General
Michigan State University team visits Makerere University – Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF)
By Harriet Adong
On Friday August 12, 2022, a team of Researchers from Michigan State University, Kosmos Innovation Centre in Accra, Ghana and the Africa Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) visited and engaged with the team at Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) and the Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU). Prof. Grace Bantebya participated in this engagement and this was an opportunity for the Mak-RIF team to share details about Mak-RIF and GAMSU while highlighting some of the research and innovation outputs as shared on https://rif.mak.ac.ug/.
“RIF is at a stage where we are looking to consolidate and broaden networks, partnerships and build on what is being done” said Prof. Grace Bantebya. We are happy to promote our strategy of working with teams both within and outside Makerere University and Uganda.
In Makerere University, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has received funding for over 100 projects with a focus on the areas of value addition, combating malnutrition, Low-cost irrigation and agriculture, reducing post-harvest loss among other disciplines. Some of the projects funded include; developing dry season feeding technologies for cattle production, packaging pig semen for artificial insemination in pig producing districts, automated boreholes and a low-cost seed cleaner among others.
Currently, the Mak-RIF team is seeking support on commercialization. We should have some discussions on how best to secure partnership for commercialization of some of the research outputs. Ms. Gloria Naggayi, Mak-RIF Research Support Officer noted that the Mak-CAES research and innovation teams were yielding more tangible outputs every year and these need to move to take steps forward
Ideas generated to inform next steps
- It is important that we brainstorm and coin possible ways through which other partners and organizations can fit into the Mak-RIF priorities” said Dr. John Bonnell, Director Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD) https://www.canr.msu.edu/bheard/ at Michigan State University.
- Could we also together explore technical partnerships with international partners, working with Innovation Centers e.g., Kosmos Innovation Center, ACET among others to yield more results?”.
- Mindset shift is important; “can we use Design Thinking to change the way things are perceived and being done?” said Benjamin Gyan Kesse from Kosmos Innovation Center. There is need for this mind set shift so that we create solutions for the existing problems and not creating solutions then looking for problems.
- Makerere University could also explore attaching incentives to innovation and other achievements for example, can we have patents weighed the same way as publications, publications are used for promotion purposes too. These, it was noted motivates faculty and students to move forth with their work while boosting their efforts.
- With experience, it is also meaningful to put big money on a few things and yield more. The team was encouraged to meet with Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, Principal at CAES to tap into knowledge and skills from the Mak-CAES Innovation Scholars Program. Think through how faculty and students are utilizing their hours.
- It is also important to introduce the Mak-RIF Grants Management Committee to a mindset shift engagement so that together we can recruit others to “mindset shift”. How to do this is something that can also be further brainstormed.
- There was need to strategically think of mapping our partners here in Uganda and reach out to them one by one. As you engage to seek partnership and or collaboration, “It is important that you stipulate what is in it for each partner” shared Ms. Freda Yawson, Senior Manager Infrastructure and Innovation at ACET.
- The team discussed more on enhancing collaborations with Business incubators, getting Ugandan products out to other countries, how can we make processes more efficient, and how to make use of the media to showcase our products. There is need to look for partnerships that make teams stronger and engaging the private sector in various ways.
- We also need to task our researchers (After doing their research) to show us what their research means to the community.
By Moses Lutaaya
The Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) has in collaboration with Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors.
Participants were academic staff from two colleges namely, College of Engineering, Art and Design (CEDAT) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The three-day training that took place at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building ended on Friday 20thJune 2025.
In his closing remarks to the participants, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “This is the first cohort we are working together with the Center for Teaching and Learning to put together continuous professional development Program so that we are able to enforce the new teaching and learning policy.”
He said that before lecturers are allocated students for supervision, they must first go through this form of formal teaching and learning training to equip them thoroughly with certification required of supervision of graduate students.
“We are coming up with process to ensure that the certificates earned by participants allow you to supervise graduate students. This is the direction of the university and we must ensure that such trainings are concluded and completed successfully by all participants”, Prof. Kikooma.
“We can only have you certified upon completing all the exercises in the training process. This is when you will be eligible to receive the work load for supervision”, He added.
“This training of Supervisors is going to be continuous so that all academic staff in colleges and schools are equipped. This first cohort is going to be our building block to the future trainings in the colleges.”
With such capacity building trainings, Prof. Kikooma said that the university is on the right path to achieving its targets in the new strategic plan of increasing the number of graduate students while progressively reducing the under graduate students.
He further hinted that, “We are in the process of writing a curriculum on this, which will be presented for approval before it is rolled out.”
He echoed all participants to share the knowledge they have acquired adding, “Share all you have learnt, do not keep it. Be open minded, have proper communication channels and the sky will be the limit for you.”
Dr. Robinah N. Kulabako, The Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CEDAT welcomed the training adding, “This training is very pertinent. I have had the opportunity to supervise Masters and PhD students for over 15 years and I must say that the need to be subjected to this training cannot be over emphasized because there is need to learn, unlearn and relearn many aspects involved in the supervision process.”
She added, “We are moving towards knowledge-based supervision rather than experience-based supervision. This means we must be informed and equipped to be able to advise, guide and mentor to be able to lead a successful supervision journey for both supervisor and supervisee.”
Dr. Andrew Gilbert Were – a lecturer at CEDAT and a participant said, “It is important that all supervisors of graduate students receive this certification from Makerere University through a systematic training process that enables them to attain diverse skills to facilitate learning of graduate students from diverse cultures and with unique set of circumstances.”
“This training is long overdue. In fact, it was an oversight that we could be allowed to supervise students without undergoing supervisors’ training.”
Dr. Dorothy Ssebowa, The Director Centre for Teaching and Learning support- CEES said, “The training this time round has had a mix of early career professionals including Lecturers, Supervisors and Professors share experiences. We have learnt a lot more from experienced supervisors who have shared practices on how they have done supervision over the years.”
“The knowledge and experience-based approaches have made this collaboration very active, interactive and learner centered which has resulted into a collaborative learning from the interdisciplinarity of staff from CEDAT and CAES. The issue now is to continue with professional development across all levels.” She added.
The Makerere University Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors. This activity was supported by the iCARTA – Institutionalization of Advanced Research Training in Africa, a NORHED II Project at Makerere University.
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