Research
First-Ever Mak-UiB Research School Comes to a Lively End
Officially opened on Monday 28th November 2022, the first ever Makerere-University of Bergen Research School (MBRS) came to a lively end as student participants cheered each other on at a certificate award ceremony presided over by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. Henry Alinaitwe. Held on Thursday 8th December, 2022 in the Multimedia/e-Learning room of the Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, the ceremony was moderated by the Mak-UiB Collaboration Coordinator for Makerere University Dr. Ronald Semyalo. Also present at the award ceremony were UiB’s Prof. Tore Sætersdal, Prof. Inger Måren, Nils Gunnar Songstad, Anja Christine Rørnes Tucker as well as other officials from Makerere and UiB.
In his remarks, Prof. Alinaitwe, who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, congratulated the facilitators from Makerere and UiB as well as the student participants upon successfully completing the two-week course. “Makerere takes great pride in collaborations and as our Vice Chancellor often says, we are the University that collaborates most in the whole world; we literally collaborate with institutions on all continents without discrimination.”
Turning to the University’s aspirations to become research-led, Prof. Alinaitwe, Prof. Alinaitwe appreciated UiB for choosing to host the PhD School at Makerere, noting that it augurs well with the institution’s research strategies. The MBRS was held as part of activities to celebrate Makerere’s 100 years of excellent service to humanity and 35 years of close collaboration with UiB.
Prof. Alinaitwe added that activities such as the MBRS help make the PhD journey more engaging and will be remembered by participants long after they complete their respective programmes. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had put physical conventions such as the MBRS on hold and it is good for institutions to be able to resume them. He therefore urged participants to take full advantage of the networks they forge during such engagements.
“Makerere is a very progressive institution and we are looking forward to continue collaborating with various individuals and universities,” he said. Turning to the MBRS topic; Food and Water Security in a changing World, Prof. Alinaitwe noted that although Uganda is well endowed with a variety of naturally occurring food and water resources, it would greatly benefit from technology-transfer partnerships. These partnerships, he said, would help promote technologies that enable communities to become food and water sufficient, despite varying onsets and amounts of rainfall received in the different regions of the country.
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.
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