General
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Continues to Touch Lives & Transform Vulnerable Communities
By Bernard Buteera
On Saturday 3rd September 2023, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University held its 2nd edition of the Annual Community Open Day. The event took place at the Freedom Square, Makerere University. The Community Open Day is an annual event that brings together all Scholars, Alumni, Staff, Mentors, and Partners of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and the entire Makerere University Community, to network and deliberate on ideas for uplifting vulnerable communities.
While addressing the gathering, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, the Program Coordinator of the Scholars Program at Makerere University, pointed out that the Community Open Day was a platform for the Scholars Program to connect with the community.
“The purpose of the Annual Community Open Day is to bring together the Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation and the entire University Community to push the agenda of transforming our vulnerable communities.” Prof. Namaalwa pointed out.
Prof. Namaalwa further spelled out the objectives of the Annual Community Open Day as;
- To create a platform for Scholars and Alumni to meet and Network.
- To provide a platform for young Entrepreneurs to showcase their enterprises, market their products and motivate other young entrepreneurs.
- Fundraise for Community give back and community service.
- Create awareness about the Scholars Program activities and ethos at Makerere University
- Encourage individual alumni and Scholars to give back to their communities.
Prof. Namaalwa further highlighted a number of community-transforming initiatives that Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University had carried out in the recent past just to put a smile on people in vulnerable communities.
She singled out a borehole construction project that Scholars and alumni gifted the community in Iganga district, which previously never had access to clean water. She also highlighted the construction of classroom blocks at Kibaale Primary School, in Mityana district, and St. Katherine Primary School in Agago district.
Prof. Namaalwa then pointed out that the 2023 Community Open Day was a pitch to raise funds to construct a class block as well as purchase desks, and chairs for Achukudu Community Primary School, in Napak District, Karamoja sub-region.
“Our pitch today is to ask all people of goodwill to join us to raise funds to construct a classroom block for the young children in Karamoja so that they can have the opportunity to learn in a friendly environment.” Prof. Namaalwa pleaded.
On his part, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, congratulated the Scholars Program and the Program team for coming up with initiatives like the Community Open Day, which aim at uplifting the lives of vulnerable people.
“On behalf of the University Management, I would like to congratulate and thank the Scholars Program community and the Scholars Program team for initiating such events, which aim at uplifting the lives of the vulnerable people in our communities.” Prof. Alinaitwe remarked.
He further thanked Mastercard Foundation as a whole for the continuous support it has offered to young people in Africa to enable them to attain quality education across different universities including Makerere University.
Prof. Alinaitwe was particularly thrilled by the idea of constructing a classroom block for the young people in the Karamoja sub-region.
“I would like to sincerely thank the Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation for the foresight and championing such community transformation, especially the project of constructing a class bock for the vulnerable young people in the Karamoja sub-region.” He remarked.
Prof. Alinaitwe urged the Scholars Community and the Program team to ensure that quality work is done when the construction of the classroom block commences, and he made a cash contribution of Four hundred thousand shillings (400,000/=) towards the cause.
The Member of Parliament for Bokora County- Napak District, Hon. John Bosco Ngoya, who was the Chief Guest at the Open Day thanked Mastercard Foundation and Makerere University for the visionary partnership that has changed the lives of many vulnerable young people in Uganda and Africa.
“I would like to thank Mastercard Foundation and Makerere University for the visionary partnership that has transformed the lives of many vulnerable young people in Uganda and Africa.” Hon. Ngoya remarked.
Hon. Ngoya further thanked the Scholars and alumni Community of the Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University for choosing to construct a class at Achukudu Primary School in Napak district.
“You have chosen the right community to support, Achukudu Primary School is located at the extreme end of Napak district, which serves over 40,000 people and is shared by three districts” Hon. Ngoya pointed out.
Hon. Ngoya called upon all other good Samaritans to emulate the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University in touching lives and transforming communities.
The honorable Member of Parliament made a personal pledge of One million shillings (1,000,000/=) towards the classroom block construction.
The event was graced by a number of Scholars, Alumni, Mentors, University staff students, and Partners. Among the Partners who made financial contributions towards the class block construction included; DFCU Bank, Post Bank, URA, Katumba Estates, Footsteps Furniture Ltd, and Sion Travels Ltd.
The event was punctuated with a lot of activities and fun which included; Aerobics, a treasure hunt, fun games, exhibitions, and a raffle draw in which guests won different prizes. The next Community Open Day will take place in September 2024.
Bernard Buteera is the Communications and Public Relations Officer, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
-
General17 hours agoUndergraduate Admission Lists 2026/2027
-
General1 week agoMakerere Hands Over CCE Hall to NEC for Renovation
-
General1 week agoFees Waiver Female Scholarship 2026/2027
-
General2 weeks agoMakerere University Set to Develop Curriculum to Transform Graduate Supervision and Mentorship
-
Education2 weeks agoMakerere University Signs MoU with Fukui University to enhance Research, Teacher Development and STEM Education