students to engage in meaningful academic and work experience internships,” she explained.

Regarding the heavy teaching load for academic staff amidst other mandates of research and knowledge transfer partnerships, Dr. Nabanoga explained that most units are understaffed, working with half of the established positions. This, coupled with the low morale amongst teaching and non-teaching, she noted was largely affecting efficiency. “The effects of this include the declining number of grant-winning research proposals, delayed submission of results, and inadequate student research supervision.”
In a bid to improve research and innovations at the College, Dr. Nabanoga called for the revitalization of relationships with former and new development partners with a global research focus. “Additionally, all Units should be encouraged to establish functional relationships with sister Units in Universities in the global North. We also need to work towards fully operationalizing research grant units, and creating incentives for researchers.
On graduate training programmes that are currently experiencing low enrolment, at 6% as opposed to the 40% desired in the University’s Strategic Plan 2020-2030, Dr. Nabanoga said the College through the Office of the Deputy Principal would work on developing a strategy to market graduate programmes. In order to improve the graduate students’ constraint of funding innovative research, she committed to provide support to schools and departments to develop research proposals with a provision of research funds for graduate students. She also committed to foster continuous improvement in the graduate supervision and examination processes, which shall improve the current graduate completion rate from 75% to 90%. “This will require efforts in areas such as increasing the pool of examiners, full operationalization and utilization of the Grad-Track System, developing a system of recognizing best performing examiners, and supporting Units to establish incubation centres to promote innovations.

On resource mobilization, Dr. Nabanoga noted that together with all staff, she would work towards exploring and fully utilizing MUARIK and other Institutes and Centres of Excellence at the College. “We need to change our mindset in sorting these challenges if we have to fast track research and innovation. I propose that we intention and purpose to become entrepreneurs in Academia. My dream is to see CAES as the Apex of impactful research and Human Capital Development, fitting the world of work, with innovative entrepreneurial operations,” she said.
Dr. Nabanoga emphasized the need for inclusivity at all levels of operation, committing that she would support schools and department to form engendered working committees to address their unique challenges.
Concluding her remarks, Dr. Nabanoga recognized the unique services of administrative and other non-teaching staff at the College. “The cleaners do a noble job to keep us healthy, the registrars absorb most of the complaints from the students, and the finance team are the engine of the College operations. All these categories of staff including the Human Resources team, communications team and ICT staff are our unsung heroes and heroines. I pledge to be responsive to your needs, interests and aspirations. I will continue to maintain my open door policy. Feel free to walk in and if you don’t, I will walk to you. I reiterate my commitment to a co-creative approach in identifying and addressing the barriers in our areas of mandate.”
At the event, several members of staff paid glowing tribute to the outgoing Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha for his excellent leadership skills, cooperation, and improvement of the teaching and research infrastructure at the College, and appealed to him to continue offering them guidance.

In his remarks, Prof. Bashaasha acknowledged the overwhelming appreciation of his service by members of staff at the College. He pledged continued support to the new Principal and all staff at the College.
The event was crowned with a cocktail party for all staff held in the School of Agricultural Sciences Quadrangle.
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Agriculture & Environment
New Project to Improve Relevance of CAES PhD Graduates
Published
1 week agoon
March 24, 2025
Working with potential future employers of PhD students in Kenya and Uganda, Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Trans-disciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education (ADVALUE) Project aims to develop curricula that best prepare academic specialists in agricultural sciences for their careers.
Overview
The lack of skills-oriented training significantly undermines the relevance of doctoral graduates in today’s rapidly evolving job market, particularly within industries such as agriculture, where practical expertise and adaptability are essential. While doctoral programmes traditionally emphasize research and theoretical knowledge, they often fail to equip graduates with the hands-on, industry-specific skills needed to address real-world challenges. In agricultural value chains, for instance, the ability to apply advanced research to optimize production, supply chain management, sustainability practices, and technological advancements is crucial. Without a strong foundation in these practical areas, doctoral graduates may struggle to effectively contribute to innovation and efficiency in agricultural systems. From improving crop yields through data analysis to enhancing logistics and distribution methods, agricultural value chains require professionals who can seamlessly integrate research with practical application.

What the ADVALUE Project targets to address
Co-funded by the European Union, the ADVALUE Project—Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Trans-disciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education—seeks to modernize doctoral education in agricultural and agro-environmental sciences at universities in Uganda and Kenya. This initiative aims to enhance trans-disciplinary skills to promote the development of sustainable agricultural value chains, addressing pressing challenges such as food insecurity, unemployment, and climate change.
Project partners include; Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Germany (NGU); German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (DITSL); Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU); Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU); Makerere University, Uganda; Uganda Christian University (UCU); University of Nairobi, Kenya (UoN); Pwani University Kenya (PU); Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, Uganda (RUFORUM). Associated Partners: European Alliance in Agricultural Knowledge for Development, Belgium (AGRINATURA); National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda (NARO); National Council of Higher Education, Uganda (NCHE); Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO); Ministry of Education Science and Technology Kenya (MoEST). The project PI is Prof. Dr. Heinrich Schüle. In Uganda, the project is coordinated by Prof. John Tabuti.

Project objectives
- Develop innovative courses on trans-disciplinary research methodologies and value chain analysis within doctoral programmes.
- Strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure research is demand-driven and fosters innovation.
- Enhance the expertise of both academic staff and doctoral students.
- Improve quality assurance frameworks and development processes in doctoral education.
To achieve these goals, ADVALUE is developing four modules for PhD students that will be integrated into the curricula of the partner universities in Kenya and Uganda, taking into account the experiences and expectations of local stakeholders and potential future employers. The modules will include topics on scientific work, trans-disciplinary research, rangeland management, and agricultural value chains. The collaboration and exchange between the universities and representatives from the working environment, government organisations and international partners aims to strengthen the career prospects of postgraduate students in East Africa and promote their expertise with regard to the local requirements for achieving the SDGs.

The ADVALUE interim conference
The project team held an interim conference at Makerere University on 17th-19th March 2025 to evaluate the state of PhD education in agriculture, incorporating diverse insights from both European and East African perspectives. The conference brought together academic staff, students, and leaders from partner institutions, associated organizations, and key stakeholders in the Agricultural sector.
The conference aimed to highlight the progress and findings of the project, offering a platform for discussing PhD research on agricultural value chains within higher education institutions (HEIs). A key focus was on trans-disciplinary approaches, as well as fostering dialogue on quality criteria for PhD programs. Additionally, the event served as a formal meeting for the project’s Steering Committee and provided an opportunity for partners to refine their assessments of doctoral education in line with established quality standards and institutional contexts.

Presentation by Mr. Joseph Nkandu on the Agricultural Value Chains in E.A
In his address on the sustainability of agricultural value chains in East Africa, Mr. Joseph Nkandu, Executive Director of NUCAFE (Uganda’s national umbrella organization for coffee farmers), emphasized the vital role that higher education plays in strengthening and advancing agricultural value chains. He stressed the importance of aligning education with the region’s broader development goals to ensure that future generations of agricultural professionals are equipped with the necessary skills for sustainable growth. “Education must become more practical and closely integrated with the region’s development objectives,” he noted. He praised the initiative, noting that the project would greatly enhance doctoral training at partner institutions, empowering students with advanced knowledge and skills to support and sustain agricultural value chains across East Africa. “The sustainability of Africa’s value chains is essential if we are to meet the demands of the growing population,” he added.

Uganda’s agricultural value chains are a cornerstone of its economy. However, several challenges threaten their sustainability, including climate change, which affects crop yields and water availability; inadequate infrastructure, which hinders market access; limited access to finance for smallholder farmers; land degradation; and insufficient technology adoption. Moreover, pest outbreaks and post-harvest losses further undermine the efficiency and profitability of agricultural systems. Tackling these challenges is essential to improving the sustainability and resilience of Uganda’s agricultural sector.

Remarks from NCHE
In her remarks, Prof. Mary Okwakol, the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, emphasized the critical role of doctoral training in driving societal progress. She explained that advanced research and innovation resulting from doctoral programmes not only contribute to academic advancement but also pave the way for ground-breaking discoveries. “These discoveries, in turn, play a pivotal role in shaping and transforming nation-states by addressing pressing challenges, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for communities.” Prof. Okwakol called for continued investment in doctoral education to harness its potential for national development and global competitiveness.

Highlighting the challenges related to Doctoral training, the Deputy Principal of CAES, Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze, noted that the project was timely and would greatly strengthen the research capabilities of doctoral students, ensuring that their skills are more aligned with current academic and industry needs, ultimately improving the overall relevance and impact of their research outputs. “As Makerere University strives to become a research-intensive institution, the importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. This project will make a substantial contribution to this goal.”

Engagement with smallholder farmer in Matugga
During the conference, the project team had the opportunity to visit the farm of Mr. Sam Mpiira, a dedicated smallholder farmer located in Matugga, within Nansana Municipality. The visit allowed the team to gain first-hand insight into Mr. Mpiira’s farming practices, observe the challenges he faces, and better understand the impact of various agricultural initiatives in the region. This experience was an important part of the conference, as it provided a real-world context to the discussions on smallholder farming and rural development.

Key Issues Arising from the Workshop
- Overemphasis on theoretical science: While science is extensively studied, its practical application remains problematic.
- Outdated supervision: Many PhD supervisors are not up-to-date with current research trends. There is a need for educational frameworks that align with the latest development agendas.
- Technician mentality among graduates: A significant number of PhD graduates tend to think like technicians rather than innovators. Many struggle to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired and lack the ability to think creatively.
- Lack of innovation: There is a notable absence of innovation among doctoral graduates, which hinders progress.
- Evolving skillsets in value chains: There is an urgent need to address the changing skillsets required across different value chains.
- Unrealistic PhD programme durations: The prescribed durations for PhD programmes are often unrealistic and fail to reflect the complexity of the research process.
- Competing priorities: The multiple demands on students’ time hinder their ability to complete doctoral studies in time.
- Financial barriers: Limited funding continues to undermine the success and sustainability of doctoral training programmes.
- Lack of student commitment: Some doctoral students exhibit a lack of commitment and dedication to their studies, impacting their success.
- Negative student attitudes: Students often display an underestimation of the role and guidance of their supervisors, which affects their academic progress.
- Inadequate research facilities: Limited access to essential research facilities hampers the quality of doctoral research.
- Weak analytical skills: Many doctoral students lack the necessary analytical skills to perform at the required level of their academic discipline.
- Gender-based challenges: Gender roles negatively impact the performance and progression of female doctoral students, limiting their academic potential.
- Supervisory workload: Excessive workload on supervisors affects the quality and effectiveness of their mentorship.
- Need for relearning in value chains: Achieving sustainability in value chains demands continuous relearning and adaptation.

Recommendations
- Dedicated study leave: Doctoral students should be granted leave from other responsibilities to focus fully on their research.
- Creating research spaces: Institutions must create dedicated, conducive workspaces for doctoral students to foster collaboration and focus.
- Increase funding opportunities: More scholarships and financial support should be made available to PhD students to ease financial barriers.
- Research-oriented supervision: Supervisors must establish and maintain active research agendas to ensure they remain relevant and effective in guiding students.
- Strengthen institutional collaboration: Encouraging greater collaboration between Higher Education Institutions can foster exchange of ideas and resources to enhance doctoral research outcomes.
Photos from conference activities






More photos at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cZwlLXt5YBWoeMfO0wVbdva0NLIQ5sHr
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/107GJR6nCZJwKjmfrwveGXw7As2AhAQWt
Agriculture & Environment
Mak Launches Urban Futures Project, Unveils Handbook on Urban Heat Management
Published
2 weeks agoon
March 18, 2025
“Toward health equity, inclusive governance, and climate adaptation in African Informal Settlements”
Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo and the University of Manchester, on 6th March launched a new project titled: The Urban Futures Project: Toward Health Equity, Inclusive Governance and Climate Adaptation in African Informal Settlements, and Urban Heat Risk Awareness Raising and Knowledge Exchange. The Urban Futures project is the first learning lab initiated to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange amongst the various stakeholders and inclusive decision-making process that addresses complex challenges faced by informal settlements in Kampala.

Project Partners: Makerere University, University of Waterloo and the University of Manchester, Institute of Development Studies, Sierra Leon Research Centre, Training and Research Support Centre, Government of Uganda, Kampala Capital City Authority, Act Together Uganda, and Focus for Life Development Link.

Unveiling the Urban Heat Management Handbook
During the launch event at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, the Urban Heat Management Handbook was unveiled to help raise awareness and promote knowledge exchange on heat stress. The handbook covers critical topics such as understanding heat resilience, assessing heat risk, planning for heat resilience, responding to heat waves, and providing solutions for heat resilience.

The Urban Futures project will highlight the multifaceted risks faced by informal residents and workers, aiming to create South-South learning opportunities to address these inequitable threats. The study will focus on vulnerable populations in informal settlements and workers, seeking to identify equitable adaptation pathways to address climate risks that exacerbate health disparities.

Project Approach
The project will adopt a collaborative approach involving diverse stakeholders, focusing on developing health adaptation strategies, building resilience, and fostering growth through knowledge co-generation, continuous learning, evaluation, and improvement. The research will be conducted in three large African cities on the frontlines of climate change: Kampala (Uganda), Freetown (Sierra Leone), and Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). Through interdisciplinary and participatory methods, the study will gather evidence on how climate-related risks impact the daily lives of residents and workers in these areas.

Key Remarks
In his opening remarks, Dr. Paul Mukwaya, Head of the Department of Geography, Geo-informatics, and Climatic Sciences, described the learning lab as an essential space for dialogue among stakeholders in informal settlements. “The Urban Action Lab is our space to discuss urban development challenges together as a community, to find effective solutions,” he said.

Ms. Anita Kusiima, representing the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), spoke about the challenges posed by attitudes toward enforcement. “KCCA has initiated strategies like greening, skilling, and livelihood programs. However, we struggle with enforcement. Until statistics like these are shared with communities, people don’t realize how much we are destroying our environment. It’s common to wake up and find over 40 trees have been cut down overnight. In places like Nakasero, many trees are cut during the night. As a country and a city, we face not only poor attitudes toward the law but also towards the quality of life we want to achieve,” she said. “Urban farming has seen success at the household level, greening has been effective, and school programs aimed at raising awareness have also been successful.”

Dr. Robbinson Kabanda, a Veterinary Doctor at KCCA, emphasized the learning lab’s potential in addressing issues such as budget cuts and the impacts of climate change on Kampala. “With budget cuts affecting many funded activities, this is a great opportunity for Kampala, where the majority live in informal settlements and are especially vulnerable to climate change,” he said. “These collaborative spaces foster innovation and experimentation in urban contexts, bringing together various stakeholders and practitioners to address complex urban challenges through shared learning.”

Mr. Hakimu Ssevviiri, from the Research Urban Action Lab, highlighted the power of the urban learning lab in addressing urban challenges through collaboration, innovation, and community engagement. He emphasized the importance of urban resilience, improved decision-making, and public involvement.

Issues highlighted at the Launch
- There is a critical need for timely interventions to address heat stress and other challenges facing informal settlements.
- Informal settlements lack sufficient space for tree planting.
- Trees take time to mature, making them a long-term solution.
- Reducing electricity costs and improving water access are immediate priorities.
- Solar energy use is vital for reducing heat stress, particularly in households.
- Strong government policies on heat stress, such as promoting the use of mosquito nets, are essential.
- Wetland degradation and tree clearance are major contributors to heat stress.

Agriculture & Environment
Climate change and resilience in Africa: 2 PhD positions in Uganda
Published
4 weeks agoon
March 6, 2025By
Mak Editor
Are you passionate about tackling climate-related challenges and empowering climate-affected communities in Africa? Do you aspire to complete academic research with a real-world impact? Join Climares, a groundbreaking research project that supports the climate resilience of at-risk populations in five African countries. For our work in Uganda, we are looking for 2 PhD candidates who will work with either smallholders or refugees and other stakeholders using innovative, participatory research methods. The positions are initially for one year, extended, conditional upon good performance, to a maximum of five years, on a full-time basis. The positions are based in Makerere University, Uganda, Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences. If successful, the applicants will receive a joint/dual degree with Wageningen University, The Netherlands [PhD A- smallholders] or Erasmus University Rotterdam [PhD B- refugees].
Expected starting date: July 1st – August 1st, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Job description – what you will do?
You will be part of an exciting new research project called Climares (www.climares.nl). Climares is a consortium of 7 African and 7 Dutch universities, along with societal partners, working in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Morocco, Senegal, and Uganda. Our mission is to support at-risk populations—smallholders, fisherfolk, urban outdoor workers, pastoralists, and displaced people—by transforming weather and climate data into actionable insights that enhance resilience and enable early adaptation. Climares uses participatory digital and in person research, co-created climate storylines and advocacy methods to ensure that weather and climate information becomes accurate and actionable and integrated with local knowledge systems.
Within the scope of the project, you are expected to develop your own PhD research focus and thematic interest, in close collaboration with your supervisors. The supervision team consists of African and Dutch academics with a range of research areas. You will also be part of an interdisciplinary group of eleven PhD researchers, who are recruited from the five African countries and who will be the core of the Climares project. The PhD researchers will work independently and in collaboration, by sharing knowledge, skills, and experiences.
The PhD projects in Uganda centre around action-oriented research with communities and other stakeholders, such as civil society actors, private actors, and government representatives. The projects aim to support the agency and resilience of communities by creating and supporting Knowledge∞ Action (K∞A) networks. These networks are composed of all stakeholders that have an interest in the resilience of a population group, including affected communities. As a PhD researcher, you will be responsible for setting up and facilitating these networks over a five-year period, and for collecting data on the process. For the duration of the project, you will be part of the Climares Academy that meets online for one day per week for training, supervision and meetings with your peers.
- Project A (SMALLHOLDERS) will focus on the climate-related challenges and innovation strategies of smallholders engaged in cash crop production, notably highland coffee cultivation.
- Project B (DISPLACEMENT) will focus on refugees and other forcibly displaced persons in Uganda, and their resilience strategies in relation to their experienced climate-related threats and uncertainties.
Where you will work
These PhD positions are based in Uganda, with occasional travel to the Netherlands (or other countries) for training purposes and consortium meetings.
The PhD trajectories will start with an intensive two-month training in the Netherlands. After this, you will return to Uganda to spend significant periods of time with either smallholders or refugees and to start working on the Knowledge∞Action (K∞A) networks. During this period, you will attend online training and reflection meetings one day per week.
You will be a member of the Climares PhD school, called the Climares Academy. Training will include academic courses as well as training on skills and content required for Climares, and individual career development support. Training will be provided by members of the Climares consortium, including academic partners and societal partners such as the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, Deltares, and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. PhD candidates will receive cutting-edge teaching and mentoring from a diverse range of experts, combining theoretical knowledge with practical applications.
Supervision and degree
The supervision teams for these PhD projects will consist of scholars from Makerere University and Wageningen University for PhD -A and scholars from Makerere and Erasmus University for PhD-B. With your supervisors, you will develop a detailed PhD project plan, including research activities and milestones. You will also jointly develop and regularly monitor your own career development plan.
You will be admitted to and graduate from Makerere University, as well as – through joint/dual-degree arrangement – from Wageningen University (PhD-A] and Erasmus University [PhD-B] in the Netherlands.
Requirements
We are looking for an interdisciplinary team of PhD researchers. We therefore invite candidates with various profiles to apply.
Requirements for both candidates:
- You have a master’s degree or an equivalent diploma in social sciences, climate sciences, geographical sciences, environmental sciences or a related field;
- You have experience with, and a strong affinity for, research related to climate change, climate resilience, climate change impacts, or climate vulnerability;
- You possess strong research skills, either qualitative or quantitative, and have experience working with communities, preferably using participatory methods;
- You are motivated to develop your methodological skills in both qualitative and quantitative research;
- You are a resident of Uganda, or have extensive experience working in Uganda, preferably with either smallholders (PhD-A) or refugees (PhD-B). For participatory research with communities, it is important that you are familiar with local customs and that you speak one of the relevant local languages.
- You are able to carry out your work independently and proactively, and you are also able to work well in a team. You support the idea of interdisciplinary teamwork and knowledge sharing.
- You have excellent academic skills (analytical thinking, scientific writing and presentation), evidenced for example by a good review of your master’s thesis and potentially some scientific publications;
- You have excellent social skills that will allow you to work with communities, other stakeholders and other PhD candidates over a long period of time.
- Proficiency in English is a must. Graduation at one of the Netherlands universities must be done on the basis of a dissertation in English.
What we offer
We offer you an interdisciplinary PhD position, where you will obtain academic skills with practical application, in an enthusiastic team of world-renowned scholars and organizations working on climate issues.
The expected start date of this position July 1st – August 1st, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter. You will be based at Makerere University, the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences, one of the Departments within the School of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
We offer a competitive remuneration as well as research costs.
The initial contract has a duration of one year (12 months), to be extended to five years conditional upon performance.
About the Home University: Makerere University
General description
Established in 1922 as a technical college, Makerere University was affiliated to the University of London until 1963 when it became one of the three constituent colleges of the University of East Africa. It became an independent University in 1970 by Act of Parliament. This status continued until 2001 when the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act was enacted (https://mak.ac.ug/about/facts-figures). Makerere University is committed to providing transformative and innovative teaching, learning, research and services responsive to dynamic national and global needs.
The successful PhD candidates will be hosted at the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences, one of the Departments within the School of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (https://mak.ac.ug/study-mak/colleges-departments). The Department offers crosscutting academic programmes and research, combining the aspects of Human, Physical and Environmental Geography. Our research foci spans climate science, climate change and earth observation; Coupled human-environment systems, demography and development; disaster risk management and reduction and Urban and regional systems, transformations and sustainability.
About the Host universities
A) Wageningen University
Position A, focusing on smallholders, will be co-supervised by Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Wageningen University is the most renowned life science university in the Netherlands, hosting high quality research and training on biodiversity, climate change, food security, health, and society. The mission of the University is ‘ to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. The university contributes with impact-oriented often interdisciplinary research and hosts a strongly international community of staff and students. https://www.wur.nl/en.htm
The PhD research on smallholders is interdisciplinary in nature. The supervision team from Wageningen University will combine social science (from the chairgroup Sociology of Development and Change, SDC, part of the Social Science Department) and environmental science (from the chairgroup Soil Physics and land management, SLM). SDC hosts expertise on rural and urban development, natural resource governance and conflict, vulnerability and resilience; and a strong tradition of fieldwork and collaborative methodologies. SLM hosts expertise on sustainable land management, soil and water conservation, and farmer-led adaptation and innovation.
B) Erasmus University
Position B, focusing on refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, will be co-supervised by the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), part of Erasmus University, in the Netherlands. ISS is an international graduate school of policy-oriented critical social science. Established over 60 years ago, ISS brings together academics and students from the Global South and North to study political, economic, and social developments in transition economies. It has a long tradition in action-oriented research and a wide range of expertise working on and with African societies.
The PhD candidate will be embedded in The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre, a research centre for academic and applied research, teaching and training, and networking and impact in the field of humanitarian studies that focuses on the impact of humanitarian crises, including climate-related disasters and displacement.
Application process
The deadline for applications is 25 March 2025. You can apply by emailing your application to:
Position A: climares-phdapplication@wur.nl PLUS frank.mugagga@mak.ac.ug
Position B: climares-phdapplication@wur.nl PLUS paul.mukwaya@mak.ac.ug
Clearly indicate whether you are applying for position A (smallholders) or position B (refugees).
The application must be in English. Please note: We strongly discourage the use of generative AI in your application.
Please include the following documents:
- A motivation letter (max. two pages)
- A curriculum vitae (CV)
- Names and contact details of two referents
- A concept note or description of research ideas of not more than 4 pages, outlining the intended focus, possible research questions, and the methodological and theoretical focus
- publications if any; and as it is often difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution to publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.
After reviewing all applications, we will make a shortlist of candidates who are invited for an interview. There might be a second interview before a final selection is made.
Interviews will be online and are to be scheduled for April 9, 10, and 11.
Further information
For more information on Climares, please visit: www.climares.nl
For specific questions, please contact:
- Prof Frank Mugagga; Email: fmugagga@gmail.com or frank.mugagga@mak.ac.ug for the position on smallholders (position A)
or - Dr. Paul Isolo Mukwaya; Email: pmukwaya@gmail.com or paul.mukwaya@mak.ac.ug for the position on refugees (position B)
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