Over 600 graduands from the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) have received Degrees and Diplomas of Makerere University in different disciplines during the 72^nd Graduation ceremony.

On this third session of Makerere University’s 72nd Graduation Ceremony held on 25^th May 2022, CoCIS presented 09 PhDs, 43 Masters and 567 undergraduates and 02 Post Graduate Diplomas. Graduands from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio Security and the College of Business and Management Sciences were also conferred upon degrees.

A total of 12,474 graduands will receive degrees and diplomas of Makerere University during the  72^nd graduation ceremony  that commenced on  on Monday, 23^rd May to  Friday, 27^th May 2022. Of these, 100 graduands will graduate with PhDs, 1,236 with Masters degrees, 10,998 with Bachelor’s degrees and 140 with undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas. 52% of the graduands are female and 48% are male. Forty of the 100 PhD graduands and 492 of the 1,236 Masters graduands are female, representing 40% in each category.

Presiding over the ceremony, the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma recognized the arrangements made by the administration towards the excellent management of this graduation ceremony and the contributions of various institutions and organizations towards the University notably, the Government of Uganda, the Makerere University Council, the Senate, staff, students, the development partners and all stakeholders, especially the parents, for the vital role you have played in supporting Makerere University to pursue its educational vision of being a though leader of knowledge generation for societal transformation and development.

Prof. Suruma commended the graduands for the spirit of hard work, endurance and self-control that has brought them this far adding that, the awarding of the degrees was to testify to the hardships, the discipline, the commitment, the pain and the tears they have shed over the years and decades of academic and emotional struggle.

“Your graduation testifies to the world that in the face of all adversity, poverty, deprivation, doubt and even danger, you possessed the determination to strive on, to rise after the fall and today you are counted among the survivors”, He said.

The Chancellor also thanked the academic, administration and support staff for  guiding students  through the complexities of academic life as well as   the  significant social, emotional and financial support received continually from parents, relatives, friends, religious leaders, fellow students and donors who provided  stipends and scholarships.

The Chancellor described Makerere University as a significant player on the continental and global academic and research stage which has opened the graduands to a glimpse into the possibilities and promises of knowledge.

Prof. Suruma said, this was only the beginning of the journey of life and implored graduands to add wisdom and experience to this knowledge. 

“Strive for the wisdom to postpone today’s comfort and pleasure to a later time. In other words, learn to save and to invest.  Strive for the wisdom to sometimes put the needs of others before your own. It is called love. Strive for the wisdom to be accountable for the time and resources that have been placed under your responsibility. It is called integrity. This wisdom may spell the difference between a great life and a failed one”, Prof. Suruma advised.

Prof. Suruma noted that senior citizens must handover the baton and responsibility for the faithful stewardship and multiplication of Uganda’s wealth and income to the young generation urging graduands to take on aggressively the serious challenges that the economy is facing.

“For example, consider the databases we need to manage the economy of Uganda. They are not yet in existence. The Parish Development Model must have real-time data on population structures, households, livestock populations as well as records of the effectiveness of local institutional performance such as the daily absenteeism of UPE teachers and workers in local Health Centers.

We must know the soil types in various parishes and which products can best grow there. We must be up-to-date on the state of community access roads and the rates of access to clean water in every village. This real time data is very important but it is not yet effectively implemented”, The Chancellor implored and cautioned that:

“The idea that we should leave matters of the economy to the invisible hand of the marketplace to optimize supply and demand may be plausible in the advanced economies of Europe and America. But for us here if we wait for the market to take us out of oblivion we shall wait forever. Indeed we have waited long enough.  It is now time to take the economy in our own hands so as to create full employment and to meet the basic human needs of our population. Your training has given you the required preparation for this enormous task. You are all critical actors in the improvement of the lives of the Ugandan people. Please get started and never quit. We are confident that you will excel”.

Noting that the path ahead is lined with both pitfalls and opportunities, the Chancellor  urged graduands  to be alert to the opportunities and as far as possible to stand firm in the face of adversity, cultivate an attitude of openness, cooperation and gratitude towards the multitudes of people who will form an integral part of their future in order to inspire  and help people around them to forge a better world.

Prof. Suruma also advised graduands to be aggressively creative and innovative adding that  despite the risks and high costs of innovation and creativity, it is the true path to leadership and standing out of the crowd. He also implored graduands to take to heart all the gifts God has given them and apply them to make a better future for their families, the country and your world.

The Vice Chancellor Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said, despite the disruption  caused by the COVID 19 Pandemic, the university council through the  support  and guidance of the university Council to push through and minimize the time lost, extending  appreciation to staff and students for soldiering on in spite of the devastation and embracing the Open, Distance and e-learning.

The Vice Chancellor reported that the university has continued to grow her research capacity in line with the strategic plan (2020-2030) which seeks Makerere a fully research led university.

With more than 1,000 of our academic staff holding PhDs, Makerere is a formidable research institution currently ranked No. 2 in Africa as far as research is concerned. Globally Makerere University ranks top in collaborative research and in clinical research”, Prof Nawangwe said.

The  Vice Chancellor said Makerere today  competes  favorably with  any other top universities in the world as far as quality research is  concerned due to heavy investments in human resource and infrastructure development by government  and development partners.

“The university through the College of Computing and  Information Sciences (CoCIS)  won the first prize for the Huawei African Information and Computer Technology (ICT) Competition 2021-2022. A-team of three Bachelor of Science in Soft ware engineering second year students designed a Quick Test App for diagnosing Malaria and HIV/AIDS from blood without pricking a patient”, The VC reported.

The Vice Chancellor also reported that using Computer models, a PhD researcher in automation  of diagnosis of malaria was able to demonstrate how Artificial Intelligence can be used to diagnose malaria using readily available  equipment like a microscope and  the smart phone.

Another research break-through in the CoCIS as reported by the Vice Chancellor was the development of a Localized Geometrical Alignment Technique for updating geospatial datasets carried out by the college’s PhD student.

Prof. Nawangwe recognized the Government of Uganda for the release of UGX 21 Billion for the reconstruction of the iconic main building. He also invited the congregation to participate in the celebrations to Mark the 100 years of service to humanity whose climax will be on 8^th October 2022.

To the graduands as they leave Makerere University, the Vice Chancellor urged them to always be proud of their Alma Mater and be her good Ambassadors.

“Go and put to good use the knowledge you have received from one of the best universities  in the world to change your communities, your country and humanity. Put your trust in God and honor your parents and opportunities will be opened for you. Do not forget the Gates of Makerere”. Prof. Nawangwe advised.

He also informed graduands  that transcripts for graduands on 4and 5-year  programmes were ready  for picking  the following week and for those on  3-year programmes, transcripts  will be ready for picking  beginning the second week of June 2022.