The College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) celebrated the achievements of 760 graduands during the 75th Makerere University graduation ceremony, held on January 17, 2024, at Freedom Square. Among the graduates were 265 women and 501 men, with four outstanding individuals receiving their PhDs. This momentous event marked a significant milestone in the academic journey of these students.

In his remarks at the event, the Chancellor, of Makerere University Dr. Crispus Kiyonga proposed establishing formalized relationships with medium- to large-scale farmers nationwide. This initiative, he said, aims to enhance the practical experience of agriculture students and promote community development.Dr. Kiyonga congratulated the 13,660 graduates and expressed gratitude to parents, guardians, and university staff for their support. He also thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Mrs. Janet Museveni, Minister of Education and Sports, for their invaluable assistance.

Highlighting the university’s role in industrialization and community outreach, Dr. Kiyonga encouraged formal partnerships with the investment community to commercialize innovations. He urged graduates to apply their skills for societal benefit and stressed the importance of understanding socio-economic forces.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, praised the college for its outstanding accomplishments over the past year. He noted that CEDAT has firmly established itself as a research hub within the university. Despite the significant loss of highly qualified staff to various government agencies, the college is recovering and regaining its status as a leader in research and innovation, showcasing its resilience and dedication to academic excellence.

Another milestone in CEDAT’s research output was the development of a low-cost smart energy meter to help electricity consumers better understand their energy consumption patterns. This customized monitoring and data collection package was designed to accommodate the limitations of rural settings and will aid consumers in ensuring their purchased electricity units are efficiently utilized whenever they turn on their electrical appliances. This innovation emerged from the Mak-RIF (1st Phase) funded project titled, “Integration of the Centralized Grid and Decentralized Renewable Energy Off-Grid Systems: A Techno-Economic Analysis.” The energy metering system comes at a time when many people face high energy demands that are expected to rise significantly in the future, highlighting the need for solutions aimed at reducing energy wastage.

Prof. Nawangwe also highlighted a study led by Dr. Ronald Kizito that developed the Neural Text-To-Speech System, an innovation to aid the translation of written Luganda language text into speech using artificial intelligence. This was a result of the research, ‘A Luganda Neural Text-To-Speech System for Health Promotion and Accessibility,’ a multi-year task involving researchers from the Languages and Literature Departments in CHUSS. The innovation aims to support the dissemination of health messages to a wide Luganda-speaking audience who may not be in a position to read written text, which is usually the mode used in sending out information through literature like fliers. With support from MakRIF, it aims to create a Luganda TTS model, build a 10 million-word Luganda text corpus, and build a 20-hour single-speaker Luganda speech dataset.

Another significant output from the college was the promotion of active mobility through integrating applied research, education, and community engagement. By employing innovative approaches like real-life experiments, crowd mapping, and inclusive stakeholder engagement, the CAMA project addresses the urgent need for better infrastructure and planning to support walking and cycling in urban areas to create sustainable cities. CAMA is transforming how cities in sub-Saharan Africa approach mobility. This endeavor underscores the importance of addressing local challenges and equips the next generation of engineers and urban planners with the tools to create safer, more livable cities. This is a collaborative initiative involving several universities in Africa, led by Makerere University.

The 75th graduation ceremony saw a total of 13,658 graduands receiving degrees and diplomas from Makerere University. Of these, 143 graduands were awarded PhDs, 1,813 received Masters degrees, 11,454 obtained Bachelor’s degrees, and 243 earned postgraduate diplomas. 53% of the graduands were female and 47% were male, with 44% of the PhD graduands being female. A total of 491 graduands received first-class degrees. Additionally, 16% of the graduands were awarded postgraduate degrees and diplomas.

Written by Harriet Musinguzi, Principle Communication Officer, College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology

On 22^nd October 2024, Makerere University Innovation Pod, in partnership with Kiira Motors Corporation, and the United Nations Development Programme in Uganda, launched a skilling program designed to equip students with expertise in electric mobility and related technologies for industrial application.

The launch team consisted of the Executive Chairman of Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) Prof. Tickodri-Togboa, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Ms. Nwanne Vwede-Obahor, and Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi (Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs) who represented the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod) and Dr. Peter Turyakira, the Acting Manager of Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod).

This strategic direction of building the required pool of young people to drive Uganda’s electric mobility such as production of electric cars targets Makerere University students who are not only excelling in the academics, but also interested in innovation and development.

“When I heard about this project, I thought about this innovation. I realized it comes with so many opportunities starting from employing many people, but also helping in the world agenda in transiting to green energy. When the call was shared, I thought I could grab this opportunity and also contribute to the sector that is seemingly a virgin one,” remarked Twinomujuni Mutunji, a student selected from the Bachelor of Electrical Engineering program.

The first cohort consists of a total of 25 students selected from Electrical, Biomedical, Software, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Physics courses. Of the selected students, 12 are female and 13 are male. They were selected in a competitive process where only those with grades in the first and second upper classes were subjected to interviews and the top 25 were subsequently enrolled.

The program’s main objectives include providing participants with foundational knowledge in electric vehicle technology, renewable energy systems, battery cell technology, smart grid systems, and electric vehicle powertrains. It also emphasizes the development of practical skills through hands-on training and project-based learning, enabling students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios.

Additional goals of the initiative include promoting innovation and problem-solving by encouraging participants to explore solutions to challenges in clean energy technologies. It also seeks to prepare students for careers in the electric vehicle industry and its related sectors.

During the launch, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi emphasized Makerere University’s pioneering role in innovation, stating that the electric mobility skilling programme represents a significant step in Uganda’s transition to green energy.

“As Makerere, we always pride ourselves on trailblazing. The electric vehicle journey and sector in this country started with the KiiraEv produced by staff and students from our College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology. The skills and knowledge led to the formation of the Kiira Motors Corporation. Through the launch of electric mobility skilling programme, Makerere University is committing itself to championing electric mobility and the green revolution,” said Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi.

Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi asserted that with this cohort taught and skilled in the field of electrical vehicles, they will be able to contribute to the transition from fossil fuel to green energy and also reduce pollution that is caused by traditional means of transport.

This country in terms of transport, we are very familiar with the two wheelers (a n influx of boda bodas) and these are the major polluters, how do we overcome this, it is the initiative that we are launching today. We really believe that through this mega start, by training experts in the field, we should able to transition to green energy and also reduce on our pollution rates,” Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi said.

Speaking on behalf of Mak-UniPod, Dr. Peter K. Turyakira said that the skilling program is timely because it comes at a time when the country is embracing the global shift toward electric mobility. “Uganda is embracing the global shift toward electric mobility. This program is intended to give young people the opportunity to develop skills, drive innovation in e-mobility, and influence the economic development of the country,” remarked Dr. Turyakira.

On her part, UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Nwanne Vwede-Obahor, hailed the program as a solution to youth unemployment and a creator of green jobs in Uganda.

“Through this skilling programme, Makerere University and Kiira Motors Corporation are going to find solutions to the youth unemployment question and create green jobs in Uganda.”

She urged the students in the first cohort to make the most of this opportunity to contribute to the global green energy agenda and to shape their own futures.

“To the E-Mobility Skilling Program students, this is a great opportunity for you. I hope you understand that you are creating for yourself an opportunity, not open to others. You are part of a nascent group. You are part of history. You are the first cohort. The opportunities are beyond Uganda and Africa. There are many opportunities in the world. I am very glad to see the number of young ladies who are part of this first cohort,” she said.

Adding that; “I appeal to you today, take this opportunity and run with it, give it all you can. Immerse yourself into it and focus. I will create time to return, and have a special session with the ladies who are part of this cohort. I want to be sure that you have mentorship,” she stated.

Ms. Vwede-Obahor also explained that UNDP decided to fund the project as it aligns with Uganda’s development plans, especially its commitment to transitioning from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric ones.

“Why e-mobility? This is born out of the fact that we in the UN always support the national development aspirations of the countries where we serve,” she pointed out.

“In this regard, we noted that Uganda has recently taken initiatives to support the importation of electric vehicles into the country. We have taken note of the zero-emissions that Uganda wants to attain by 2063 which protect the environment,” she said.

The UNDP Resident Representative thanked Makerere University for the vision, and appealed to the private sector in Uganda to come to the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod) to support the student innovators.

Recognizing Makerere University as the cradle of E-Mobility in Uganda, Prof. Tockodri-Togboa acknowledged the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe for being a very instrumental figure in this milestone and always providing guidance in this journey.

Prof. Tickodri-Togboa, the Chairman Board of Directors, Kiira Motors Corporation, said that he is grateful that this program has started and he believes, that it will significantly contribute to the transformation of the transport sector, address climate change concerns and save the environment from pollution.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to drive change. To the pioneering scholars on this program, today you have taken action and I believe the resulting progress will transform you and the lives of many as we build towards the future,” said Prof. Tickodri Togboa.

In the same spirit, he commended UNDP for supporting Makerere University innovators through the Makerere University Innovation Pod.

Engineer Fred Matovu of Kiira Motors Corporation outlined the program’s structure, detailing the seven modules that students will complete over the course of the year. These modules will range from introductory topics on electric vehicles to discussions of future trends in electric mobility.  Matovu explained that each module will be followed by assessments, and at the end of the program, every student will be required to complete a capstone project to showcase their knowledge and skills. The program will consist of both theoretical and practical sessions, starting with an introduction to the fundamentals of electric vehicles.

“As part of the program arrangement, we shall have theoretical classes where we shall give foundation knowledge and later we shall have practical sessions where the students shall be allowed to try what they have learned, so we shall take these students to spaces to get a hands-on experience on the usage of some of the technologies,” he said.

“The modules will start with an introduction to electrical vehicles, before going into the theoretical concepts, among others,” Matovu added.

Eng. Matovu explained that throughout the program, they will have sessions where they link students to mentors from their respective faculties in their primary programs at the University.

He further explained that they will do that in order to make sure that these students as they are getting electrical vehicle skills, they do not neglect their core academic programs. In this, they will also be having the mentors’ general report to confirm their performance in the respective academic programs at Makerere University.

Mr. Twinomujuni Mutunji, a student selected from the Bachelor of Electrical Engineering program, and who is part of the inaugural cohort of the E-Mobility Skilling Program, informed Mak Public Relations News team that he had always hoped to make an impact in the transition to green energy, which he views as a promising and untapped field.

Mr. Twinomujuni’s view fits in so well with the vast opportunities awaiting students who will remain focused and excel during this one-year E-Mobility skilling programme.

According to Engineer Fred Matovu, in addition to field tours, extensive capacity building, and a capstone project where each student will demonstrate what he or she has been doing, the successful students will feed into research and development, the E-Mobility industry, and the Kiira Motors Corporation Internship Programs.

Makerere University on 14^th August 2024 received portable lighting test equipment from the East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Efficiency (EACREEE), the execution partner of the Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances (EELA) project in East and Southern Africa. The equipment was received on behalf of Makerere by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi from the Executive Director EACREEE, Canon Goddy Muhanguzi Muhumuza. On hand to witness the handover were the University Secretary, Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, Principal, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Prof. Moses Musinguzi, the Dean School of Engineering, Prof. Dorothy Okello and EACREEE/EELA officials.

The equipment which will be under the custody of CEDAT will according to the ED EACREEE allow for “screening of lighting products on the market in terms of their compliance with the country’s national regulatory framework as well as with the regional minimum energy performance standards developed in the EELA project.

“One of the objectives of the EELA project is to strengthen the capacity of national and regional institutions, testing centres and stakeholder groups in the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regions in order to drive a market transformation towards efficient and high-quality lighting and appliances” added Canon Muhumuza.

The EELA project which will bring regional support to private sector-led activities is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in collaboration with the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) and EACREEE.

In his acceptance remarks, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi thanked Sida for funding the EELA project as well as the implementing partners UNIDO, SACREEE and EACREEE for enabling the project gain traction. He equally thanked the ED EACREEE Canon Muhumuza for ensuring that his Alma Mater Makerere University remains on the cutting edge of working with partners to monitor the standard of energy efficient lighting and appliances both domestically and regionally.

Notable among the projects being undertaken by EACREEE especially in the wake of mitigating the effects of climate change are the Energy Access and Green Transition Collaboratively Demonstrated in Urban and Rural Areas in Africa (ENERGICA) project funded the European Union with UNIDO, EAC, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and SADC as partners. To-date, ENERGICA has installed four (4) charging station demo sites and acquired over 200 electric motorbikes in Kenya.

EACREEE has also conducted; fourteen (14) trainings on SMART grids for 400 participants, three (3) trainings for small hydropower plants for 53 participants, as well as 4 trainings on solar PV for 175 technicians, students, operators, entrepreneurs and energy professionals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Canon Muhumuza concluded by sharing that EACREEE sees great potential of value addition to Makerere University in the form of internship positions for graduate students, mentorship and career talks for students, developing demonstration sites, jointly organizing events and contributing to topics of mutual interest.