Computing & IS
Over 800 Freshers oriented at CoCIS; Urged to Balance Academic & Social life
Hundreds of freshers admitted to programs in the College of Computing and Information Sciences turned up for orientation at a function that was presided over by Principal Professor Tonny Oyana in the Big Lab 2 in Block B on 24th August 2023.
Three students won scholastic materials worth over UGX 100,000 in a quiz and orientation raffle – a college culture of welcoming first-years every intake.
Heads of academic units including Principals, Deans, and departmental chairs congratulated freshers upon successful admission and welcomed them to Makerere University. Day 2 was dedicated to orientation by university support units.
Prof. Oyana described the orientation as an exciting moment transitioning from primary, and secondary to university
In the current competitive world, Oyana told freshers that one degree is not enough.
“University should be able to prepare you to stand on your own. Forget about finding a job. But can you now count and write your records properly and make sense of the world? Listen, the world is complex. Even your home is complex. The school must teach you to make sense of things and articulate them clearly”
The Principal informed students that they are in the university to acquire knowledge and skills to tame their environment and organize their communities.
He told freshers that the key thing to success nowadays is to create their own opportunities.
“To record success, the first one is the academic work. If you like to sleep and you cover your head with the two bed sheets turn off alarms and sleep again, you will sleep into your future. Organize yourself so that you know which classes you are supposed to do when and where”, Prof. Oyana warned.
The Principal stressed the need for students to balance their time for academics and social life and to identify additional university resources such as the library, places of worship, and counseling services to make their stay successful.
“The Second thing is social success. There is life outside academics. It is okay to go and dance a bit. The problem comes when done every Monday, Wednesday, Friday etc and you know all the clubs. Balance social and academics and life will be very good for you. Go socialize, play soccer, and netball, and run If you are overwhelmed, take a walk, and talk with friends who like you. Give them a call, they will make you feel better”, He said.
Prof. Oyana highlighted key things to success including being focused on obtaining knowledge, working hard, endurance, and discipline.
“God designed you to succeed, to prosper. In the Bible, if you are Christian, God designed you to thrive. So don’t believe that you are born stupid. So if you fail, get up and say I know I can do it.
Hard work is good and pain is also good. Build your endurance. Endurance according to the Bible, will give you wisdom. I want you to do better. I want you to succeed but you must work hard”, Oyana advised.
The different heads of departments introduced freshers to programs offered in their units and guided them on different matters.
“Our role is to facilitate you and you go on your own. Have your objectives and know where you want to go and identify practical projects that you can start working on.
We are training you not only to be technicians but also to be theoretical. So, accept the balance”, Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha, Head Department of Computer Science.
The head department of Information Technology Dr. Fiona Penlop cautioned freshers against examination malpractices and or forgery.
“You need to concentrate, read, and ensure you appear on the university graduation list and booklet. We have seen students fooling parents to come for graduation knowing they are not on the graduation list”, she warned.
Agnes Nakakawa, head Department of Information Systems congratulated students upon their admission to Makerere but said it was up to them to determine where to focus their attention.
Dr. Nakakawa warned freshers that they have limited time and as adults at Makerere, there is no stick, nor master on duty and metrons to chase them around. She also cautioned about misleading advice that a 50 % or pass is good enough.
“Respect the CGPA, it is a monster that can kill you. If you fail to get a first or second-class upper in the first year, nobody should lie to you. Your parents have toiled to get you here and your job is to get knowledge and skills”, Nakakawa warned.
Nakakawa advised every student to take his or her own lane and begin building a good CGPA, prioritizing their goals saying, the only way to attain positions they deserve is through coursework, tests, and examinations.
She also cautioned students to guard against pregnancies and unserious group mates always seek help and counseling services in case of challenges and, not to harm themselves,
Speaking on behalf of the head department of Library and Information Sciences, Mwanje Senono urged students to focus in order to complete within the program time.
“We have seen students spend five years. But once you focus and attain a good CGPA, you will finish in time. Aim at first or second-class upper. A passing degree has no future. Avoid negotiating marks with lecturers, create groups, concentrate, and get off anything that rids you from focus”, Senono advised.
Chair Department of Networks, Dr. Swaib Lwasa said unlike other programs, the Bachelor of Software Engineering takes four years. He advises freshers to work through class representatives as contact points in case of challenges.
“Not everyone around you is a student of Makerere, you may lose your property. The department has staff ready to support you in your academic journey. Year 2 and year three students of software engineering have social networks and they will be mentoring first years.”, He pledged.
The head of the Center for Innovations and Professional Skills Development (CiPSD), Ms. Barbra Nalubega told students that the future lies in Artificial intelligence. She highlighted some of the courses offered at the centre adding the centre offers practical skills.
“We train for the industry. We want you to have skills that will make you fit for the world. Excellence comes with paying attention to detail. We want to give you skills for achieving your goals. We offer hands-on experiences during recess term to complement theory” ” she said.
Makerere University has called for increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, warning that Africa risks being left behind in the rapidly evolving global digital economy if governments and the private sector fail to prioritize the emerging technologies.
The call was made by Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, while officially opening the 14th Data Science Africa (DSA) Summer School and Workshop at the university’s Main Hall on Thursday.
The week-long event, held from July 20–24 under the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), attracted students, researchers and professionals from across Africa and beyond. The gathering is being held under the theme, “Foundational and Practical Data Science in the Age of Generative AI.”
Prof. Nawangwe said although data has become one of the world’s most valuable resources, Africa has yet to fully appreciate its economic significance.
“I keep hearing that data is the next oil, but apparently it is already the current oil,” he said, adding that governments must be persuaded to invest more in data infrastructure, including modern data centres.
He noted that while global technology companies are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in AI, Africa remains a marginal player despite possessing the intellectual capacity to develop home-grown solutions.
Rather than attempting to compete directly with technology giants, Prof. Nawangwe urged African researchers to develop AI systems tailored to solving the continent’s unique challenges in healthcare, agriculture, education, climate resilience, governance and urban development.
“We need AI that understands Africa,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor commended Data Science Africa for nurturing a new generation of African data scientists through practical training, mentorship and collaborative research since its inception.
He also highlighted Makerere University’s investments in AI research through initiatives such as the Makerere AI Centre, AI Health Lab and other research collaborations, saying the university has continued to align its computer science programmes with emerging technologies since 2009.
Prof. Nawangwe, however, observed that Africa’s research capacity remains inadequate, stressing the need to significantly increase the number of PhD graduates to drive scientific innovation and economic transformation.
He praised CoCIS researchers, particularly Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha, for leading high-impact projects such as the AirQo initiative, which monitors air quality in more than 15 African countries.
Describing Data Science Africa as a strategic partner, Prof. Nawangwe said the annual gathering strengthens continental collaboration, mentorship and research networks essential for Africa’s technological advancement.
“We have the intellectual capacity. What is lacking is the will to invest heavily in AI,” he said.
Principal Oyana Warns on AI Risks, Urges Africa to Invest in Technology
Earlier, the Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences, Prof. Tony Oyana, cautioned that while artificial intelligence presents enormous opportunities, it also poses significant risks if developed without adequate ethical safeguards.
Referring to recent reports about an advanced AI system reportedly operating beyond its intended controls during testing, Prof. Oyana said the incident underscored the importance of responsible AI development.
“The world is creating a monster, and we must be ethical about that monster because it may destroy our own existence,” he said.
Prof. Oyana also expressed concern over the widening technology investment gap between Africa and developed economies.
He cited reports indicating that major technology companies in the United States have committed approximately US$700 billion to technology investments, while Africa continues to invest largely in traditional sectors such as oil and gas.
He challenged African billionaires and governments to redirect more capital towards technology, innovation and data science.
“We want our wealthy investors to put their money into technology so that Africa can also participate in this digital economy,” he said.
DSA Board Chair Praises Makerere’s Leadership in AI Research
Data Science Africa Board Chair, Cira Maina, commended Makerere University for establishing itself as one of Africa’s leading centres for artificial intelligence research and innovation.
He said the university’s numerous AI laboratories and research projects have become a source of inspiration for institutions across the continent.
“Makerere is showing us how to do AI properly. The labs and projects here are inspiring institutions across Africa,” Maina said.
Maina noted that researchers, including those at her institution in Kenya, have drawn lessons from Makerere’s research ecosystem and expressed confidence that participants attending the summer school would return to their respective countries motivated to strengthen AI research and innovation.
Maina also applauded the organising committee, led by Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha, together with programme chairs, sponsors and the wider Data Science Africa community for successfully organising the continental event.
African Researchers Must Lead Development of AI for Local Languages, Says Sunbird AI Founder
The founder of Sunbird AI, Dr. John Quinn, has challenged African researchers to take the lead in developing artificial intelligence (AI) models for indigenous languages, arguing that global technology companies are unlikely to adequately address the continent’s linguistic diversity.
Delivering the keynote address, Quinn said Africa possesses both the expertise and opportunity to build world-class language models capable of serving local communities.
“The frontier of African language models is not in OpenAI or Anthropic. It’s here, among us,” Quinn told participants. “We can do it, and we have to do it because no one else is going to.”
Quinn said Africa’s more than 2,000 languages represent not only cultural heritage but also economic opportunities whose full potential remains untapped because of language barriers.
He noted that despite massive global investments in artificial intelligence, only a fraction targets African languages and local challenges.
“Everyone is talking about AI and large language models, but African languages receive only a very small slice of global investment,” he said.
According to Quinn, reducing language barriers through AI could improve access to government services, healthcare, education and cross-border business opportunities across the continent.
Sunbird AI Unveils New Multilingual Language Models
Quinn announced the release of a new generation of Sunbird AI’s “Sunflower” language models capable of understanding and generating text in 67 major African languages, including 31 Ugandan languages. The models, range from lightweight versions that can run on smartphones to larger versions designed for desktop computers.
He also revealed speech recognition models supporting 51 African languages, describing the development as a major step toward making AI accessible to communities that primarily communicate through speech rather than text.
Quinn said earlier versions of the models had already demonstrated superior performance over some leading global AI systems in several African language translation tasks.
Using Acholi as an example, he illustrated how locally developed AI models outperformed international systems when responding to practical questions and translating indigenous languages.
“Our objective is not simply to build translation tools, but language models that understand African languages well enough to answer questions, solve problems and support local innovation,” he said.
Researchers Urged to Build Local AI Solutions
Quinn encouraged African universities and researchers to contribute data, improve language resources and refine AI models rather than waiting for multinational technology firms to prioritise African languages.
He explained that successful language models depend largely on the availability of quality training data, including books, newspapers, dictionaries and other written materials in local languages.
“The amount of language data is the biggest determinant of how good these models become,” he said.
He outlined the three major stages involved in building advanced language models;- pre-training, supervised fine-tuning and reinforcement learning describing them as processes through which AI systems learn language patterns, follow instructions accurately and improve responses over time.
Quinn noted that local researchers are better positioned to understand linguistic nuances, cultural contexts and translation challenges than developers working outside the continent.
“There is a reason these models get things wrong when they are developed thousands of miles away. The people in this room understand these languages and their cultural context better than anyone else,” he said.
Speech Technology Identified as Next Frontier
Quinn said speech technology represents the next major frontier for artificial intelligence in Africa because many indigenous languages are predominantly spoken rather than written.
He urged researchers attending the workshop to experiment with the newly released models, provide feedback and collaborate in expanding AI capabilities across more African languages.
“The opportunity is much closer than many people think,” Quinn said. “Reaching the frontier of AI for African languages is achievable if we work together.”
Data Science Africa 2026 Equips Researchers to Build AI Solutions for Africa
The Organising Chair of the 14th Data Science Africa (DSA) Summer School and Workshop, Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha, said this year’s programme was designed to equip students, researchers and professionals with the knowledge and practical skills needed to develop data science and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for Africa’s pressing challenges.
Bainomugisha said the week-long programme combines intensive training with research exchange under the theme, “Foundational and Practical Data Science in the Age of Generative AI.”
According to Bainomugisha, the event was divided into two segments;-a three-day Summer School held from July 20 to 22 and a two-day Workshop running from July 23 to 24.
Summer School Focuses on Practical AI Skills
Bainomugisha said the Summer School was designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers and professionals working with large-scale or specialised datasets, particularly those with backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering and related disciplines.
He explained that the training introduced participants to both foundational and advanced data science concepts through lectures and practical sessions.
“The Summer School equips participants with practical and theoretical foundations in modern data science, ranging from Python basics to advanced Generative AI,” Bainomugisha said.
He said the curriculum covered Python for data science, data storytelling and visualisation, machine learning fundamentals, ethics and responsible AI, hands-on projects using real-world datasets, agentic AI and multi-agent systems, multimodal AI and large language models, AI for resource-constrained environments, natural language processing and African language models, as well as explainable AI and model interpretability.
Workshop Highlights African AI Research
Bainomugisha said the Workshop was intended to explore how foundational data science, machine learning and generative AI techniques can be combined to develop scalable solutions for challenges facing the African continent.
He noted that researchers presented work focusing on applications of AI and data science in healthcare, agriculture, climate resilience, education, environmental management and finance.
According to Bainomugisha, discussions also addressed ethical AI, cybersecurity and data governance to ensure emerging technologies are developed and deployed responsibly.
“The workshop provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to share innovations that respond to African priorities while strengthening collaboration across the continent,” he said.
Bainomugisha said the conference received submissions in the form of research papers, industry experience papers and work-in-progress presentations.
He added that although the programme was organised around six thematic areas namely foundational data science and machine learning, generative AI and African language models, AI applications, AI in education and finance, ethical AI and cybersecurity, and data governance, the organisers also encouraged high-quality submissions addressing other issues aligned with the conference theme.
He said bringing together researchers, students, innovators and industry practitioners creates opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing that will contribute to advancing Africa’s AI and data science ecosystem.
The Data Science Africa Summer School and Workshop is one of Africa’s leading annual platforms for capacity building, research dissemination and collaboration in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science.
Jane Anyango is the Principal Communication Officer CoCIS
Photo credits: Peninah Nalubega – 4th year Journalism and Communication student.
Makerere University College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) is the main ICT Training, Research and Consultancy Centre in Makerere University. The College has six Academic departments comprising of the Department of Computer Science, Department of Networks, Department of Information Technology, Department of Information Systems, Department of Library and Information Sciences, and the Department of Records and Archives management.
In addition to the mainstream degree programmes, CoCIS has a specialized Center for Innovations and Professional Skills Development (CIPSD) which delivers state-of-art training in ICT e.g. the Cisco Networking Academy for Cisco related courses, the Microsoft IT Academy Program for Microsoft related courses, International Computer Driving License course, Oracle Certified Training center for Oracle, Linux and Unix Training center. CIPSD also offers Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Ethical Hacking as online courses. The College is an authorized Testing center, operating under PearsonVUE and Kryterion. Listed in the table (see downloads below) are the courses currently offered at the Center with their next start dates, duration, and cost.
- All courses are at affordable fees catering for Students, Vacists, Professionals and
- Anyone who wants to start a career in ICT or polish his/her ICT skills.
Register here: https://forms.gle/eTVwcAfBGXaVLL9b7
Contact Information
E-mail: psd.cis@mak.ac.ug
Tel: +256 752 779964 | +256 701 806656 | +256 752 373023
URL: https://cocis.mak.ac.ug/cipsd/
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