Computing & IS
Assoc. Prof. Gilbert Mayiga hands over SCIT Deanship to Dr. Joseph Balikuddembe
Assoc. Prof. Gilbert Mayiga on 30th November 2022 handed over the instruments of power to Dr. Joseph Kibombo Balikuddembe the Dean-elect School of Computing and Informatics Technology (SCIT), College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
Prof. Mayiga’s handover follows his resignation from university service in May 2022 after serving two terms as Dean for eight years and having served the university for over 30 years.
The handover over ceremony was held at the CoCIS Block A conference room and witnessed by the Principal Prof. Tonny Oyana, a representative from the Audit Department, Deans and Heads of Departments, and academic, administrative and support staff from CoCIS.
Prof. Mayiga thanks colleagues at the School for the privilege accorded to him to serve as School Dean from February 2015 to November 30th 2022 attributing the successes achieved during his tenure to colleagues in the four departments, the College and University Management, and from all support staff.
Mayiga reported that challenges notwithstanding, SCIT accomplished all the critical activities on time because colleagues delivered as expected.
In a 24-paged handover report, Mayiga presented an account of the current status of the school as of 30th November 2022 that traces the key activities and developments in the school’s four departments of Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science and Networks over the eight years.
The report presented an overview of the status of the departments, resources, records, and major activities overseen during his tenure meant to facilitate the incoming Dean a smooth assumption of the role, by providing information pertinent to that transition.
Prof. Mayiga highlighted key achievements including academic staff progress where staff with PhDs more than doubled from 22, the review of academic programs, increase in student enrolment figures, improvement in graduate supervision, active committees that accomplished their work and the growing and vibrant research activities at the school.
“There are still no full professors in the school in all the four departments. The number of associate professors has grown from zero to six, three of whom are in the department of IS. Several department members progressed academically (achieved a Masters or PhD Degree), and almost all progressed career-wise (were confirmed and/or promoted) during the period”. He said
Mayiga pointed to a number of challenges and pending issues for the attention of the incoming Dean. These included under-staffing especially at the higher Ranks and the need to continuously engage with management to address this issue; Decreased Students Graduation rates that need to be interrogated to remove the bottlenecks; Curriculum Review for expired programs; Few Faculty engaged in research; Increased cases of examinations malpractices and a large number of students that failed to complete their internship due to challenges related to COVID-19.
To the incoming Dean elect, – Dr Joseph Balikuddembe commended Prof. Mayiga for the service, building staff capacity, establishing friendship and creating a positive impact.
“I believe the job has been accomplished. It is a bit of a sad moment as a school having a young faculty and a senior faculty leaving, the one we would hang on to and have mature discussions with.
I accept to be Dean. A baby has come. I thank colleagues for the support and giving me the mandate of service not leadership”, Dr Balikuddembe submitted.
Staff commend Assoc. Prof. Gilbert Mayiga
Speaker after speaker commended Assoc. Prof. Gilbert Mayiga for his outstanding service and Dr. Balikuddembe for accepting to take on the role.
“The four departments in the school benefited and the Dean supported all programs in the Department of Information Systems to be cleared. Throughout his service, he ensured that programs are in a good place and updated. Apart from work, Prof. Mayiga had social qualities admirable. We learnt a lot from him, He is a very organized person and whenever he was out, he ensured everything was in place. Ag. Deputy Principal and former head IS Dr Peter Nabende appreciated.
“I thank the Dean for building a foundation for the school, leaving a structure of committees to guide the activities and empowering departments to operate and contribute to the vision of the school and also supporting and helping us to link with other structures such as Senate, NCHE and Council”, Assoc. Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha, Head of Computer Science.
“The outgoing Dean has been resourceful. I congratulate him on completing the two terms and choosing to give us more time to serve after resigning. I have been going there with challenges outside his mandate but he has been a father and I hope the incoming will be fatherly”, Dr Swaibu Lwasa., Head of Networks.
“I appreciate his leadership on a personal level and as head of the department. Sometimes when faced with challenges, he is a person with a muscle. I have seen him solve complex issues. I thank you for being a mentor right when I was a teaching assistant, you played a critical role of mentorship at a friendly and tough level”, Dr Agnes Nakakawa Head of Information Systems.
Barbra Nalubenga Head CISPIB said:
“He taught me systems analysis a long time ago in my previous capacity as a lecturer. And as Dean, I thank him for helping me run recess term. He was efficient, organized and foresighted. I wish him success in your next endeavours”.
Ms. Hasifa Kahunde, a representative of support staff said:
I came in 2013 and you welcomed me well. You have been good to support staff and the team is happy. As Dean, you have been down to earth, when you found someone sad, you asked what the problem is and offer counsel. You have been patient and friendly to everyone”.
The College Register Mr Patrick Feni said, “The Dean’s Humility surpasses anything I have seen in management at Makerere University. He worked with us to make things done. Dean was friendly regardless… I wish you success”.
Computing & IS
Makerere Launches Scholarly Guide, Calls for Increased Research, Publication and Innovation in Africa
VC Emphasizes Research as Key to Africa’s Global Integration
Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has urged universities across Africa to invest in research, publication, and innovation as a pathway to greater participation in the global knowledge economy.
Speaking at the launch of From Records to Publication: A Guide to Academic Authorship, edited by Prof. Elisam Magara of the East African School of Library and Information Sciences, Prof. Nawangwe highlighted Africa’s low contribution to global scholarship. “Although Africa accounts for 15 percent of the world’s population, it produces only 3 percent of global research publications,” he said.
“There are historical reasons for this,” the Vice Chancellor continued, referencing centuries of slavery and colonialism. “You cannot brush away 600 years of subjugation. And we Africans have not even written enough about that. If we want to move Africa back into the global community, we must invest in research, publication, and innovation.”
He cited China as an example, noting how the country’s investment in research and education has translated into economic and global influence. “When we say China is the factor of the world, it is not that people just wake up and begin making things. They invest in education, in publication, in research. If we want to transform Africa, we must do the same.”
Prof. Nawangwe highlighted Makerere’s progress, revealing that annual peer-reviewed publications have grown from about 500 a decade ago, to 700, and now exceed 2,000. He acknowledged that the university still trails South African institutions, partly because they operate numerous local journals that absorb significant volumes of research. “We are not fully utilising the brand of Makerere University Press,” he said, pledging support to strengthen the press and scale up journal production.
He also reaffirmed the university’s strategy to reduce excessive undergraduate enrolment and expand graduate training to boost research output. “Let us create time for professors to do research and supervise more graduate students,” he said.
Commending Professor Magara and his team for producing the authorship guide, Prof. Nawangwe described the book as an essential handbook for Master’s and PhD students, early-career researchers, and universities across the region striving to become research-led. “This is at the heart of the university. If we invest in research and publication, we secure our future,” he said.
Book Recommended as Mandatory Guide by College Principal
Makerere University’s Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences, Prof. Tonny Oyana, called for the newly launched volume to be adopted as a mandatory guide for graduate students and newly appointed lecturers. “This is not a bad book for our first-year PhD students to start with,” he said. “Even those who are hired as junior lecturers still need mentorship. If I were the Vice Chancellor, I would put this book as required reading for every new hire.”
Prof. Oyana reflected on his personal contribution to the book, revealing that administrative responsibilities nearly forced him to withdraw. “Because of the work that I do, I was about to give up,” he admitted. “But Professor Magara was persistent. He came back to me and gave me more time.”
He credited a PhD student, Caroline Ilako, for assisting with library research and literature reviews, saying, “She did a wonderful job. We went back and forth through revisions, but finally we produced the work.”
On the quality of the book, Prof. Oyana said, “When you pick up a book, look at how it is laid out. The quick judgment tells you about the quality. This is well put together. We are beginning to show quality comparable to Western presses.”
He also challenged traditional notions of “publish or perish,” noting, “As scholarship evolves, those who evaluate scholarship must also adjust. Impact, innovation, and tangible products are increasingly valued alongside journal articles.”
Editor Highlights Research-Based Approach
Prof. Elisam Magara, the book’s editor, explained that the guide is designed to support scholars from the moment they conceive a research idea to the point their work is published and read. “I looked at the books we were using and asked myself: which kind of book can truly guide students? We needed a clear guide from the time a scholar thinks of writing up to the time the book is read,” he said.
He detailed the rigorous editorial process that began in 2022, including international calls for contributions, peer review of abstracts, writeshops for feedback, and multiple rounds of chapter reviews. “Don’t write and keep,” he advised. “Your book must have impact. It must reach the public and be used.”
Prof. Magara also acknowledged the sabbatical granted by the Vice-Chancellor, which enabled him to balance teaching and editorial responsibilities. “This book is meant not just for Makerere but for scholars across the region and beyond,” he said.
Mak Press Outlines Rigorous Publishing Process
Dr. Isaac Tibasima, representing the Managing Director of Makerere University Press, explained the publication pathway. “Once you bring your manuscript to the press, we take it through evaluation, external peer review, revisions, copy-editing, typesetting, and pre-press review before printing,” he said.
He also highlighted the press’s efforts to strengthen college-based journals. “We will not run the journals, but they will be published under the imprint of Makerere University. If we produce consistent issues, we can then move toward global indexing,” Dr. Tibasima said.
All new journals and articles now carry Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to enhance discoverability, while past publications are being retroactively assigned DOIs. “We are not there yet, but we are moving there, and we are intentional about getting there,” he added.
School Leaders Celebrate Scholarship and Mentorship
In welcome remarks, Dr. Sarah Kaddu, Dean of the School, said, “This event is a celebration of scholarship, intellectual discipline, and the journey of knowledge creation. This book speaks directly to one of the most critical challenges facing scholars—transforming research records into publishable work.”
Dr. Sylvia Namujuzi, Head of the Department of Records and Archives Management, added, “This book is timely. It responds to real challenges faced by early-career researchers, postgraduate students, and even seasoned academics—questions of structure, authorship ethics, citation, collaboration, and navigating the publication ecosystem.”
She concluded: “Well-managed records are not endpoints; they are the beginning of inquiry, reflection, and publication. This guide demonstrates that pathway.”
Book Outline
- Introduction: Publication Journey. (Prof. Elisam Magara)
PART I: Foundations of Academic Authorship.
- Conceptual Foundations of Academic Authorship
Elisam Magara and Joseph Kiplangat.
- Archives as a Source of Information for Academic Writing
David Luyombya, Sylivia Namujuzi and Francis Ekwaro
- The place of Oral History in Contemporary Writing
Elisam Magara, James Nkanshah-Obrempong and Nthan Nzyoka Joshua
- Managing Ethical Dilemmas in Academic Writing
Maria Tsvere, Tsitsi Kanonge and Joselin Chigwada
- The Role of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights in Protecting Works of Authors and Publishers in Uganda
Ronald Kakungulu Mayambala
PART II: Managing the Publication Process
- A Manuscript: From Inception to Publication
Sarah Mirembe Kyankya
- Managing Co-Authorship in Academic Writing
Gankhanani Moffat Moyo
- Managing Illustrations and Visual Artworks in Academic Writing
Bob Magara Rutatugirwa
- Tapping into Open Access Platforms for Gainful Authorship
George Muganga
- Managing the Costs in Academic Authorship
Aloysius Rukundo
- The Important Translation in Publication
Monica Mweseli
- Citations and Referencing in Academic Writing
Clement Lutaaya Nabutto, Namujuzi Sylivia, and Daviv Luyombya, Makerere University
- Referencing Management Software In Academic Writing
Odeke Moses Osamai and Constant Okello-Obura
- Compliance with International Bibliographic Control Standards in Academic Authorship
Elisam Magara and Dniel Osinde
PART III: Secondary Services in Academic Writing
- Journal Impact Factor and its Role when Submitting a Publication Article
Tonny J. Oyana and Caroline Ilako
- Managing Mentorship Programmes for Scholarly Writing
Diyoshak Rhoda Danladi and Elisam Magara
Report by
Jane Anyango, Principal Communication Officer CoCIS
Ritah Atukwatse, Journalism and Communication Student (2nd Year)
Fred Kanwagi, Journalism and Communication Student (3rd Year)
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