Makerere University officially kicked off the 2025/2026 academic year with a Freshers’ Orientation held at the Freedom Square on Monday 4^th August 2025. The event was presided over by the Academic Registrar, Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza, who also serves as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs.

In his address, Prof. Buyinza welcomed the new students and congratulated them on earning a place at Uganda’s premier institution. He emphasized the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience in achieving success. Prof. Buyinza encouraged the freshers to maintain focus on their academic goals, particularly excellence and graduation. “Focus on your goal. Keep an eye on your goal,” he advised.

He pointed out the broad range of opportunities available to students including sports, music, drama, and professional networks while cautioning that the university journey would have its challenges. He underscored the value of self-reflection and growth through failure. He also warned students against distractions from politicians, religious factions, and entrepreneurs, urging them to stay vigilant and disciplined. Stressing the need for a balanced university experience, Prof. Buyinza highlighted financial discipline and the perils of materialism. He further encouraged students to embrace diversity and broaden their networks. “You’ve come from diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds to pursue your mission and dreams as a student, open up, embrace diversity,” he said.

The Dean of Students, Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli, addressed the new entrants and clarified the role of her office in student welfare, accommodation, and discipline. She reminded students of the need to adhere to university rules and regulations. “The Dean of Students’ Office enforces students’ discipline,” she stated, adding that her office is there to guide students through their academic journey. She also urged students to prioritize essential needs, especially those related to their health. “Please buy food, don’t buy phones, it’s about your wellbeing,” she advised.

Mr. Charles Ssentongo, the Deputy Registrar, Undergraduate Admissions and Records, made important announcements regarding academic processes. He confirmed that the mop-up and appeals admission lists would be uploaded within the orientation week and urged government-sponsored students to collect their admission letters from their respective colleges. Mr. Sentongo also noted that change of programmes or subjects would remain open until 15^th August 2025, but emphasized that eligibility and space availability within programmes were prerequisites. He added that orientation activities at the college level would continue until Friday, and that lectures would begin on 11^th August.

91^st Guild President H.E. Ssentamu Churchill James also welcomed the freshers, emphasizing the importance of participating in university life and activities. Accompanied by Vice President H.E. Kadondi Gracious, he spoke about Makerere’s longstanding reputation as a breeding ground for thinkers and leaders across the globe. Drawing from his personal journey from sports to leadership, he encouraged students to dream big and be intentional with their lives. He warned against distractions such as unhealthy relationships, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, and gambling. “Don’t use tuition, for cheap money,” he cautioned, while stressing the value of faith, hard work, and purpose.

Security tips were also shared with the new students by Assistant Inspector General of Police, Bamunoba Ubaldo, who encouraged students to remain alert and prioritize personal safety. “Be alert, plan for the worst, use your common sense and keep a low profile,” he advised. He also recommended avoiding isolated areas, varying routines, and staying within groups.

Mr. Author Moses Opio, the Ag. Principal IT Officer from DICTS, guided students on how to activate their student portal and register correctly as freshers. He also warned against unsafe internet practices. “In terms of security, please do not watch pornography, because the source of the majority of viruses are these pornographic websites,” he cautioned.

Mr. Geoffrey Kalebo, the Program Director explained the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)’s,  commitment to helping students navigate challenges such as sexual violence, addiction, financial mismanagement, and low academic engagement. He outlined how the program supports leadership development through mentorship, awareness campaigns, and personal development initiatives like the Safe Campaign. Students were encouraged to join and connect with peers and mentors.

The event was attended by several dignitaries from the university administration including Mr. Eric Tumwesigye (Senior Gender Officer), Dr. Ongaya Kizito (Deputy University Librarian), Mr. Gerald Ochwo (the day’s moderator), Mr. Brian Miiro (Deputy Dean of Students in charge of Sports), Mr. Henry Nsubuga (Manager of Counselling and Guidance), Dr. Hassan Mulema (Head, Clinical Services Makerere University Hospital), and all College Registrars.

Former Miss Uganda 2023/2024 and Second Year Political Science Student, Hannah Karema used the platform to motivate the new entrants. She urged them to embrace the challenges and opportunities of university life with enthusiasm, emphasizing that their success in this new chapter lies within their control.

The Freshers’ Bazaar also commenced on the same day and will run until Friday, 8^th August.

By Moses Lutaaya

 Makerere University is taking bold steps to transform doctoral education, moving away from an over-reliance on overseas institutions and reaffirming the continent’s ability to provide world-class doctoral academic training.

Addressing a gathering of PhD students at the end of the ten days cross-cutting doctoral course in Advanced Research Methods, at the University Main Library on Friday July 31, 2025, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma recounted his own academic journey and the challenges faced by earlier generations of scholars who sought opportunities abroad.

“Many of us were deflected and disheartened when policies restricted access to overseas programs unless they were unavailable in Africa,” he said. “We were made to believe that the best knowledge only resided outside the continent. But my experience taught me otherwise—Africa has the resources and intellectual capacity to nurture scholars capable of solving its own problems.”

He further shared how he eventually pursued his PhD at the University of Cape Town, later realizing that the perceived gap between African and Western universities was largely political and rooted in global power dynamics surrounding knowledge creation.

Prof. Kikooma emphasized the importance of “learning to unlearn and relearn”, a critical foundation of doctoral studies, adding that “serious doctoral studies demand openness, debate, critique, and a willingness to challenge entrenched ideas.”

He emphasized that Makerere University is now recreating the classic “101 Lecture” experience, traditionally offered at undergraduate level, where first-year students met renowned professors at the pinnacle of their disciplines. This model is being revived at the doctoral level, ensuring PhD students / candidates regularly engage with world-class intellectuals in teaching, academic writing, and publishing.

“We are committed to creating an environment where intellectual curiosity thrives. Doctoral training is about stretching your thinking and using it creatively to solve national and global problems. We want every PhD student here to leave with no regrets about choosing Makerere University.”

The training of PhD students in Cross Cutting Courses is part of a broader vision to position the university as a leading hub for high-quality PhD production in Africa, responding to calls from regional leaders and the World Bank for the continent to massively scale up its human capital development.

He noted further that Makerere University produced 144 PhD graduates last year, far below the numbers required to meet National Development Targets. “Our goal entrenched in Makerere University Strategic plan 2025-2030 is to triple that figure within five years. We want to revive Makerere University position as the intellectual engine driving Uganda’s transformation over the next decade.” He added.

Prof. Kikooma concluded with a call for confidence building in African scholarship, urging doctoral students to believe in the value of their own institutions and research in shaping the continent’s future.

Relatedly, the lead trainer and coordinator of the training Prof. Christopher Mujimu has reaffirmed the University’s commitment to producing high-quality PhD graduates equipped to tackle Africa’s most pressing challenges, with the training initiatives aimed at strengthening doctoral research methodologies and academic confidence.

“The existence of doctoral programs without facilitating students with advanced research methodologies does not make sense,” Prof. Mujimu said. “Students need to know what methods to use in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed paradigms to avoid being thrown into the ocean without knowing what to do. This training saves them time, gives them confidence, and allows them to produce quality data, professional reports, and policy-relevant outputs.”

He added that the Advanced Research Methods training course, which brings together doctoral students from various disciplines, adopts a multidisciplinary and hands-on approach, enabling participants to design research titles, refine problems, develop instruments, and plan data analysis within the training period.  He reckoned that this approach will improve PhD completion rates and reduce prolonged delays that previously plagued doctoral programs at Makerere University.

The Vice president of Cohort one PhD students Dorothy Kirumira from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies said that Advanced Research Methods training is an eye opener which everyone should attend before they start doing their doctoral research.

“This course helps PhD candidates / students to understand how they should conduct doctoral research. Personally I thought I knew what I was doing, until I attended this course. I realized I lacked the knowledge and all I knew was basic.” She added.

On how this course would improve the quality of the PhD output, Dorothy said, “We have already overhauled our research proposals. Major adjustments have been done in earlier half-baked proposals. Am glad that am meeting my doctoral committee after this training. I feel very confident with now a clear direction to defend my work.”

She concluded that the quality of their research will add a big block in meeting the National Development Agenda of relevant policy formulation and implementation.

The President of Cohort 1 PhD students Mr. Moses Ebiru Wang’koko said, “Advanced Research Methods is important for doctoral students of Makerere University, especially in African contexts, as this equips researchers with the necessary tools to design studies that reflect local settings. This training that we have had extends beyond foundational academic skills and focuses on developing research competencies, ethical awareness, and the ability to address complex research questions relevant to specific field or disciplinary contexts.”

On how the training will impact their PhD output, Moses added, “Teaching Advanced Research Methods provides doctoral students with guidance throughout the research process, covering stages such as question formulation, data analysis, and ethical considerations, and includes both qualitative and quantitative methods. This PhD training has been designed to prepare us as researchers from Makerere University to develop studies that are methodologically sound, meet international standards, and consider local contexts research to contribute to academic knowledge and address societal issues.”

Makerere University on 1^st August 2025, the eve of the first year students’ arrival on Campus, held the 2^nd Prayer Breakfast aimed at reiterating that staff service at the institution is a calling to pursue excellence and purpose under God.. Hosted in the St. Francis Chapel gardens, the meeting was presided over by Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta who represented both the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. The day’s message “Integrating Faith, Learning and Service” was delivered by Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, former Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University who also served as Makerere staff member between 1978 and 1987.

“This is a very good initiative” remarked Prof. Ireeta as he began his remarks, noting that the University’s enjoyment of a strike-free academic year 2024/2025 could perhaps be attributed to having commenced it with prayer. He expressed the Chairperson of Council’s and Vice Chancellor’s apologies, whom he noted would have loved to attend the 2^nd Prayer Breakfast as they did the 1^st but were unfortunately caught up in other meetings and official travel respectively.

“As we gather today, let us reflect on our shared purpose and values in this University and may this time of prayer and fellowship inspire us to make a positive impact in our work and community” Prof. Ireeta urged, noting that it was important to exercise compassion, wisdom and kindness as staff worked with the youth who are constantly bombarded with information from social media and other sources.

Prof. Ireeta therefore urged staff to always listen to diverse perspectives and work together to achieve the institution’s goals. He reiterated the University Management’s support to the Dean of Students, Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli and the Chaplains who report to her, “We shall continue supporting you in all you do”.

“We are weak but God is strong” remarked the Chaplain St. Francis, Rev. Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa as a rejoinder to Prof. Ireeta’s remarks. “This is a demonstration that truly we need the strength of God – we cannot start this academic year without the divine hand of God.”

She went on to say that when we do not pray, we boldly declare that we do not need God’s divine guidance, “but in coming here today, we are boldly proclaiming that we need divine guidance, so thank you all for coming.”

Introducing the day’s speaker, Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi, the Chaplain admitted that she did not know any speaker who was better placed to address the topic, given his vast experience as an academician, theologian and university administrator. She added that the speaker in his exemplary style had come along with his wife, Canon Dr. Ruth Senyonyi, a lay Canon of the Diocese of Kampala, under whose jurisdiction St. Francis Chapel falls.

Commencing his address, Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi shared that he had an issue with the framing of the day’s topic, particularly the word “integrating” for it made it seem as if God, the author of faith and creator of heaven and earth was separate from the quest to “learn” about the very things he created and “service”, the act of people providing stewardship over the God-given talents, abilities and His creation. Referring to the theme scripture, Ephesians 4:10-12, he singled out three important conclusions to dwell on.

“And those are simply; 1) the sovereignty of the ascended Jesus Christ, 2) Jesus is the giver of every ability, talent, skill, gift, whatever you may call it, even your education, and 3) Jesus equips whosoever He calls for service to others” he remarked.

Rev. Canon. Dr. Senyonyi further broke the conclusions down by noting that 1) Jesus is placed above all things and as such is sovereign over everything as further illustrated by scriptures; Mathew 28:18 – all authority in heaven and on earth (including academia) has been given to Him, John 1:1-5 – all things were made through Him and without Him was not anything made that was made, and Colossians 1:15-19 – by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth and for Him (including education and work). “If Jesus is sovereign, then our work in the universe, our education enterprise is a mission and that mission must be submissive to the mission of our sovereign.”

Proceeding to no 2) Jesus is the giver of every ability, and citing his personal experience, Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi said, “I left the teaching with this University because God was calling me to be an evangelist but I cannot say God gave me the gift of evangelism, that’s a mistake; that’s not how the scripture reads.” He added that the problem facing most people today is the tendency to think that everything is about them, and not recognizing that Jesus is the giver of the very things they call their own.

Turning to scriptures, Exodus 36:1 and Exodus 28:3 he explained that the craftsmen that Moses relied on to build the tabernacle and furnishings for His Temple were only able to excel because they were equipped by God. “In other words, what they had was a talent that God Himself gave… when we focus elsewhere, we forget what God has given us to… and your training is intended to be a gift to others.”

Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi then concluded with no 3) Jesus equips whosoever He calls for service to others, emphasizing the latter bit, the need to use all we are and have for the benefit of others. “If students are reporting tomorrow what are we going to do?” he challenged. “Are we going to facilitate soft landing or are we going to facilitate anger in their hearts?” he further pondered.

“If all of us are giving, if all of us are taking our faith where it should be, if all of us are showing the way, if all of us are ambassadors of Christ where we are, then everybody receives” the day’s speaker encouraged. “So your work is to equip the students until they graduate” he summed up, adding that one of the greatest joys is encountering former students whose faces light up with excitement when they see you.

The 2^nd Prayer Breakfast would have been incomplete without prayer sessions, some of which were led by the Heads of the Joint Staff Fellowship Dr. Eve Nabulya and Mr. Moses Oluka. The final blessing was delivered by the day’s speaker Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi.