Law
Mak Council Visits the School of Law
The Makerere University Council visited the School of Law (SoL) on Monday, 27th February 2023. Council members held a meeting with the School leadership including the Principal, Deputy Principal and Chairs of Departments.
Mrs. Lorna Magara (Chairperson – Council) was accompanied by Hon. Dan Kidega (Vice Chairperson – Council), Mr. Edwin Karugire (Chairperson – Appointments Board), Mr. Edward Sengonzi Damulira (Council Member), Mr. Bruce Kabaasa (Chairperson – Finance, Planning, Administration & Investment Committee), Dr. Sarah Ssali (Chairperson – Quality Assurance, Gender & ICT Committee), and Mr. George Bamugemereire (Chairperson – Legal, Rules, Privileges & Estates Committee).
In her remarks, Mrs. Lorna Magara who was recently re-appointed to serve a second term as Chairperson – Council said, ‘it is a delight to be back to the School of Law. The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the new Council members to the College, get to know what the SoL is doing as well as engage staff on how best to work together through this term’.
In his brief presentation, Associate Professor Ronald Naluwairo, the Ag. Principal SoL welcomed the Council members to the School and expressed optimism about the meeting. He said, ‘we don’t take this visit lightly, it is not every day that Council visits the colleges. The last time Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of Council were here, we got the new School of Law Building which we are slated to move into in March 2023’. He shared the vision, mission and strategic direction that the School is taking towards implementing its strategic plan and the University Strategic Plan. He added that the Strategic Plan of SoL is aligned to the National Development Plan III to support human resource development, community development and mindset change and administration of justice.
Professor Naluwairo explained that the SoL is constantly enriching its programmes through revisions responsive to client needs, the LL. B programme was recently revised and two new specialised LL.M programmes developed. The School is also moving to revamp its alumni association; diversify teaching methods to include clinical legal methods and online instruction which are more learner centred; as well integration of career guidance in its curricula. He also informed members that ‘In tandem with the strategic direction of Makerere University of becoming a research-led university, SoL is developing its new research agenda around five thematic areas.
The SoL has also successfully taken Makerere University to the community and made the University relevant and felt by the ordinary people through its outreach initiatives including the Public Interest Law Clinic (PILAC), Refugee Law Project, Business Law Clinic, Disability Law & Rights Centre, the Human Rights and Peace Centre, as well as the Administration Law Short Course, the Principal added.
He concluded by highlighting the major challenges and threats that SoL faces. Key among these is the delay for National Council for Higher Education to formally gazette it as a College of Makerere University. He informed the Council members that this was attributed to two major factors i.e., the unacceptable student to lecturer ratio and the poor and inadequate physical infrastructure. ‘Although the University has now addressed the latter for which we are very grateful, it is yet to address the issue of high student: lecturer ratio.’
The other challenges highlighted were: the under representation of the SoL in key university decision making organs (like in Senate where it is represented by only two people), furnishing of the new SoL building; delayed staff promotions and donor dependence for most of its outreach and advocacy initiatives.
After the Principal’s presentation, the Council members thanked SoL for the good work it is doing towards realizing the University strategic objectives. They however challenged the School to realign its strategic plan along the Government direction of science, technology and innovation. In light of the many law schools in the country now, they also emphasized the need for the School to profile the kind of graduate products it should work towards producing, who should be distinguishable and marketable. The School was also encouraged to vigorously engage its alumni to support its operations.
The meeting was characterized by open discussion and commitment for support of the SoL from the Council.
Closing the meeting, the Chairperson Council encouraged SoL leadership to continue engaging the University Secretary, Appointments Board and University Management for more in-depth discussion of the issues raised during the meeting.
Mrs. Magara advised that SoL should document the challenges and requirements, forward them to University Management who will then share them with Council for consideration.
Makerere University (Mak)‘s strategic direction is to become a research-led institution leading to innovations, knowledge transfer partnerships and providing solutions to national challenges. In line with the strategic direction, on 10th December 2024, Mak and Uganda Prison Services (UPS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that paves way for the Makerere University School of Law to undertake short trainings in administrative law for UPS staff.
At the signing ceremony held at the UPS headquarters in Kampala, Uganda, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor – Mak and Dr. Johnson Byamugisha, Commissioner General for UPS signed for their institutions. In attendance were senior officers from UPS and staff of SoL, Dr. Zahara Nampewo – Deputy Principal, and Dr. Patricia Atim, Coordinator of the Administrative Law short course.
The collaboration arising from the MoU aims to equip UPS officers with knowledge and skills in administrative law, improving their legal understanding and service delivery within the institution. The partnership involves training 60 UPS officers annually in the SoL Administrative Law Short Course Programme
Expressing pride in Mak and the School of Law, Professor Nawangwe thanked Dr. Byamugisha and the UPS for giving the university an opportunity to contribute to the professionalization of the prisons service. He emphasized the importance of strengthening the legal framework and ensuring the effectiveness of law enforcement personnel.
The partnership marks a significant step in enhancing the capacity of Uganda’s correctional facilities, ensuring that officers are better equipped to carry out their duties in accordance with the law.
Law
China-Africa Forum for Law School Deans ends with Partners’ committing to enhanced collaboration
On 5th November 2024, Law School Deans, Academicians, researchers and students from Africa and China met at School of Law (SoL), Makerere University in Kampala Uganda for the 6th China-Africa Forum for Law School Deans. The Forum themed, ‘Legal Guarantee and Educational Support for High-Quality Development of China-Africa’ was hosted by SoL in partnership with Renmin University of China and Xiangtan University, China.
This forum was proposed at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in 2021 in Dakar, Senegal, The resultant Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) explicitly proposed to support holding the China-Africa Forum of Law School Deans to among other things: encourage and assist China-Africa Universities in jointly building China-Africa legal research centres; training of legal professionals; and promoting China-Africa exchanges and cooperation for legal knowledge and legal talents.
In his remarks, Dr. Ronald Naluwairo – Associate Professor and Principal, SoL welcomed participants to SoL, Makerere University and Uganda. ‘SoL opened its doors in 1968 and has grown into one of the greatest schools of law in Africa and enjoys global recognition for its work’, he said. He thanked Xiangtan University, China with who Makerere has a memorandum of understanding for the collaboration that started in 2014 and introducing the other partners present. He expressed hope that at the end of the meeting, tangible areas of collaboration supporting social justice will be defined for the partners; and a compilation of a report of the papers presented for knowledge transfer and policy development.
Professor Henry Alinaitwe – Deputy Vice Chancellor/Finance & Administration, Makerere University represented the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe. He welcomed participants and encouraged them to tour Uganda, Pearl of Africa before departure for an appreciation of Uganda’s beauty. ‘Teaching of the law can contribute to social transformation of our people in Africa and China. This is therefore an important platform for discussion improvements in legal education for both Africa and China’, he said. Professor Alinaitwe thanked the partners for choosing Makerere to host and hoped for productive, enlightening deliberations during the forum which will lead to enhancement of the collaboration.
The forum was officially opened by His Excellency, Ambassador Zhang Lizhong – Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Uganda. Ambassador Lizhong expressed pleasure at seeing the participants from China and Africa in the room to support the China-Africa collaborations which have built synergy with multiple plans and strategies. He explained that in Uganda alone, China continues to export promotion, infrastructure development (roads, dams, and airport) among others. He noted that there has been an increase of people exchange between China and Africa and it is therefore important that the nations understand better the legal setups for better collaboration and development mutually beneficial to all. ‘I thank Makerere for the support of the collaboration and I hope to see development of legal research centres as outlined in the Accra Action Plan’ the ambassador noted.
Presentations by participants through the day culminated into proposal of the following as key issues for further consideration and development:
- Recognition that legal education and legal exchanges are essential foundations of friendly cooperation between China and Africa and the China-Africa Forum of Law School Deans is an effective platform to promote the cooperation. The Forum will therefore be held regularly.
- Expand the scope, enhance effectiveness and impact of the Forum.
- Establish exchange mechanisms to promote cooperation, including joint international conferences and co-publish academic journals.
- Encourage law teachers’ research cooperation among faculty to improve research quality and facilitate mutual visits.
- Promote friendly exchanges among young legal professionals, providing support for their studies and exchanges at partner institutions
- Collaborate of developing educational programmes, including courses on comparative studies of China-African legal systems.
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