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HERS-EA Sixth Academy – A Call to Rise

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The HERS-EA Sixth Academy officially kicked off on 3rd July 2023 at the Grand Global Hotel, Makerere Kikoni, based on the Maya Angelou-inspired theme ‘And Still I Rise’. This year’s theme is aimed at challenging participants to rise above and beyond institutional and personal barriers to women leadership. Launched in 2014, the Higher Education Resource Services, Eastern Africa (HERS-EA) is a non-profit organisation affiliate of HERS, established in the USA in 1972. The goal of HERS-EA is to raise the proportion of women in leadership and management positions in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Eastern Africa through intensive leadership and management training and mentorship.

The Sixth Academy due to be held until Friday 7th July 2023 has attracted 42 aspiring women leaders from universities and organizations across East Africa, with Gulu University sending a ten-strong contingent of participants. The hybrid nature of the academy will allow both participants and facilitators to join the training virtually.

Delivering the welcome remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated HERS-EA’s Founder and Board Chair, Prof. Margaret Khaitsa as well as the Co-founder and Executive Director, Ms. Naomi Lumutenga on their persistence that has seen organization empower tens of women since its founding in 2014.

“Recently while appointing Deans (of Schools) it was pleasant to note that five (5) out of seven (7) of them were women… we intend to continue like that because we now have a revised policy on Gender Mainstreaming, and we are really thinking about even putting quotas in the policies” remarked Prof. Nawangwe. The quotas, explained the Vice Chancellor, will offer clear guidance on what is deemed as fairness when it comes to percentage of women appointed as leaders.

In the same breath, Prof. Nawangwe congratulated Prof. Khaitsa on being nominated for the 2023 Excellence in Community Partner Engagement Award by the Engagement Scholarship Consortium for her work with HERS-EA. The Award will be presented in October this year. “All the research we do will only be meaningful when we bring in the community because we should be doing research in order to improve the conditions of our people.”

Prof. Nawangwe equally thanked Prof. Maggie Kigozi, also a long-term supporter of HERS-EA, for accepting to deliver the keynote address. He observed that the work that HERS-EA is doing in mentoring women leaders is extremely important and encouraged the organisation to conduct a tracer study of its alumnae.

The keynote address by Prof. Maggie Kigozi was a heart-to-heart from a medical doctor turned businesswoman, who had been through many highs and lows including two flights into exile. She awed her audience when she shared that she was only two days shy of celebrating her 73rd birthday (on 5th July), despite her youthful appearance and agility.

Describing an eventful career peppered with many turning points, Prof. Kigozi couldn’t help but appreciate the pivotal role that her parents’ reassuring love and her medical degree played in her life.

“’You are wanted, you are enough. I don’t need any other daughter’” she said, quoting her parents’ reassuring words. “When your parents tell you this, you grow up with that confidence, you take that into any room and don’t let people overlook you,” added Prof. Kigozi. As an only girl and a middle child with two elder and two younger brothers, this reassurance, she said, was all she needed to avoid feeling overshadowed by her equally outstanding siblings.

“I truly believe that education is the foundation for everything” she continued, before saying of her alma matter, “There is no way I would be standing here talking to you if Makerere had not taken me in, if I did not have my medical degree”.

“And for seventeen years I was a doctor. In those years of political turbulence here, I was able to take my famous Makerere University Medical School degree, wave it in Zambia and come out with a job the next day… three years later I went to Nairobi and again I just went into the Ministry of Health with this famous degree of mine and I was employed so education is power” she emphasised.

Prof. Kigozi equally urged participants to define the big and small fights and stop fighting the latter. “I have worked with men and women and I find we do tend to worry about the small things, as women, by nature.” Additionally, she urged the women to take part in sports to stay healthy and forge friendships, accept people for their various religious beliefs, volunteer their time and expertise to the various NGOs in need of board members and not limit their networks to their professions, education or economic levels.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (4th Right) flanked by Prof. Judith White (3rd Right) and Amb. Dr. Gennet Zewide (4th Left) with Front Row L-R: Prof. Margaret Khaitsa, Ms. Naomi Lumutenga, Dr. Julie Jordan, Dr. Hellen Byamugisha, Prof. John David Kabasa, facilitators and participants at the HERS-EA Third Academy Launch, 1st July 2019, SFTNB Conference Hall, Makerere University. Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (4th Right) flanked by Prof. Judith White (3rd Right) and Amb. Dr. Gennet Zewide (4th Left) with Front Row L-R: Prof. Margaret Khaitsa, Ms. Naomi Lumutenga, Dr. Julie Jordan, Dr. Hellen Byamugisha, Prof. John David Kabasa, facilitators and participants at the HERS-EA Third Academy Launch, 1st July 2019, SFTNB Conference Hall, Makerere University.

In line with the Sixth Academy theme, ‘And Still I Rise’, Prof. Kigozi said that whereas many would regard 72 as the age to slow down, she still rises, not for herself but to effect change for others that are not doing so well as well as many other causes. One of these causes is the Makerere University Endowment Fund (Mak-EF), where she serves as the Board Chairperson.

“When I was asked to join the Makerere University Endowment Fund last year, I didn’t even take one minute to think about it. Yes I’m tired, yes I’m overworked, but I can make a difference and so I’m going to do this because if I can raise money to get scholarships and get research done and get buildings put up, I will drop other things and do it but we need your help” remarked Prof. Kigozi. She therefore urged the alumnae to sign up on the Endowment Fund Platform and give back to their alma mater.

As a mother and grandmother, Prof. Kigozi stressed the need for fellow women to prioritise their children’s school activities over their own professional engagements, noting that this would greatly encourage and motivate them.

On a motivational note, Prof. Kigozi introduced Ms. Jackie Nansubuga, a Makerere alumna and co-founder of Quality Management Services, a business that has been in operation since 2002. Ms. Nansubuga urged participants to always choose great partners when starting up businesses, have a personal vision and equip themselves with a growth mindset that allows other people in the team, particularly the younger ones, to communicate freely. She equally urged them to never compromise on honesty, integrity and excellent service, always work hard, accept criticism and always persevere.

In her remarks, Ms. Naomi Lumutenga thanked the Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe for being a dependable and long-term supporter of HERS-EA as well as Prof. John David Kabasa for his ardent backing of the organisation’s vision. She equally thanked Prof. Kigozi for her keynote address and generosity towards HERS-EA, as exemplified by her bringing along Ms. Nansubuga and many other inspiring professionals at previous academies.

Ms. Lumutenga shared that the training programme will be woven around the three core themes of (1) Personal Development, (2) Institutional Development and (3) Networking. She said that participants had received one template for a leadership project and another to prepare participants to pitch about collaborative interests of their respective universities to fellow participants.

Particularly addressing herself to the impact that past leadership projects have had, Ms. Lumutenga said, “The fact that we are here today running this workshop in-person is part of an outcome of last year’s alumni who worked with us and sought a small grant that has managed to cover registration for most of you or subsidize it at the very least.”

Furthermore, on the impact of presentations by participating teams on future institutional collaborations, she cautioned, “Don’t underestimate that because previous pitches by other universities have led to faculty exchange and student exchange programmes, just because somebody did a good pitch during those ten minutes.”

The HERS-EA Sixth Academy sessions will cover topics such as; Gender Mainstreaming, Navigating gender stereotypes, Grants Management, Grant Writing and Budgeting for Grants. Other sessions will cover; Mentorship, Collaborative Opportunities, Navigating the Political Environment, Developing a Career Map and Evidence-based Community Engagement. The academy will officially close on Friday 7th July with a certificate award ceremony presided over by the President and Executive Director of HERS, Dr. Gloria Thomas.

Zoom Link for the Closing Ceremony

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89133216548?pwd=ZEVnRFhldmdOK1NEU0h2M2orRzFOQT09

Meeting ID: 891 3321 6548
Passcode: 197775

Mark Wamai

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Admission Lists -Disability and District Quota Schemes 2025/26

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The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released the admission list of candidates admitted under the Disability and District Quota Schemes with Government sponsorship 2025/26 Academic Year.

Kindly follow the links below to access the lists:-

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Change of Course/Programme for Undergraduate Admissions 2025/2026

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Makerere Convocation to Host a CEOs/Investors’ Round Table Summit 2025

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Makerere University Convocation (MUC) CEOs/Investors’ Round Table Summit on Tuesday, 2nd September 2025, 8:00AM-12:00PM, Convocation Grounds. Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

By Elvis Lubanga

Kampala, Uganda – Makerere University Convocation (MUC) is set to host the CEOs/Investors’ Round Table Summit on Tuesday, 2nd September 2025, bringing together a distinguished assembly of leaders and stakeholders.

The half-day summit will convene CEOs, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, innovators, and development partners to engage in meaningful dialogue, foster collaboration, and explore investment opportunities that can unlock the potential of Uganda’s next generation of talent. Running under the theme: “Exploring the Opportunities for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Value Creation for Accelerated Socio-Economic Integration and Development of Sub-Saharan Africa,” the event reflects Makerere University’s ambition to position itself as a hub of knowledge, innovation, and transformation.

The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja will officiate as the Chief Guest, while Dr. Peter Kimbowa, CEO of the CEO Summit Uganda, will deliver the keynote address. Their participation underscores the importance of the summit in strengthening linkages between academia, industry, and government, and in advancing Uganda’s broader socio-economic transformation agenda.

Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, will welcome the invited participants and highlighted the university’s determination to work collaboratively with partners to shape impactful solutions for Uganda and the region.

“We want to work with you to see how, together, we can move our country and continent forward. I invited all of you CEOs to Makerere so that we can brainstorm on what we can do to transform our nation and Africa at large,” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.

According to Ms. Grace Cherotich Ruto, Chief Convener of the summit and Vice Chairperson of the Makerere University Convocation, this will be the first event of its kind. She noted that the summit seeks to foster mentorship, internships, and employment linkages as a means of bridging the gap between industry and academia, while positioning Convocation as a driver of socio-economic transformation.

A key highlight of the summit will be the unveiling of the Makerere University Convocation’s Massive Transformation Purpose, a bold framework that converts five critical takeaways into independent working teams with clear Terms of Reference, objectives, data-driven activities, and measurable outcomes. The plan institutionalizes vision, distributes ownership, and ensures sustainability through quarterly reporting, evidence-based impact, and global benchmarking. The five teams—From Ivory Tower to Impact Tower, Diaspora Dividend vs. Brain Drain, Intergenerational Knowledge Bridges, AI & Future of Learning, and From Convocation to Covenant—are designed to commercialize research, harness diaspora capital, institutionalize mentorship, drive digital transformation, and sustain alumni–faculty–student engagement through a covenant model. Collectively, they transform Convocation from a ceremonial event into a movement of accountability, innovation, and sustainable socio-economic impact for Uganda and Africa.

The summit has already attracted wide endorsement from leading companies and agencies, demonstrating its timeliness and relevance.

Mr. Eugene Too, General Manager at Haco Industries, affirmed the company’s support, stating:

“Haco Industries endorses the Makerere University CEOs Forum. We believe the Summit’s objectives align with our broader goals of creating impact in education, supporting internships, job placement, and mentorship programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are proud to be associated with the Summit at Makerere University Convocation.”

Eng. Shaft Mukwaya, Secretary to the Equal Opportunities Commission of Uganda, commended the Convocation’s role in promoting inclusivity:

“Makerere University Convocation has proven to be a steadfast ally in achieving our mission of pursuing an inclusive society in which no one is left behind. We are honoured to be associated with this summit.”

Roofings Uganda has equally expressed strong endorsement, noting that the event aligns closely with their corporate vision:

“At Roofings, we are privileged to endorse the Makerere University Convocation CEOs/Investors’ Summit and call upon all invited guests to be part of this noble cause. Makerere University is a valued partner in nurturing talent and fostering innovation, which aligns closely with our vision of being an accelerator for a sustainable Africa. As sponsors, we are honoured to be associated with this summit that brings together leaders, investors, and visionaries to shape inclusive growth and development.”

With its broad stakeholder support, clear strategic framework, and focus on outcomes, the Makerere University Convocation’s CEOs/Investors’ Round Table Summit is positioned as a landmark event. It will provide a unique platform for academia, industry, and government to converge in pursuit of sustainable growth, innovation, and socio-economic development, not only for Uganda but for the entire Sub-Saharan African region.

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