Business & Management
VC launches Mentorship program for female students in STEM
The Vice Chancellor has today April 6, 2023 launched a mentorship program for female students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The mentorship is being carried out under the Innovations Hub. Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated the research team led by Prof. Boksun Kim from University of Plymouth in the UK for winning the grant. He congratulated the students upon being selected for mentorship.
He welcomed the mentorship program, saying it will help reduce disparities in STEM. He reiterated the university’s commitment to see more female enrollment in the university and their participation in the development of the country. The university, he said has been actively promoting gender inclusivity through the affirmative action which gives 1.5 points to female students when joining the university.
The VC said the country has had disparities not only STEM but also in education generally. This, he said, is a result of the colonial setting. “Looking back at independence, the country had only about 5 girl schools compared to 30 for boys,” Prof. Nawangwe said. “At Makerere we have made every effort to address this problem with the affirmative action since the 1990s. This has increased enrollment of girls from 10% in 1990 to 52% today.”
He said, 3-years ago, enrollment of girls in STEM at Makerere was at about 35% and this has grown to 42%.
“It is important to have a balance between men and women for organizations to function better with diversity. So we need to have a good balance even in our STEM areas, which are very crucial for the country’s development,” Prof. Nawangwe said. He thanked the Royal Academy of Engineering for funding the project.
The Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Prof. Eria Hisali said the college was in the process of institutionalizing mentorship. The plan, the Principal said, would have both academic staff and senior administrative staff take on the role of mentoring and guiding the young students. He said it was important to mentor STEM students, not only because of the disparity in enrollment but also because of the potential of STEM in the transformation of the country.
Dr. Robinah Kulabako, in her keynote address advised the mentees against procrastination and asked them to be good stewards of their time. She advised them to be people of high integrity, reliable, and good team players. “We are training you to be great team players who must know that diversity is important for all teams,” she said.
She called on the mentees to embrace the opportunities given to them to learn something new. Failure, she said, is not the end of the line. She encouraged them to use failure as a springboard to be able to bounce back and make the best of their lives. Dr. Kulabako told the students to be determined because “where there is a will, there is a way.” She encouraged them to be hardworking, humble, respectful and resilient.
The project, mentoring future Women Graduates in STEM in Africa seeks to bridge the gender disparity in higher education and employment in STEM in Sub-Saharan Africa. The project will empower women graduates in STEM in Ethiopia and Uganda by training and mentoring them until December 2023. The program will benefit 20 female students in the final year of study in STEM related programs.
The students will be assigned to local and international career experts, who can act as mentors and role models. The students will get trainings on employability skills, empowering women and issues of sexual harassment at work. This will help with the professional and personal development of the students.
Project Team:
- Prof. Boksun Kim, University of Plymouth – UK (PI)
- Dr. Cathy Ikiror Mbidde, Makerere University (Co-PI)
- Dr. Geremew Teklu, Addis Ababa University of Science and Technology, Ethiopia
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence has commenced a three-day refresher training for members of the Development Committee (DC) of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The training, which began today in Jinja, aims to enhance the analytical and technical skills of committee members who are tasked with reviewing government projects submitted by various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The training was today February 19, 2025, officially opened by Dr. Hennery Ssebukeera, who represented the Director of the Budget Directorate. In his opening remarks, Dr. Ssebukeera emphasized the importance of the refresher course in enabling the Development Committee to effectively conduct quality reviews and fulfill its mandate as a key gatekeeper of the Public Investment Plan. He noted that the training would improve the participants’ ability to appraise and implement public investments in line with the Public Investment Management System (PIMS) framework.
Speaking at the same event, Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, representing the Centre Director, Prof. Edward Bbaale, expressed the Centre’s gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Uganda’s PIM cycle. He highlighted the importance of the training in harmonizing the relationship between the MDAs that draft project proposals and the analysts who review them. Prof. Okumu reiterated the Centre’s commitment to building the capacity of government officials in Public Investment Management, thereby supporting the country’s development aspirations.
The need for this training was identified during the Development Committee retreat held in 2024, which revealed limited capacity among DC members in project appraisal, specifically in reviewing prefeasibility and feasibility reports, Dr Ssebukeera noted. In response, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in collaboration with the PIM Centre of Excellence, organized this refresher course to strengthen the participants’ technical and analytical skills.
DC is a statutory committee of government that evaluates the viability of public investment projects. Its statutory composition includes: Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, National Planning Authority, Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Office of the Solicitor General, Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, National Environment Management Authority, Equal Opportunities Commission, Ministry or Work and Transport, Ministry of Water and Environment, Public Private Partnership Unit. The PIM Center of Excellence was recently admitted to the Development Committee as a non-voting member.
The training will cover a wide range of topics, including the role of PIMS in the country’s development goals, the logical flow of project profiles, costing, and the interpretation of interconnections between prefeasibility/feasibility reports and financial models. Additionally, participants will explore the role of public-private partnerships in national development.
Dr. Ssebukeera encouraged participants to actively engage in discussions, share their expertise, and apply the knowledge gained from the training. He noted that this engagement would empower the Development Committee to effectively perform its role in reviewing and approving public investment projects, ensuring they align with national priorities and deliver value for money.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence, established by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in partnership with Makerere University School of Economics, continues to play a pivotal role in building the capacity of MDAs in managing public investments. To date, the Centre has trained over 300 officers and produced several research papers, reflecting its commitment to enhancing public investment management in Uganda.
The training in Jinja is expected to enhance the participants’ capacity to effectively review government projects, thus supporting the effective implementation of Uganda’s Public Investment Plan.
Business & Management
Somali Officials Complete Executive Training in Infrastructure Asset Management at CoBAMS
Six Somali government officials have successfully completed a three-day Executive Training in Infrastructure Asset Management, held at Makerere University’s Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE). The training, funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), took place from January 27 to 29, 2025, and aimed to enhance regional capacity in infrastructure planning and management.
The training brought together senior civil servants and policymakers from Somalia, equipping them with practical knowledge and strategies for sustainable infrastructure asset management. It also fostered valuable cross-border collaboration, facilitated by UNCDF Uganda, which played a crucial role in connecting Makerere University with the Government of Somalia.
The program was delivered by experienced faculty from Makerere University’s College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), alongside experts from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) and the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). A special session was also led by the Makerere University Bursar, offering practical insights into financial management in infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Mr. Ncube Mkhululi, the Regional Technical Advisor for UNCDF emphasized the importance of infrastructure asset management in driving sustainable economic growth. He highlighted UNCDF’s commitment to supporting capacity-building initiatives in developing economies, noting that effective infrastructure planning and management are critical to national development. He also expressed confidence in Makerere University’s expertise in delivering high-impact executive training programs for government officials.
During the closing ceremony, Prof. Bbaale Edward, the Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences expressed gratitude to all partners, including UNCDF, Makerere University management, and the PIM CoE faculty, for their commitment to making the training a success. He emphasized Makerere University’s ongoing efforts to internationalize its research-led agenda, positioning itself as a hub for regional knowledge exchange.
UNCDF Program Manager, Mr. Joel Mundua, the commended the participants for their dedication and encouraged them to share the acquired knowledge with fellow officials in Somalia. This was reaffirmed by one of the participants, who pledged to apply and disseminate the learnings within their respective departments.
Mr. Sunday Denis Aliti, the Program Officer at UNCDF highlighted the importance of ensuring that infrastructure asset management strategies are practical, adaptable, and aligned with national development goals. He commended Makerere University for its leadership in knowledge transfer and regional training and encouraged continued collaboration between universities, governments, and international development partners to strengthen institutional capacity.
Dr. John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, applauded both the participants and the expert trainers who contributed to the program. He reiterated the Centre’s commitment to advancing infrastructure asset management through continued training and collaboration with regional stakeholders.
As the training concluded, participants departed with valuable insights and practical tools to improve infrastructure management in Somalia and beyond. The success of this initiative highlights Makerere University’s role as a leading institution in public investment management, fostering capacity-building efforts that drive sustainable development across Africa.
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