Research
Hon. Dr. Musenero to PhD Fellows: “Publish or Perish” Unviable
On 11th August 2022, the University Administration held an orientation ceremony for PhD Fellows at Makerere (PF@Mak) based on the theme, “Linking Research to Industry for Socio-economic Development of Uganda.” Held in the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Conference Hall, the orientation was graced by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero, who also delivered a keynote address on the theme. In attendance were; the Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Hon. Peace Regis Mutuuzo who is also a PhD candidate, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Umar Kakumba, and the Director Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DGRT) and Patron PF@Mak, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi.
Also present were the Director Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS), Mr. Samuel Mugabi, Deputy University Librarian Dr. Ruth Nalumaga, Deputy Dean of Students, Mr. Peter Rivan Muhereza, Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Assoc. Prof. Josephine Ahikire, Deputy Principal CEDAT, Assoc. Prof. Venny Nakazibwe and the Head Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi among others.
Keynote address by the Minister
Hon. Dr. Musenero in her keynote address challenged the PhD Fellows to go beyond the culture of “publish or perish”, noting that it was time for them as creators of knowledge to align their research with the Government’s eight priority industrial value chain areas. These include; Pathogen Economy, Mobility, Aeronautics and Space, Industry 4.0+, Infrastructure Innovation, Productivity Acceleration, Import Substitution, and Value-added Exports.
“Every time you buy something imported, you cost us jobs,” she remarked. “I don’t know a better place to begin than here. I hope that after today some of you will go back and change your research topics” added the Minister.
Challenges affecting innovation
She nevertheless acknowledged that the current state of affairs is attributable to four main challenges namely; an unfavourable ecosystem, an incomplete education system, a limited ability to develop systems and an absence of priortisation systems.
Hon. Dr. Musenero expounded that the unfavourable ecosystem has been consistently inculcated by a culture that does not support innovation, but instead prefers what is imported over locally produced goods. This is exacerbated by the incomplete education system, designed to create technicians who are consumers of imported goods or users of existing knowledge.
“Our curriculum doesn’t teach how to develop but rather how to consume… It’s up to you PhDs to create a curriculum and content that will drive us to attainment of Vision 2040… We import textbooks and yet every PhD should be a textbook” she pointed out.
Furthermore, the Minister noted that our limited ability to develop homegrown systems is one of the reasons why we struggle to change things. This, she said, could be attributed to and education that does not teach us how to create systems but rather use existing ones. A case in point, she noted, was our local enterprises that don’t thrive because the owners take over the role of systems. The absence of prioritisation systems is closely tied to the above scenario, causing us to struggle with setting priorities both corporately and as individuals.
The way forward
Having cited the aforementioned challenges, Hon. Dr. Musenero was nevertheless willing to participate in any initiatives to reorient PhD training through the teaching tracks on innovation and development of systems as well as producing graduates that are principled and less reactive.
She noted that by aligning their PhD work to the Government’s eight priority industrial value chain areas, Fellows will have something to look forward to further pursing after graduation, unlike the all-too-common scenario where theses are treated as burdens to be borne and offloaded at the next best opportunity.
Giving examples of the dynamic work currently underway, the Minister shared that the Government is in advanced stages of producing vaccines for both humans and animals, putting up a facility to develop PCR test kits, and fine-tuning the diesel engine fabricated by Makerere researchers and local artisans.
Furthermore, on the Aeronautics and Space front, seventeen (17) personnel have been trained, eight (8) being PhDs, and work is currently underway to launch Uganda’s first satellite in September 2022 and set up the National Space Agency at the Mpoma earth station in Mukono District.
Hon. Dr. Musenero reassured the audience that Uganda is naturally endowed with minerals, and has some of the best sand in the world at Lwera in Mpigi District. The sand, she said, will be a useful raw material for the manufacture of semiconductors, with efforts currently underway to begin manufacturing chips by November 2022.
On the productivity acceleration front, the Minister introduced Dr. Joshua Isiko, Team Leader for Makerere University, as the go-to person. “We are going to have a hub at the University, which is our STI Office; run on our principles and on our value system. We are going to put this at every University.”
Using the example of the mobile phone that took over 30 years to move from prototype to an affordable gadget costing approximately UGX 30,000, she encouraged innovators to be resilient and never give up on their ideas, no matter how tough the going gets. “Keep working on it (your innovation), don’t go for the easy way. Everybody goes for the easy way but the things which generate successful industries are those which choose to flatten the path because they are solving a problem.”
Remarks by University Administration
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked Hon. Dr. Musenero for accepting the invitation to preside over the orientation ceremony and deliver the keynote address. He said that Makerere is mindful of the contribution that highly trained human capital makes to national development and shared the University’s efforts to train PhDs. Makerere produced 100 PhDs at the 72nd Graduation Ceremony held in May 2022 and 108 PhDs at the 71st Graduation Ceremony in May 2021.
Prof. Nawangwe nevertheless appealed to the Minister to follow up with the Head of State on the request for Government to fund Masters and PhD studies or set aside study loans for the same. He also requested for a follow-up on the request to declare Makerere a Research University.
In his remarks, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi informed PhD Fellows that Patent work can be used to meet the publication requirement, with each patent work equivalent to three (03) publications.
The University Administration appreciated the work done by PF@Mak particularly the President Mr. Ahabwe Gerald, who constantly engages them on matters related to PhD students. Fellows were reminded that PhD completion is dependent on the Quality of Student, Supervision, and Administration. They were therefore urged to do their part and then engage the administration to support supervision and enabling policies.
PhD Fellows were further informed that the University is not waiving time lost due to COVID-19 disruptions. Candidates with justifiable reasons were nevertheless encouraged seek hearing on a case-by-case basis.
Publication is an integral part of the PhD journey. Fellows were therefore encouraged to make use of Internal University and Regional Journals to have their work published. They were equally reminded that cross-cutting courses are intended for all PhD students, irrespective of whether one is admitted on a PhD by Research or Course work and Dissertation.
Conclusion
The PF@Mak President, Mr. Ahabwe Gerald emphasized the need for the Administration to take advantage of the knowledge and skills possessed by PhD students, to help achieve the set strategic goal of transforming Makerere into a research-led University.
Additional reporting by Namaasa Aeron
Research
Makerere Strengthens Research Ethics as Leaders Call for Reforms in Governance, Integrity, and Student Support
By Moses Lutaaya
KAMPALA — Leaders at Makerere University have renewed calls to strengthen research ethics, governance, and integrity systems, as the institution positions itself as a leading research-driven university in Uganda and the region.
The call was made during a high-level workshop that brought together regulators, academic leaders, and research ethics committees, with a shared focus on improving coordination, efficiency, and accountability in research oversight.
Dr. Fredrick Nakwagala, Chairperson of the Accreditation Committee at the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, commended Makerere for hosting nearly a quarter of Uganda’s approximately 40 accredited research ethics committees. He described this as a strong indicator of the university’s leadership in scientific research and training.
He noted that Uganda has made significant progress in building local capacity for research, moving away from reliance on foreign expertise. However, he raised concerns about gaps in institutional governance across the country, including weak research funding structures and limited administrative support in some institutions.
Dr. Nakwagala emphasized the need for standardization across ethics committees, expansion of ethical frameworks into emerging fields such as gene editing and environmental research, and stronger institutional mechanisms to address research integrity issues such as plagiarism, misuse of funds, and exploitation of students.
Echoing these sentiments, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences, stressed that ethical review is central to credible and impactful research. He warned that fragmented systems lead to delays and inconsistencies, calling for harmonization and collaboration among research ethics committees.
Prof. Bbaale also highlighted the need for efficient and responsive review processes, continuous training in emerging research areas such as artificial intelligence and climate studies, and stronger compliance systems to meet national and international standards.
On his part, Prof. Robert Wamala, Director of the Directorate of Research Innovations and Partnerships, underscored the importance of research integrity, noting that excellence must be measured not only by output but also by ethical rigor and societal relevance.
He said the workshop aimed to strengthen coordination among research ethics committees, align university systems with national requirements, and enhance institutional governance through clearer guidelines, capacity building, and collaboration with regulators.
However, concerns about the impact of current systems on students were raised by Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of Graduate Training. He revealed that many graduate students face delays in receiving feedback from ethics committees, which affects their academic progress.
Prof. Kikooma also pointed to complaints about the cost of ethics review, noting that most graduate students are self-funded and struggle to meet the required fees. He cited the example of the University of Ghana, where ethics review fees for graduate students have been waived, suggesting Uganda could consider similar reforms.
Participants at the workshop agreed that while ethical oversight remains essential for safeguarding research participants and ensuring quality, there is an urgent need to make systems more efficient, accessible, and supportive—particularly for early-career researchers.
The engagement concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen ethical standards, improve research governance, and reinforce Makerere University’s position as a hub for credible, impactful, and globally competitive research.
Research
Consolidating Early Career Academics Programme (CECAP II) Fellows Hold Progress Reporting Workshop
The Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP) successfully hosted the Consolidating Early Career Academics Programme (CECAP II) Fellows’ Progress Reporting Workshop on 19th March 2026 at the Conference Room, Level 4, Senate Building. CECAP II programme is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The workshop brought together fellows, coordinators, and key stakeholders to review progress, share experiences, and strengthen collaboration under the CECAP II programme.
The Project Coordinator, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi emphasized the importance of continuous monitoring, mentorship, and knowledge sharing among early career academics.
The highlight of the workshop was the presentation of progress reports by the fellows. Participants showcased the status of their research and academic development projects, demonstrating notable progress, innovation, and impact across diverse thematic areas.
The presentations reflected dedication, improved research capacity, and a strong commitment to excellence. Participants engaged in constructive dialogue, exchanged insights, and provided feedback aimed at enhancing the quality and outcomes of ongoing projects.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks, with participants commending the high standard of presentations and the productive nature of the discussions.
Overall, the CECAP II Fellows’ Progress Reporting Workshop provided a valuable platform for reflection, peer learning, and strategic alignment, further reinforcing Makerere University’s commitment to advancing research excellence and nurturing early career academics in Uganda.
The workshop was attended by the Chairperson, Prof. Sarah Ssali, and led by the Principal Investigator Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi. The session was moderated by Charles Lwanga Mukasa and representatives from partner public universities, including Prof. Kwetegyeka (Kyambogo University), Prof. Batwala Vincent (MUST), Prof. Komakech Daniel (Gulu University), and Prof. Samson Rwehweire (Busitema University).
-
General1 week agoApplication for Admission to Graduate Programmes 2026/27
-
General2 weeks agoCustodians and Wardens trained on Fire prevention in Halls of Residence
-
General6 days agoMastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University Celebrates the Last Cohort of Phase One Graduates
-
General2 weeks agoCelebrating a Life of Loyal and Distinguished Service
-
General2 weeks agoRIMS Implementation to End Supervision Delays, Enhance Transparency, Close Gaps and Boost Research Excellence at Makerere University