General
Mak partners with BRAC to Support Career Progression of Talented Women
Makerere University on 29th March 2023 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Stichting BRAC; an international development organization based in Bangladesh with regional presence in Africa and seventeen years of operation in Uganda, to implement the Sir Fazle Hasan Abed Fellowship Programme for Women. The MoU was signed on behalf of Makerere by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and by the Executive Director, Mr. Shameran Abed on behalf of Stichting BRAC International. The ceremony was witnessed by the BRAC Regional Director Africa-Ms. Rudo Kayombo, Associate Director of HRD, BRAC International-Ms. Aoishwariya Khisa, University Secretary-Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, Ag. Director Legal Affairs-Mr. Hudson Musoke, Ag. Director Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD)-Ms. Susan Mbabazi, Deputy University Secretary-Mr. Simon Kizito, BRAC Uganda Country Director- Ms. Spera Atuhairwe and officials from Makerere and BRAC.
In his welcome remarks, Prof. Nawangwe congratulated BRAC upon commemorating 50 years of existence, noting that Makerere is proud to work and associate with the largest international development organization in the world, which was founded in the global South. He added that Makerere has since the Government’s introduction of affirmative action of 1.5 additional points for the girl child in 1990 been at forefront empowering women to access higher education at the institution.
“Most of the best schools in Uganda that were set up during the colonial era were for boys, which meant that girls were historically disadvantaged. Affirmative action has helped increase the enrolment of women from 10% to 52%” he added.
Makerere has since 1990 picked up the affirmative action baton and pioneered the gender mainstreaming agenda on the African continent. The Vice Chancellor added that the University’s gender mainstreaming efforts are have hugely impacted the leadership of public and private entities, with many Chief Executive Officers, Members of Parliament, leaders in academic and elsewhere being alumnae of Makerere.
Prof. Nawangwe nevertheless acknowledged that a lot remains to be done in terms of improving the number of women in leadership positions, and reiterated the University’s commitment to accomplish this through her Strategic Plan 2020-2030. The fourth pillar of Makerere’s strategic plan envisages “A Professionally Governed, Equitable, Inclusive and Gender Mainstreamed Institution”. He therefore thanked the Executive Director and his delegation for personally coming to Makerere to sign the MoU and reassured them of Management’s readiness to see to it that all activities therein are successfully undertaken.
Mr. Sherman Abed in his remarks congratulated Makerere upon commemorating 100 years of impactful existence and acknowledged that this was not the first time BRAC was collaborating with the University. He noted that the two institutions had in the past undertaken research projects and that BRAC was once again honoured to be collaborating with the premier university in the region.
“We are building the Sir Fazle Hasan Abed Fellowship across four universities at the moment. We have Brac University and the Asian University for Women, and Makerere University with whom we are very excited to sign the MoU today, and the University of Dar es Salaam” remarked Mr. Abed.
The Fellowship is part of BRAC’s Women Leaders Programme aimed at recognizing talented women and supporting their development and career progression. It is envisaged that through the fellowship Makerere University alumnae will become part of a stimulating women empowerment journey as a pathway to societal leadership roles.
The Executive Director added that BRAC as a result of working in some of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities in Asia and Africa is in a very unique position to drive South to South collaborations. “We are really excited to grow our work on the African continent and it is a very important focus area for us in our future direction.”
The Regional Director, Ms. Kayombo had earlier noted that BRAC’s work on the African continent started in Uganda, which is also home to its largest programme, “and so it is only fitting that we are here at Makerere today to sign this MoU”.
Speaking on behalf of Fellowship’s coordinating unit, the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD), Ms. Mbabazi expressed readiness to work with BRAC to enhance the position of women in leadership through the various activities. She noted that five out of the ten strategic areas of Makerere’s Gender Mainstreaming Policy are aligned with the proposed partnership with BRAC, especially with regard to women in leadership.
“A lot has been achieved to date; Makerere has supported over 1,200 female students with scholarships, which is very important for this partnership because it has created a pool of women who will eventually scale the leadership ladders” she explained.
Ms. Mbabazi added that GMD has with the support of various partners availed over 200 women with scholarships to pursue Masters and PhD programmes at Makerere. “Over 500 mid-level and senior staff of this University have benefited from our training programmes for women in leadership, and we have gone beyond the gates of Makerere and partnered with other public universities in Uganda to promote women in leadership and decision making.”
A proud alumna, the BRAC Uganda Country Director Ms. Spera Atuhairwe expressed joy at being back at her Alma mater after 25 years and seeing all the infrastructural development. She noted that BRAC has since its establishment in Uganda been committed to empowering communities both socially and economically with a special focus on women.
BRAC’s programmes in Uganda cut across the education sector, health sector as well as emergency and humanitarian response. Under education, the organization supports early childhood, secondary and university education through scholarships. The organization also works closely with community health workers who monitor and provide last-mile services to reduce challenges related to maternal and child health.
The organization through its emergency and humanitarian response initiative supports communities to build resilience to shocks and challenges associated with poverty. BRAC achieves this through providing these households with assets, opportunities, skills and access to financial services. The organization also supports agriculture at lower levels by availing farmers with improved seeds.
Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This MoU is one of several initiatives aimed at strengthening the university’s global collaborations and research partnerships.
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe highlighted Makerere’s recent centenary celebrations as a testament to its long and influential history in Africa. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to serious, research-driven collaboration, noting Makerere’s aspiration to become a leading student-centered research university that develops solutions to regional challenges.
Prof. Nawangwe emphasized that Makerere’s research addresses critical issues such as widespread poverty, high youth unemployment, the devastating effects of climate change on agriculture, rapid population growth, and political interference in production. These challenges, he explained, call for climate-resilient agriculture, stronger health systems to address emerging diseases, and more inclusive governance. He further observed that Africa’s ambitious goal of producing one million PhDs in the next decade remains constrained by inadequate supervision capacity across the continent, stressing that collaborations like this MoU are key to bridging that gap.
EPRC Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Sewanyana, described the signing as particularly significant for EPRC and its Board of Directors as they embark on a new five-year strategic plan (2025/26–2029/30). She explained that the plan strongly emphasizes strategic collaborations, with this partnership serving as a prime example of leveraging collective strengths to deepen impact. She underscored EPRC’s role in advancing evidence-based policymaking for national development, aligning with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.
Prof. James Wokadala, Acting Principal of CoBAMS, emphasized that the collaboration seeks to preserve and expand vital human knowledge while strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and global research networks. He noted that these networks are instrumental in advising legal and policy professionals, as well as aligning research agendas with both national and corporate priorities. He expressed pride in the extensive efforts of the School of Economics that have expanded these activities in recent years. He pointed to significant accomplishments that have been achieved in collaboration with IGC, including hosting a 2025 high-level international conference on mobile money payment systems, which positioned Makerere University as a thought leader on critical African economic issues. He also celebrated the successful bid by the School of Economics to host the ‘Africa Meeting of the Econometric Society’ in 2027, further demonstrating its contribution to impactful scholarship and policy influence.
The Acting Principal further emphasized that the new partnership with LSE will build on these achievements, offering immense benefits such as expanding capacity-building opportunities for faculty and students, especially in research and Public Infrastructure Management (PIM). The collaboration will also provide platforms for knowledge dissemination and policy dialogue, while addressing pressing socio-economic and health challenges. Ultimately, he said, formalisation of the partnership amplifies CoBAMS’ commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and innovation.
Speaking on behalf of LSE’s International Growth Centre (IGC), Executive Director Dr. Jonathan Leape expressed delight at formalizing the long-standing collaboration with Makerere and EPRC. He highlighted current joint projects, including research on the impact of the 2020 gender-based vaccine program on women’s skills and learning, studies on reforms in STEM education, and investigations into barriers limiting business growth for entrepreneurs. He stressed that the core mission is to bring researchers and policymakers together to address pressing policy challenges with robust, reliable evidence and innovative solutions.
The event, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by several dignitaries including Dr. Richard Newfarmer, Country Director for Uganda and Rwanda (IGC); Dr. Nhial Kuch, Senior Country Economist (IGC); and Mary Teddy Nakyejwe, IGC Programme Officer. Also present were the Director of Research, Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye and other members of EPRC leadership.
Makerere University has hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the team and highlighted Makerere University’s commitment to addressing the pressing challenges in the region. These include climate change, which continues to hinder investment, and Uganda’s rapidly growing population that has surged from 5 million in the late 1940s to nearly 50 million currently, creating socio-economic challenges such as high youth unemployment.
He emphasized that Makerere’s research agenda focuses on understanding the fast-growing population, tackling health challenges, advancing governance and human rights, and fostering peace through initiatives such as the Rotary Peace Center—the only one of its kind on the African continent. Research at Makerere also seeks to provide solutions to youth unemployment in one of the world’s youngest nations.
The Vice Chancellor further noted that Makerere University teaches and conducts research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, organized into colleges including Agriculture, Business and Management, Computing, Education and External Studies, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. The university also hosts over 60 specialized research centers, among them Centers of Excellence such as the Regional Centre for Crop Improvement, which works to enhance food security, manage pests and diseases, and improve agricultural productivity. Another key institution is the Infectious Diseases Institute, which leads research on HIV/AIDS. With these initiatives, he added, Makerere continues to expand its research footprint while strengthening global partnerships.
Prof. Van Herreweghe provided an overview of Ghent University, founded in 1817 and ranked among the top 100 universities globally for decades. With its motto “Dare to think,” Ghent University has built a strong international reputation. It also holds the distinction of being the only Belgian, and currently the only European, university with a campus in South Korea. Established in 2014, the campus offers bachelor’s programs in applied biotechnology.
She highlighted Ghent’s joint PhD programs, which are structured as sandwich programs to support African universities. Under this arrangement, PhD candidates spend two years funded at Ghent University and another two years at their home university (such as Makerere), with joint supervision from both institutions. These programs, she noted, are a strategic way of fostering international collaboration.
During the visit, Ghent University signed a Student Exchange Agreement with Makerere University to complement the existing Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement will pave the way for more joint initiatives and strengthen collaboration in the years ahead.
The delegation also included Mr. Lieven Theys, International Coordinator for Business Management at Howest University, who explained that Howest clusters its programs into three key domains: Design and Technology, Human Well-being and Health, and Business and Organization. Dr. Robin Stevens represented Hogent University of Applied Sciences, which runs programs across nine schools including Business and Management, Computer Sciences, Biosciences, Industrial Technology, Teacher Training, and Healthcare.
The visit, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by Makerere University officials and members of various colleges, among them Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) and Principal of the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Prof. Moses Musinguzi-Principal College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Prof. Julius Kikooma-Director Graduate Training, Assoc. Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Assoc. Prof. James Wokadala-Deputy Principal College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Assoc. Prof. Richard Idro-Deputy Principal College of Health Sciences, and Dr. Cathy Mbidde, Manager of the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak UniPod).
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