General
Ms. Claudia Frittelli – Carnegie Corporation of New York visits Mak
The Program Officer, Higher Education and Research in Africa, International Program of the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) Ms. Claudia Frittelli was on Thursday 1st September, 2022 hosted by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe at a special Top Management Meeting as part of her institutional visit. Ms. Frittelli’s interaction with Makerere goes back to 2006 when she was part of the team that oversaw the implementation of CCNY’s Institutional Strengthening grant to the University.
In his welcome remarks, the Vice Chancellor thanked Carnegie for being one of entities that helped Makerere University regain her footing after the turbulent years of political upheaval. He particularly singled out the Corporation’s role in revitalising the construction industry in the 1990s through supporting the introduction of programmes in quantity and valuation surveying. The same concept, he noted, was used to introduce the Bachelor and later Master of Science in Construction Management.
“At that time there were few quantity surveyors in Uganda and they were almost no valuation surveyors… since the introduction of those programmes, the construction industry has greatly improved… and almost all the people heading the Departments in Government dealing with these issues are all coming out of the programme which the Carnegie Corporation supported” highlighted Prof. Nawangwe, who served as Head of the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning from 1987 to 2002.
The Vice Chancellor also paid to tribute to CCNY for supporting Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), which he currently chairs. ARUA aims at enhancing research and graduate training in Africa through, among other channels, the establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in sixteen (16) member universities spread across ten (10) countries. The Alliance currently has thirteen (13) multidisciplinary CoEs tackling thematic areas of
Citing the World Bank recommendation for the African continent to produce at least 100,000 PhDs within the next ten years in order to achieve Agenda 2063, Prof. Nawangwe outlined that the current Makerere University Strategic Plan seeks to make the institution more research-led by among other activities, training more more graduate students, who will contribute to the target. Makerere‘s membership to consortia such as ARUA, through which it hosts the Centre of Excellence in Notions of Identity in Africa it is anticipated, will enhance the attainment of this strategic thrust.
The Vice Chancellor further outlined Makerere‘s plans to establish an innovation hub to support the huge capacity that has been built over the years. “We now have a lot of trained researchers who have the potential to come up with innovations and we are working with UNDP to establish the innovation hub.”
The Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi in his remarks thanked Ms. Frittelli for being an eminent and longtime friend of Makerere. He noted that whereas CCNY started relations with Uganda in 1946, the post-independence political turmoil resulted in decades of suspension of operations by the Corporation, which resumed 2001-2004 with support to institutional research management at Makerere.
Prof. Buyinza added that this was followed by programmes from 2006-2008 and 2008-2011 aimed at strengthening research capacity at Makerere. The programme on nurturing the Next Generation of African Academics (NGAA) followed from 2010-2012, and subsequently the 2013-2016 NGAA Phase II that focused on retention of nurtured academics. 2017 marked the beginning of a phase on Nurturing Emerging Research Leaders through Post-Doctoral (NERLP) Training, which was followed by the 2019-2021 Supporting Early-Career Academics (SECA) programme.
“Currently, we are consolidating the Supporting Early-Career Academics (SECA) programme at Makerere, albeit innovatively. We have gone beyond the boundaries of Makerere and are working with four partner public Universities in this country… We identified Kyambogo, Busitema, Gulu and Mbarara University of Science and Technology” he explained.
Prof. Buyinza said that the current programme is supporting 25 post-doctoral fellowships; 15 from Makerere and 10 from the partner public universities. The support is aimed at consolidating the research capacity of early-career academics to enhance their research productivity and ability to contribute effectively to global knowledge generation.
He added that efforts are underway to prioritise research communication so as to enable dissemination of academic results to policy makers, while contributing to capacity building and opportunities of female academics. “The gender dimension is key and in this phase we have moved from 10% to 30%, and now Makerere is implementing 50% share-out.”
Ms. Frittelli in her remarks acknowledged the warm reception by Management, admitting that it was a pleasure to be back at Makerere where she participated in the institutional strengthening programme. The programme supported the formation of directorates to oversee Research and Graduate Training, Gender Mainstreaming, ICT and stregthened components in Distance Education. She added that it was good to witness Principal Investigators of projects that Carnegie had supported taking up Vice Chancellor roles in other universities as well as other Senior Administrative positions.
The Program Officer paid tribute to Vartan Gregorian, the late President under whose over 20-year tenure until his sudden death in April 2021, CCNY supported and continues to support higher education and research in Africa. She informed Management that the CCNY Board after a search appointed Prof. Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, to serve as the corporation’s next President effective January 2023. Her hope, she said, was that the new President who has a background in higher education would continue supporting Africa’s undertakings in the same sector.
“…these kinds of meetings are coming at a very important time as it is interesting to hear how the grant is evolving, so that we can also inform her of the role of Makerere in the country, the continent and your participation in all these networks” added Ms. Frittelli.
The Program Officer during her visit interacted with members of the SECA Project Implementation Committee (PIC) in various colleges as well as post-doctoral grantees.
Makerere University staff have been urged to embrace servant leadership, integrity and compassion as they prepare to welcome students for the 2026/2027 Academic Year.
The call was made during the Makerere University Staff Prayer Breakfast held on 31st July 2026 at St. Francis Students Centre Upper Hall under the theme “Faithful Stewards: A Servant Heart with Integrity and Wisdom,” drawn from Colossians 3:23–24 and Mark 10:35–45.
The prayer breakfast brought together members of Council, University Management, academic, and administrative staff to dedicate the new academic year to God while reflecting on their responsibility of serving students with excellence, humility and integrity.
A Call to Seek God’s Wisdom
Host Rev. Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa reminded staff that no amount of professional experience or academic expertise can replace God’s guidance.
She noted that the University’s mission can only be fulfilled when staff continually seek God’s wisdom in serving students and one another.
“There is no amount of experience or expertise that can replace God’s wisdom.”
Rev. Dr. Kitayimbwa observed that students remain the reason universities exist and challenged staff to approach their work as a calling rather than merely employment.
“Without students, there is no university,” she said, encouraging members of staff to remain united, avoid unhealthy competition and trust God as they begin another academic year.
She further urged staff to become faithful stewards who work together in harmony, which she summed up as, “United we stand; divided we fall.”
A Community, Not Just a Centre of Research
In her remarks, Dean of Students Dr. Winnie Kabumbuli welcomed the Council Chairperson, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Members of Management to the breakfast, and reminded staff that a university’s value cannot be measured by research and innovation alone.
She described Makerere as a community held together by the spiritual as well as academic wellbeing of its people, and called on staff to renew their commitment to one another as much as to the institution they serve.
Draw Inspiration From Stewardship
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Sarah Ssali told staff that this year’s breakfast carried special significance.
“This is the first prayer breakfast we are having ever since we launched our strategic plan,” she said, referring to the University’s new Strategic Plan, launched on 2nd July 2026.
She encouraged staff to hold on to the morning’s reflections as a guide for implementing the plan over the next five years, describing Makerere as an institution many families choose above all others for the vision and training it offers their children. She urged staff to see themselves as stewards of that trust rather than simply employees carrying out a job.
Compassion and Discipline Must Go Together
Delivering her remarks, Makerere University Council Chairperson Dr. Lorna Magara challenged staff to strike a balance between compassion and discipline when dealing with students.
She observed that many students face different personal and academic challenges, making encouragement and timely support essential throughout their university journey.
“A word of encouragement can restore hope and prevent costly mistakes,” she noted.
Dr. Lorna encouraged lecturers and administrators to respond promptly to students’ concerns, explaining that delays, insensitive decisions and abuse of authority can discourage students and negatively affect their academic experience.
She reminded staff that students often remember how they were treated long after they have forgotten what was taught in class.
“Students may eventually forget what we teach them, but they will always remember how we treated them.”
She added that education goes beyond transferring knowledge.
“Education is more than knowledge. We communicate life, character and values.”
Quoting Mark 10, Dr. Lorna called upon staff to embrace servant leadership by exercising authority with humility, integrity and accountability.
She encouraged members of staff to ask themselves whether they would treat every student the same way ashey would treat their own child.
“We may not always have all the answers,” she said, “but we can communicate honestly, take responsibility and treat every student with dignity.”
She concluded by urging different colleges and administrative units to work together instead of operating in isolation, noting that unity strengthens the University community.
Referring to Galatians 6:2, she reminded staff to carry one another’s burdens and remain faithful stewards of the responsibility entrusted to them.
Servant Leadership Begins with Faithfulness
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. James Magara, husband to Dr. Lorna Magara, called on members of staff to embrace servant leadership grounded in humility, faithfulness and service to others.
Drawing from Mark 10:35–45, Dr. Magara reflected on the account in which James and John asked Jesus for positions of honour in His kingdom, prompting discontent among the other disciples. He observed that despite walking closely with Christ, the disciples continued to struggle with the desire for status and recognition. He noted that such competition remained evident even during the Last Supper, where concerns over positions and prominence persisted.
Dr. Magara said that Jesus responded to these human tendencies by redefining leadership through service rather than authority. He described Christ’s act of washing the disciples’ feet as the ultimate demonstration of servant leadership, explaining that genuine leaders are willing to undertake even the humblest responsibilities in service of others.
Referencing Philippians 2, he urged staff to emulate Christ’s humility and selflessness, contrasting it with the pride and self-exaltation illustrated in Isaiah 14. He emphasised that lasting influence and greatness are not measured by titles, positions or recognition, but by one’s willingness to serve faithfully and put the needs of others before personal ambition.
Drawing on his own leadership journey spanning several decades, Dr. Magara challenged leaders across the University to cultivate humility, integrity and a servant heart in the execution of their responsibilities. He cautioned that leadership driven by pride and personal ambition undermines both individual effectiveness and institutional progress, whereas servant leadership strengthens organisations and fosters lasting impact.
The prayer breakfast concluded with a call for unity and collective commitment as Makerere University prepares to begin a new academic year. Organisers noted that the reflections on stewardship, integrity and servant leadership would provide a strong foundation for the University community as it advances the implementation of the Makerere University Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
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