General
Hon. Dr. Musenero Launches NORHED Week, Calls for Industry-Impacting Research
Published
3 years agoon

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MoSTI), Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero on Monday 25th April, 2022 presided over the opening ceremony of the NORHED Week in Uganda and rallied researchers to ensure that their findings flow beyond academia into communities. She noted that the value chain approach adopted by the National Science, Technology and Innovation agenda necessitates that research produces industry-ready prototypes that feed into commercialisation and subsequently, the market. She prayed that this agenda would be at the back of researchers’ and funders’ minds as they embark on the next phase of projects.
Set to be held from 25th to 29th April 2022, the Week will create a platform for researchers who won grants under NORHED II to meet and share experiences as well as discuss possible links and synergies across projects. Furthermore, the Week will create a platform for researchers to discuss how NORHED can contribute to strengthening higher education and research in Uganda. NORHED is the Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development.
In his welcome remarks, the day’s Moderator, NORHED Coordinator and Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi noted that Makerere University is participating in 19 of Uganda’s 21 NORHED II projects, a proportion he described as the “lion’s share”. A total of 60 projects were awarded globally under NORHED II funding, set to run from 2021 to 2026.
“We have enjoyed a mutually beneficial cooperation and now have ample evidence that Norway invests in knowledge and competence building and prides itself in the knowledge society with ability to create and make practical use of the new scientific discoveries.
“This is a shared vision at Makerere and we are committed to continue playing this important role because we believe the knowledge economy is the way to go. It is heartwarming to see that Makerere is contributing enormously to the National Development Plan through research output, dissemination and outreach activities” remarked Prof. Buyinza.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his remarks shared that all 19 projects that Makerere is participating in are designed to address multidisciplinary themes, steered by the University Strategic Plan 2020-2030. “Indeed, strategic investment in research lays the foundation for development of any country’s intellectual strategies, competent workforce, progressive leaders, gender equality and human rights.”
Prof. Nawangwe added that NORAD; the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and other development partners have played a fundamental role in augmenting Internally Generated Funds at Makerere University, which has helped to substantially tackle the shortage of funds for research and infrastructural development.
“Makerere now has one of the best research management infrastructures on the African continent largely due to the support of the Norwegian Government” he added.
The Vice Chancellor thanked the Norwegian Government for enhancing Makerere‘s capacity to train PhDs locally, which has drastically reduced the number of staff trained entirely in Norway or on sandwich programmes.
“Out of the 100 PhDs, 85 are locally trained and only 15 staff members will go on sandwich training, which would not have been possible 30 years ago. When we started, almost all the students had to go to Norway” added Prof. Nawangwe.
Addressing participants, the Head of Delegation, Ms. Solbjørg Sjøveian said that NORHED is not only about strengthening Universities but the long-term effects that this capacity building has on societies. She added that NORHED seeks to build equitable partnerships for mutual learning and knowledge sharing with a strong South-South component, that enables younger less-established universities to learn from their more-established peers.
“One example is Makerere University which has taken a regional role in contributing to strengthening other universities both in Uganda and neighbouring countries like South Sudan” said Ms. Sjøveian. “Makerere is an important partner for Norad. As an institution you have strong commitment and dedication by both individual researchers as well as at unit level” she added.
The Head of Delegation therefore paid tribute to this pivotal role played by Makerere University in the region, especially as the institution celebrates her centenary anniversary.

Echoing the Head of Delegation’s pivotal role remark, Arne Haug the Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Uganda who represented the Ambassador H.E. Elin Østebø Johansen emphasised that it is important to strengthen the research capacity at Makerere University.
“Makerere is the leading institution in Uganda and therefore provides the largest number of human resources to other universities. Norway’s support has therefore not just focused on Makerere but it has evolved and responded to the ever changing needs in Higher Education in Uganda” remarked Mr. Haug.
He took note of the; School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-Engineering, School of Women and Gender Studies, School of Computing and Informatics Technology buildings as well as furnishing of the Main Library Extension as some of the physical infrastructure that had been built with support from Norway on Makerere‘s “beautiful” Main Campus. The Vice Chancellor later brought to light that the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Extension was the last and largest infrastructural undertaking by the Norwegian Government at the Main Campus.
Prior to declaring the NORHED Week open, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero, a self-confessed student of Vision 2040 and its constituent National Development Plans (NDPs), thanked the Norwegian Government and other development partners for laying the foundation upon which Higher Education would contribute to the attainment of Uganda’s development objectives.
Hon. Dr. Musenero shared that whereas NDP I (2010/11-2014/15) had been aimed at “addressing the fundamentals”, NDP II (2015/16-2019/20) focused on “putting up basic infrastructures”. Turning to the current NDP III (2020/21-2024/24), she shared that a decision had been taken to introduce a new institutional framework with a shift from sector to programme implementation. This shift, it is envisaged will enable Uganda to put to use the baseline human resource that had been trained and infrastructure that has been put in place to take off on the industrialisation tangent.

“Over these past years and with the support of partners like Norway and many other agencies, we have worked on a number of things such as the development of human resource. I was one of the first people who were sent out on a programme from Makerere called Agricultural Research and Training Project (ARTP) in 1994.
“And we really appreciate the support of our partners. We started by taking people abroad because we didn’t have any capacity and then we moved to sandwich programmes and now as I have been informed, we are shifting to developing people on the ground” acknowledged the Honourable Minister.
Turning back to the current phase of development under NDP III, Hon. Dr. Musenero invited the delegation from NORHED and other partners to move in step with the National strategy that seeks to promote research that results into products. The shift to product-centric research, she noted, would inspire the growth of industries that would in turn create the jobs, and eventually the environment that sustains the welfare of the youth.
“Our focus in NDP III is to invite and request all the partners to see how we can now tackle the issue of employment, and science and technology has been given the pivotal role, because if we do not translate these computer laboratories and infrastructure into jobs, we shall still have the problem and cheat the leaders of the future” remarked Hon. Dr. Musenero.
The official opening was followed by a Keynote address on “Digitalization and gender inclusiveness in teaching, research and administration in Uganda-Post Covid-19 era” by Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, and discussion led by Dr. Dorothy Okello. This was followed by the second keynote address by Dr. Vincent Ssembatya on “PhD training as a pillar in Uganda’s Economic and Sustainable Development”, which was discussed by Prof. John David Kabasa.
The NORHED Week itinerary prepared by a team led by Assoc. Prof. John Mango, will feature presentations by projects categorised according to sessions on Education and Health (5 projects), Humanities and Social Sciences (6 projects) as well as Climate Change, Natural Resources and Energy (10 projects). On Wednesday 27th April, the Delegation will meet Members of Makerere University Management, visit selected NORHED-II project Research Labs/Research Sites and on Thursday 28th April, visit Makerere University Business School (MUBS). The delegation will crown the week by meeting the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology on Friday 29th April 2022.
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General
Freshers’ Joining Instructions 2025/2026
Published
2 days agoon
June 24, 2025By
Mak Editor
To All First Year Students;
It brings me great joy to welcome you to Makerere University.
First Year students (Freshers) are by tradition given an “acclimatization” period of one week which is referred to as the “Orientation Week”. The Freshers report on Campus one week earlier than the Continuing students and during this week they are introduced to the key facilities as well as other important aspects of life at the University.
Schedule of Semesters for 2025/2026 Academic Year
Saturday 2nd August, 2025 to Friday 8th August 2025 (7 Days) – Orientation Week
Semester One
Saturday 9th August, 2025 to Saturday 6th December, 2025 (17 Weeks)
Semester Two
Saturday 17th January, 2026 to Friday 16th May, 2026 (17 Weeks)
Orientation Week
Saturday 2nd August, 2025 – Friday 8th August, 2025
During the Orientation week, arrangements are made to enable the Freshers meet and be addressed by Key Officers, Wardens and Student Leaders who welcome the students.
Arrangements are also made to enable the Freshers acquaint themselves with such key facilities at the University like the Library, University Hospital, Games and Recreation Facilities etc.
Freshers are expected to take advantage of the week to survey and acquaint themselves with the general Campus lay out. Another major activity during the Orientation Week is Registration.
All Freshers must ensure that they are registered with their respective Colleges/Schools/Departments/Halls/University Hospital.
Saturday 2nd August, 2025
Resident Freshers report to their respective halls of residence or private hostels by 5.00 p.m. It’s the responsibility of each student to make his/her own travel arrangements to the University or private hostel.
Monday 4th August, 2025
All freshers shall report to the Freedom Square for a meeting (Central orientation program) with the University officials at 9:00am.
College Orientation
Tuesday 5th – Friday 8th August, 2025 College orientation programs will follow during the orientation week. College Principals and Registrars will issue the orientation programs for their colleges.
Lectures will begin on Monday 11th August, 2025.
Registration
For a candidate to be considered a bonafide student of the University, he/she must be registered. Registration is a mandatory requirement of the University which must be done within the first two (2) weeks from the beginning of the semester by every student. Privately sponsored students will pick their original admission letters after payment of 60% tuition and all functional fees from their respective colleges.
Registration will commence on Monday 11th August, 2025 starting at 9.00 a.m. each day at the respective Schools.
Ensure that you complete all the required registration formalities within the prescribed time in order to avoid disappointments later. College/School Registrars will provide registration programs.
Registration Requirements
Admission to Makerere University is a provisional offer made on the basis of the statement of your qualifications as presented on your application form. The offer is subject to verification of your academic documents and payment of university fees.
For registration purposes, all first-year students MUST produce their original documents for verification.
Government sponsored students shall pay shs.163,154/= functional fees to Makerere University.
Privately sponsored students shall pay 839,954/= and 1,495,253/= for Ugandans and International candidates respectively for semester one and 132,250/= for semester two of year 1.
Full admission letters for government sponsored students should be picked from the respective Colleges/Schools beginning Monday 7th July 2025.
The fees structure for privately sponsored students is attached to their provisional admission letters that should be down loaded from their ACMIS portal.
Students in the affiliated Institutions should pay fees indicated by their respective Institutions.
Fresher’s joining instructions concerning reporting, fees payment, academic policies and any important information from the different university units can be viewed from the Academic Registrar’s Department notice boards and University websites www.ar.mak.ac.ug and www.mak.ac.ug respectively.
All freshers MUST have laptop computers as one of the essential tools for study purposes for their programmes.
Other Fees
a) National Council for Higher Education fee (Per Year)-Shs.20,000/= (Payable to the National Council for Higher Education Account in Stanbic Bank).
b) UNSA Subscription fee (per year)-Shs.2,000/= (payable to Stanbic Bank, City Branch, A/C 0140007248501).
Change of Programmes/ Subjects
(a) Change of Programmes
Since selection for specific programmes was made according to each candidate’s performance and order of programme choices, taking into account the available subject combinations and time-table limitations, there is normally little need to change the programme or subjects. However, some places become vacant when some of the students admitted do not take up the offers. Such places are filled through the change of programmes/subjects.
Students who wish to change programmes first of all register according to the registration time-table for the programmes and subjects (where applicable) to which originally have been admitted. Each student who may wish to change his/her programme/subject combination is required to pay an application fee of Shs.6,000/= plus the bank charges to banks used by Uganda Revenue Authority.
(b) Change of Subjects
Students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Natural Sciences or the College of Education and External Studies may wish to change their subjects.
Students should be aware that changing one subject may result in a change of College. Before students apply to change their programmes, Colleges and Subjects, they are encouraged to seek advice on the cut-off point(s) for programmes, requirements for specific subjects and possible subject combinations.
Change of programme/Subjects will be done online on payment of an application fee of Shs. Six thousand (6000/=) plus the bank charges to banks used by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Students are notified and warned that change of programme or transferring to another subject combination or College without proper authority will be liable to discontinuation from the University.
A student who has been permitted to change his/her programme or subject(s) will be issued with a letter stating so, and on receipt of such a letter that student should complete the ACCEPTANCE part and return a copy of each to the Undergraduate Admissions and Records Office, the former College/School and the new College/School.
The change of programme/subjects will be done online from Monday 4th August, 2025 to Tuesday 12th August, 2025.
N.B: It is advisable that only those students who meet the cut-off points for the desired programmes /subjects may apply.
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi
ACADEMIC REGISTRAR

An extraordinary sitting of the Uganda Vice Chancellors Forum (UVCF) meeting at Makerere University on 23rd June 2025 has made a special appeal for the scientific evaluation of the impact of the Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) programme as its future hangs in a balance. The sitting was hosted by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza and addressed by the Executive Director UVCF, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo, Chairperson UVCF and Vice Chancellor Busitema University, Prof. Paul Waako and representative from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), Dr. Maria Nakachwa and a representative from the HEAC programme, Prof. David Orema.
Welcoming members of the Forum to Makerere University, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi expressed warm regards from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who was away on official duty. Turning to the agenda of the day, he said “I find the proposed items on the order paper quite pertinent given the time, as we offer guidance and input towards our next journey in higher education.

“We believe that by the close of the day, we should be able to come up with a position paper that will inform the next course of action in this regard” remarked Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi in reference to the scheduled updates from NCHE on the HEAC Programme.
The ED UVCF, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo in his remarks thanked Makerere University for accepting to host the extraordinary session at short notice. Commenting on the successful reconstruction of the Main Building he said, “90% of the Vice Chancellors gathered today had not been here since the conflagration so we wish to commend you on the quality of work, especially the preservation of history.” He reiterated the host Vice Chancellor’s hope that the sitting would come up with unified resolution on important issues pertaining to the Higher Education sector.

The Chairperson, Prof. Paul Waako thanked the Africa Renewal University for the warm hospitality accorded during the 75th meeting of the UVCF and congratulated Universities upon participating in the National Science Week and Summit 2025.
“This is a very good forum for institutions to interact, share progress on innovations and catch up with how far the country is progressing in science, technology and innovation. The new addition this year was the Science Summit, which is supposed to bring together all scientists in this country and out of that we would like to generate a position paper on science, technology and innovation, which we are insisting should be discussed by Cabinet every year” Prof. Waako remarked.

The Chairperson UVCF noted that the extraordinary meeting had been called on short notice to feed into ongoing discussions at high levels regarding the HEAC programme and the recently passed Uganda Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act, 2025. He noted that the TVET Act has big implications on Higher Education training at Diploma and Certificate level, warranting a discussion by Vice Chancellors.
Stakeholders from NCHE and the Commissioner for Higher Education and Training in the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) were invited to enrich the discussion. Equally invited were; Prof. David Orema who worked with NCHE to develop the HEAC programme and the first training programme at Busitema University, Incoming and 24th Guild President of Gulu University and HEAC beneficiary Mr. Alex Opio Ongom, a student representative from Kabale University, and the first female graduate engineer from Buyende District – also a HEAC beneficiary.

Giving an overview of the HEAC programme, Dr. Nakachwa observed that Uganda remains a hub of Higher Education in the region and the programme acts as a good bridge for international students who need to meet entry requirements of Ugandan institutions. She also pointed to the fact that the HEAC programme acts as a remedial programme for students who sat and completed the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) but did not attain sufficient grades to enroll for Diplomas or Degree programmes.
“Looking at the recently released UNEB exams, people with one principal pass were 29,000. Where are they going? Are they going to repeat? Very few do. In 2023, 18,000 students got one principal pass. Should we deny them access to the Ugandan Higher Education?” she pondered.

Dr. Nakachwa added that NCHE, which is mandated by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act to set minimum entry requirements to any certificate, diploma or degree programme developed minimum standards for the HEAC programme in 2016, with institutions having the leeway to add two or three courses to help students cope with the rigour.
“This is well prescribed in Instrument 34 of 2008. It is a Level 4 of the Uganda Education qualifications framework because it is Post-A-Level, and the Higher Education Certificate Programme was approved by the National Council for Higher Education in 2016” elaborated Dr. Nakachwa.
She added that the HEAC is intended for four categories of students; 1) foreign students whose education system differs from Uganda’s, 2) a remedy programme for students with A-Level qualifications but not admissible for Diplomas and Bachelors, 3) holders of vocational qualifications i.e. holders of national certificates from the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) intending to pursue higher education, and 4) a bridge for the science/arts divide for students who may have passed sciences at O-Level but pursued arts at A-Level and thereafter, seek to pursue clinical or nursing programmes.



Furthermore, she noted that the change in nomenclature from the Higher Education Certificate (HEC) to the Higher Education Access Certificate (HEAC) programme was as recommended by a 2022 review, that also recommended an increase in subject content for the Biological and Physical sciences tracks of the programme. The HEAC also offers a third General track for arts. Nevertheless, students on all three tracks are required to interact with content in the three areas of; Life Skills Education, Study Skills and Academic Writing, and Foundations of Mathematics and Statistics.
Sharing results as at December 2024, Dr. Nakachwa noted that 21 out of the 56 registered Higher Education Institutions in Uganda are accredited to run the HAEC programme, with a total of 3,908 students enrolled. “We have learnt some lessons which include; having the regulatory frameworks reviewed is critical, and continuous engagement with stakeholders is paramount.”

The presentation by the National Council for Higher Education guided the discussions for the rest of the UVCF sitting, which concluded with the resolution to develop a position paper. Thereafter, the UVCF was led on guided tour of the reconstructed Main Building by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi.
General
Mastercard Foundation Board pays its inaugural visit to Makerere University
Published
3 days agoon
June 23, 2025
On Tuesday, 17th June 2025, a distinguished delegation from the Mastercard Foundation Board visited Makerere University for the first time since the establishment of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the university. The visit underscored the progress achieved through the partnership and its positive impact on the university community, Uganda and the African continent over the past decade. The delegation was welcomed to Makerere by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, accompanied by Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Prof. Justine Namaalwa, the Program Director for Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University.
The high-profile delegation was led by Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the former President of Liberia and the first woman to hold the presidential office on the African continent. She serves on the Board alongside other members such as Mr. Zein M. Abdalla, the Board Chairperson; Ms. Jennifer Fonsted; Mr. Jim Leech; Mr. Stephen Toope; Ms. Sewit Ahderom; Ms. Baroness Valerie; Hon. Louise Arbour; Ms. Tsega Gebreyes; Mr. Jay Ireland; Mr. Michael Sabia; Ms. Carole Wamayu; Ms. Robin Washington; and Ms. Reeta Roy, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mastercard Foundation. Additionally, the Board members were accompanied by the leadership team of the Mastercard Foundation, including Mr. Doug Kasambala, Chief Financial Officer; Ms. Ivy Mwai, Education and Skills Lead; Mr. Adrian Bukenya, Country Director for Mastercard Foundation-Uganda Programs; and Ms. Rachel Nandelenga, Head of Country Program Communications.

The Mastercard Foundation Board conducted a series of meetings with various stakeholders at Makerere University. The meetings begun with the University Leadership, which featured key figures such as Rt. Hon. Daniel Kidega, the Deputy Chairperson of the University Council and Chairperson of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Advisory Board at Makerere; Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor; Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program; and Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, the University Secretary.
While addressing the delegation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe expressed gratitude for the partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Makerere University. He highlighted the Foundation’s impact on Africa’s higher education sector and the livelihoods of young people across the continent.

“We are privileged to host Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, along with other Members of the Board of Mastercard Foundation and the Foundation’s President and CEO, Ms. Reeta Roy, for the first time at Makerere University. The Mastercard Foundation has significantly impacted Uganda and Africa’s higher education sector and the livelihoods of young people, for which we are very grateful,” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
Prof. Nawangwe also expressed appreciation to the Mastercard Foundation for its partnerships with Makerere University, which began with the Scholars Program and now encompasses additional initiatives such as the E-learning Initiative and, most recently, the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Collaborative project.
During the meeting with the Scholars Program staff, the Program Director, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, had the opportunity to outline the achievements of the first 10 years (First phase) of the Scholars Program at Makerere University and shed light on the future of the second phase of the Program at Makerere University.

Among the achievements highlighted by Prof. Namaalwa during the first phase were the following:
- The Program supported 1,032 young people, of whom 76% were females and 24% were males.
- As of January 2025, 965 Scholars had graduated, achieving an exceptional completion rate of 94%.
- Scholar Alumni have moved on to various pursuits, including formal employment (34%), entrepreneurship (11%), and further education (3%).
- Strengthening the Student Mentorship Engagements through capacity-building sessions for 97 university staff across the colleges, which benefits both the Scholars and other students.
- Drafting the Makerere University Career Guidance and Mentorship Policy to streamline mentorship engagements across the university. The Policy is currently under review by the University Council.
- As of 2024, the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund has created 86 jobs across various communities.
- The Scholars made a positive impact on communities through their Annual Day of Service, supporting twelve communities by constructing boreholes for clean water access in two communities and building and equipping classrooms in three communities.

Prof. Namaalwa also elaborated on the accomplishments thus far in the second phase of the Scholars Program by highlighting the following;
- 101 Scholars recruited into the Program across different categories.
- Prioritizing the safety of students and staff, emphasized by the well-articulated Makerere University Safeguarding Policy and its implementation activities.
- A fully operational Disability Inclusion Support Centre.

On the other day’s activities, the Board also had the chance to view a mini-exhibition showcasing projects implemented by the alumni scholars. Furthermore, they engaged in a focus group discussion with both the Scholars and alumni.
On their part, the Board members expressed gratitude to Makerere University Management, led by Prof. Nawangwe, for the tremendous achievements the university had attained through the implementation of the Scholars Program and other initiatives aimed at uplifting underprivileged young people in Uganda and Africa. The Board members also expressed their appreciation to Prof. Namaalwa and the Scholars Program for the excellent job done in implementing the Scholars Program and for the continuous support provided to the Scholars and Scholar-alumni.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nawangwe, concluded the day by presenting each visitor with an unforgettable souvenir of Makerere, which included exquisite Makerere University coffee mugs and executive pens.

Mr. Bernard Buteera is the Principal Communication and Public Relations Officer of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University
More photos from the visit




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