Computing & IS
Over 600 Graduate from CoCIS
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 72nd Graduation ceremony.
On this third session of Makerere University’s 72nd Graduation Ceremony held on 25th 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 72nd graduation ceremony that commenced on on Monday, 23rd May to Friday, 27th 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 8th 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.
Computing & IS
Project PIs & Accountants Urged to follow Budget Controls, Approval Structures & Policies
Principal Investigators (PIs), research assistants and accountants in the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) on 23rd November 2023 were equipped with knowledge and skills on Accountability protocols to increase their knowledge on managing funds.
The half-day blended Workshop which attracted 30 participants was officially opened by the Principal CoCIS, Prof. Tonny Oyana and facilitated by the Manager Accounts and Reports Makerere University Mr. Lubowa S. Gyaviira and the Team Leader, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Mr. Tom Vok Elwana.
The training highlighted the common accountability challenges, accountability procedures and approvals and submission of accountability reports.
Noting delays in accountabilities, Prof. Oyana said, he would like to see the college conduct research and grow big rather than being blacklisted by development partners and donors.
The Principal said, the college has established itself in four principle areas of research where it draws credibility namely; the Sensing Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Human Computer Interaction research and Information seeking research.
He observed that sometimes researchers under estimate the reasons to be financially knowledgeable and hence the need for the training.
“Everything happens because of money. If you are a poor manager of your money, then, you cannot pursue the activities you set. So, financial responsibilities and discipline are very important if you are to be a good negotiator”, He said.
Motivated by the need to build a system that is prudent and robust and building an inclusive place to learn, work and succeed, Prof. Oyana shared his experience of what he has learnt as critical.
“First of all, know your financial status and spend within those limits. Never destroy someone’s credibility. I also recommend responsible financial discipline and not to go by peer pressure.
The minute you indicate a budget, you have controls. You don not shift budget items from other controls. If you want to spend and move items that are 10% and above, you need to get permission from the treasury”, Oyana advised.
The Principal also advised researchers to learn and follow the approval structures and policies, stick to their values and ethics and, ensure funds are used for intended activities. He advised scientists to strive for excellence and make good returns to those that entrust them with the resources.
Prof. Oyana extended the call for discipline in the laboratories on grounds that laboratories run on ethics and honesty. He stressed that it is good practice to follow scientific evidence because Science does not depend on rumours but on data and evidence.
Oyana also urged every researcher to have a research gap, be visionary and ensure laboratories have good practices and procedures and, provide data and scientific evidence to back hypotheses.
He reminded researchers that the primary duty of research is contributing to the body of knowledge and secondly to train and mentor young scientists to contribute to their knowledge.
Accountability procedures and approvals
Giving an overview of Accountability procedures and approvals, Mr. Lubowa Gyaviira represented by Mr. Tom Elwana underscored the need for researchers to know the regulations for accountability when planning.
Key Accountability procedures as extracted from relevant laws, policies and procedures that govern public financial management include but not limited to; Public Finance Management Act 2015; Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act; Treasury Instructions 2017 and; Makerere University Financial Manual 2014.
Elwana said accountability helps to establish whether the funds advanced were used for the intended purpose and whether all documentation relating to the accountability was presented for review.
Section 10 paragraph 10.20.11 and 10.20.12 of the Treasury Instructions, 2017, requires all advances to be retired as soon as the necessity for their use ceases to exist or within sixty (60) days upon completion of the activity or by closure of business of the last working day of the financial year in which the advance was issued.
“The Makerere University Financial Procedures Manual 2014 under section 4.6.4 enjoins staff to account for all advances received within 14 days of the completion of the activity and in any case not later than 60 days.
Failure to comply with standing instructions leads to the withholding further advances; Recovery from payroll; and or Disciplinary action in accordance with laid down procedures”, he said.
Elwana explained that staff advanced funds should follow the accountability and approval process from the unit accountant to the Internal Audit/examinations and compliance office which delivers to the Secretary Directorate of Internal Audit, who shall ensure it is stamped received, recorded in the register.
He said, a report for accountability must be attached and receipts indicating clearly amount of advance being accounted for while outstanding advances at end of year will be posted to the general ledger to make up the funds balance.
“Balances on advances not utilized at the end of the work/research should be surrendered to the Head of accounts and a receipt should be issued.
Failure to submit accountability will necessitate refund of all unaccounted for funds by the implementer.
After clearance of all accounted funds, a Journal Voucher (JV) is issued to show clearance of total amount accounted for,” Elwana emphasized
Submission of projects to GAMSU, a MUST for implementation of any activity
Elwana told researchers that all project PIs must not only register their projects and budgets with the Makerere University Grant Administration, Management and Support Unit (GAMSU) but also submit quarterly reports to this unit.
“GAMSU has an application and is calling upon PIs to submit their projects for capturing in their data. Failure to be captured, they may not implement their activities”, Elwana warned
Makerere University established GAMSU, which is tasked with the responsibility of overseeing all projects and grants within the university. This measure, Elwana explained, was an agreement with Government to allow the university oversee and receive the grants instead of the funds going directly to the consolidated fund.
The key responsibility of GAMSU is to ensure that reporting is streamlined within the university. GAMSU requires quarterly accountability reports from all grants and projects.
Submission of all budgets by all projects and grants is also mandatory as part of the accountability reports required by the University and Government.
As a matter of emphasis, on submission of accountability reports, PIs were advised to pay attention to their MoUs since different funders have different requirements.
Detailed presentations from the training follow below.
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