Computing & IS
Mak IP Office Visits CoCIS; Rallies Researchers to Register & Commercialise Innovations
Makerere University Intellectual Property (IP) Management Office has urged researchers to register their IP and commercialise their innovations.
The Office Manager Canon Goddy Muhumuza and Administrator Peter Eneru were on Friday 20th October, 2023 meeting staff and researchers in the College of Computing and Information Sciences. The blended meeting held physically and online attracted over 20 researchers and was moderated by the Deputy Principal, Dr. Peter Nabende.
Muhumuza explained that protection and exploitation of research, research outputs and innovations are increasingly becoming important activities for universities all over the world.
Makerere University according to Muhumuza established the Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO) on 15th July 2020 to identify and protect intellectual property within Makerere University.
“Intellectual Property protection is critical to fostering innovation. Without the protection of ideas, researchers and individuals would not reap the full benefits of their inventions and would focus less on research and development. Inventors, designers, developers, students, staff and authors can protect the ideas.” The manager explained
Currently, the Makerere University Intellectual Property Management Office is visiting colleges with the aim of sensitizing and guiding researchers, staff and students on Intellectual Property including the identification of the IP, the registration and protection of the IP and how to benefit from IP in future.
“I am here for sensitisation on IP management and registration. Many researchers come up with many innovations which when not registered become useless. Books and innovations gone on shelves are gathering dust yet, if they are registered by Makerere University, researchers would benefit from them because Makerere University has an intensive policy of commercialising those projects”, Mr. Muhumuza said.
Benefits of IP and Ownership at Makerere University
Intellectual Property (IP) according to Canon Goddy Muhumuza, refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works; designs and symbols, names and images used in commerce. Intellectual Property rights grant the owner of the work exclusive rights to exploit and benefit from his or her work.
The manager explained that IP provides an incentive to the innovators to be able to benefit from the result of their endeavour. The legal protection of innovations encourages the commitment of additional resources for further innovation. In addition, the promotion and protection of IP spurs economic growth, creates jobs and enhances the quality and enjoyment of life.
Muhumuza highlighted that under the Intellectual Property Rights, the inventor can get copyright, patents, designs and, trademarks and trade secrets protection to shield an invention or creation from being duplicated or copied by another individual or business.
The manager highlighted that the creator or originator of the idea, work, or novel invention is presumed to own the IP to their creation. However, if the work was created as part of a work-made-for-hire agreement, or in an employer-employee agreement, a student, the IP belongs to the university.
Once an asset is registered, Muhumuza said, all parties agree on which pathway and benefits to be shared.
“According to the Intellectual Property Management Policy, innovators are getting 80% which is almost all and the university gets 20%, of this, 10% goes back to the innovators department, 5% to management and 5% goes to graduate school. So the university is encouraging as many innovations as possible”, Muhumuza stressed.
Process simplified, Mak Innovation Hub to support commercialisation
The manager said, what the researcher, student or any other individual needs is to declare the IP at the Intellectual Property Management office, and wait for the certificate to be delivered.
“The process is that once you get your IP, you come to the Intellectual Property Management Office, in Yusuf Lule building room 3.2 and you bring your innovation both physical and in writing. And you leave it with us. We submit to URSB, we pay submission, search and certificate fees, and for you, you will be notified that you have got the certificate. You do not need anything to pay. The university pays everything”. The manager asserted.
Muhumuza added that since its inception, the office has managed to register, protect and receive 20 certificates for various IP while 13 IPs have been filled but pending approval by URSB in 2023.
He said Makerere University Innovation hub was established on 1st August 2022 under the Vice Chancellor’s office to provide support mechanisms for commercialisation of innovations for sustainable industrialisation with several projects being implemented.
The objectives of the Innovation hub according to Muhumuza are; to create awareness and disseminate information on innovation, develop tailored demand driven programmes, mobilise resources to nature and support innovation; develop, commercialise and scale up innovations for industrialisation and, strengthen and coordinate the innovation ecosystem through partnerships and linkages.
Up to 2.7 bn grant from Mak-RIF earmarked for scaling and commercialising innovations
The manager told participants that up to 2.7bn shilling will fund innovation projects that have progressed beyond the proof of concept stage and are at the stage of transition to wide scale application or commercialisation.
To be eligible for funding, Muhumuza said, the innovation should be ready to transition to scale and where the Principal innovator is an academic or research staff of Makerere University on permanent or full time contract or senior staff member of the administrative unit linked to research.
Accessibility to the grant involves an online competitive application, project check for eligibility and completeness, pitch to Intellectual Property Management and receiving funds supported by the Mak Hub.
Mak IP Policy
The Makerere University IP policy as per section 3.2.3 provides guidelines for ownership, registration, patenting, commercialisation and disclosure.
The Manager explained that researchers shall seek the assistance of the IP unit in applying for registration of copyright, patents, designs or trademarks under the relevant laws or when trying to commercialise the innovation.
Any discovery or invention resulting from research carried or under the direction of any employee of the university, supported by the university or results arising from an employees’ duties with the university or has been developed in whole or part of this in the use of the university resources or facilities not available to the general public shall belong to the university.
Also, any IP created by a university employee having an honorary appointment at any other institution during that appointment shall lie with the employer who pays the salary of that employer.
Further, Honorary researchers who are not employed by the university are generally required to transfer any IP they create in the course of their honorary activities to the university subject to terms and conditions of their honorary appointment. Sharing proceeds from such IP shall follow university established guidelines.
While closing the meeting, the Deputy Principal CoCIS, Dr. Peter Nabende thanked Mr. Muhumuza for the presentation saying, it touched a number of aspects relating to IP.
“It is an exciting presentation that has raised awareness on what staff should know. It is encouraging and motivating to know that the innovator gets 80%. I thank the IP Office for being effective and managing to come here to present”, Dr. Nabende appreciated.
He encouraged college staff to take on the IP issue seriously imploring the IP office to provide another opportunity to sensitise students on the same matter.
For please click on the link below for the meeting proceedings
Passcode: 8s#qLz$D
Computing & IS
VC Nawangwe Launches CoCIS Endowment Fund to Support Excellence in Education, Research and Innovation
The College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) on Friday 15th August, 2025 launched a permanent endowment fund to provide sustainable, long-term support across three critical pillars: enhancing student opportunities through scholarships and bursaries, accelerating groundbreaking research endeavors, and catalyzing innovation within the college.
The goal is to ensure a continuous stream of resources, enabling the college to attract top talent, invest in cutting-edge facilities, and remain at the forefront of technological advancement and academic leadership for generations to come.
The CoCIS Endowment Fund was officially launched by Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor of Makerere University on day two of the staff retreat (14th -16th , August 2025) held at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja City.
Three Top Most Contributing Researchers to the Fund Honored
The Principal and his Deputy presented the CoCIS Research Excellence Awards to Dr. Rose Nakasi, Dr. Joyce Nakatumba Nabende and Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha as the most outstanding researchers who have contributed to the College Endowment Fund. The trio have successfully written research winning proposals and attracted a number of grants boosting the college resource envelop from which the endowment fund is drawn.
18 students to benefit annually
This endowment fund will ensure that resources are strategically allocated to maximize impact on the colleges’ educational and research objectives.
This planned college endowment fund is motivated by the need to promote early- career faculty research and support high-potential students. Over time, the college leadership has observed that a significant and increasing number of CoCIS students struggle to pay tuition fees. Investing in these talented individuals will yield substantial returns for both the students and the institution.
The college endowment initiative will support 18 students annually through four scholarship tiers;- 1 student ($2000 full scholarship); 2 students( $1,500 each substantial support); 5 students( $1,000 moderate support); and 10 students($ 500 each foundational support).
The Annual investment ($15,000 total ) will provide transformative opportunities for students from low socio-economic backgrounds to secure their academic future and career success.
Students on standard programs mainly second year or third year students from the college undergraduate programmes; software engineering –third year or fourth year students will be eligible. All beneficiaries must maintain good academic standing with a minimum of a CGPA of 3.6 throughout their sponsorship period.
Research and Innovation
In terms of research and innovation, the college is the region’s premier computer, library and information science hub for ICT innovation and research. Faculty conducts research in Artificial intelligence and data science, software systems, networked systems and their security, the impact of digital technology on records management in libraries, museums, archives and learning. Others are in policy and information seeking behavior in health, agriculture, ICT, land, law and finance among others.
VC Unveils the vision for the University Financial independence
While officially launched the Fund, Prof. Nawangwe unveiled the strategic vision for the university’s financial independence and future innovation. He conveyed the significance of endowment funds, observing that institutions like Harvard possess an endowment bigger than Uganda’s GDP, granting them the capacity to act freely. He presented this model as ‘the way to go even for us’, confirming that the university council approved colleges establishing their own endowments, to be managed alongside the main university fund.
The Vice Chancellor expressed considerable encouragement for CoCIS, particularly learning that it is funding the endowment from the proceeds of the research funding that they receive, and commending its initiative in already touching students by giving out funds.
He then turned to the imperative of Artificial Intelligence, a field he believes is where now the world is going forever. Recalling a UNESCO conference, he shared a touching question posed to African leaders: As far as AI is concerned, will Africa be left behind again? This query he said deeply impacted him, driving the university’s commitment to promote digitalization, promote anybody, any attempt to enhance our capacity in digitalization, computing, in artificial intelligence.
For Africa to develop, Nawangwe argued, the focus should not be on competing globally but on using AI to solve own problems and move people out of poverty. He lauded CoCIS for its amazing work, especially in leveraging AI for health solutions, and for its potential to foster millionaires among its students.
The Vice Chancellor also conveyed the university’s commitment to research and innovation as essential for national stability and poverty alleviation. He cautioned that failure to create jobs through innovation could lead to very unstable countries in Africa, with multitudes of children in the streets.
He projected the university’s dedication to a new Science and Technology Center and noted that the forthcoming Science and Graduate Training building will dedicate its entire ground floor to innovation, even suggesting repurposing lecture rooms as innovation is much more important.
He argued CoCIS’ leadership to do more with that background, knowing that ‘we must do it to save our country, to save our continent.’
In his address, Prof. Tony Oyana, Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences, (CoCIS) discussed the establishment of an endowment fund to support students, research, and innovation. The fund is designed to provide opportunities for students to excel and bridge the gap left by limited government funding.
Professor Oyana shared his personal journey, showcasing the role of scholarships and foundation endowments in his education. He inked the importance of investing in students, citing their potential to excel with support. According to him, students, especially those who are talented but lack resources, can make significant progress with even a small amount of support.
The endowment fund will align with the university’s mission and strategic objectives, focusing on education, research, and innovation. He noted that research-led initiatives can make the college stand out in the world and attract people seeking expertise.
The college has invested in treasury bonds and is exploring other investment opportunities, such as Unitrust. Professor Oyana encouraged colleagues to invest their monthly money in bonds and trust, citing the benefits of diversifying investments.
He acknowledged the challenges the college faces in relying solely on government funding, which can be unpredictable and subject to change. The endowment fund will provide a stable source of funding, enabling the college to pursue its goals and make a meaningful impact.
He expressed gratitude to Eako for sponsoring the meeting and Google for investing in the college’s state-of-the-art laboratory.
On his part, Mr. Emmanuel Kitamirike, the Makerere University Endowment Fund Administrator revealed that the Fund has a rich history dating back to the 1930s when teachers and church leaders donated money, which was invested in the UK for 70 years before being formalized in 2014.
“The fund has grown from Shs8.6 billion to Shs14 billion, with a target of reaching Shs20 billion by the end of the financial year. This is attributed the growth to strategic investments in treasury bonds and Unit trusts, which have yielded returns supporting university activities. We’ve reinvested 65 million in Treasury bonds and reinvested 138 million in Unit trusts of the money that we earned,” he said.
The university has secured funding from the United Arab Emirates, $100,000, to establish the Endowment Fund for the Advancement of Women Education, which will support female students pursuing postgraduate STEM disciplines. Kitamirike noted that “if you have $1 million and you have 15% return on investment, you have some almost 500 million that you can put up every year for scholarship support.”
The fund’s administrators have implemented the Mak Advance System, an alumni management software that enables donations with as little as Shs1,000. Mr. Kitamirike reported that donations have been coming in, and has received 40 million in the last two years through that system.
The fund’s growth is expected to enhance student life experiences and encourage alumni to give back to the institution.
The university’s endowment fund model is inspired by institutions like Harvard, which has a massive endowment fund where by its Alumni definitely sometimes even give an estate, hey have their money.
The College has been actively promoting research and innovation through its RISE Program, which focuses on research, innovations, services, and engagement. Dr. John Ngubiri reported that the program has disbursed approximately 540 million in grants, with 90% going to staff and 10% to students. The funding distribution is skewed in favor of the School of Computing and Informatics Technology (SCIT), with few grants received from EASLIS
The most popular research areas include intelligent systems, particularly AI, health and nutrition, smart teaching, and small businesses. Dr. Ngubiri noted they’ve had very many applications from the area of AI, indicating a growing interest in the field. The program has yielded impressive outcomes, including research projects expanding into bigger grants, startups emerging from student projects, and students receiving awards.
Some notable examples of staff who have implemented projects include Dr. Rehema Baguma, Dr. Odongo Steven, and Dr. Hasifah Namatovu, who were able to expand their research into bigger grants. Startups like YoWaste and MobiFuel have also emerged from student projects, demonstrating the potential for innovation and entrepreneurship. YoWaste alone has reportedly generated a turnover of around 600 million.
Despite the progress, Dr. Ngubiri noted some challenges, including limited funding, plagiarism, gradualism, and the finalist student problem. He noted, the volume of funding is always a challenge, and that they have to live within it. To address these challenges, He suggested adopting a thematic approach to grants, formalizing startups, and exploring equity options to provide a sustainable source of funding.
The college could get shares in startups and use the returns to fund other projects. Dr. Ngubiri also emphasized the importance of looking ahead and planning for the future, saying “if when someone is writing a seed, he looks ahead on where this seed can be put to germinate so that people don’t get stuck along the way.”
While discussing the research agenda for the School of Computing and Informatics Technology, the Dean Dr. Joseph Kibombo Balikuddembe stressed that the research should be internationally recognized and address real-world societal and business challenges. “Our research is internationally recognized and addresses real-world society and business challenges,” he said, citing an example of engineers being able to tell the air quality of different cities.
Dr. Balikuddembe emphasised the importance of being centers of knowledge, innovation, leadership, and development, and positioning the school to lead the digital transformation and contribute to the global innovation ecosystem.
He also expressed the need for specific strategic objectives, including advancing cutting-edge research in AI, data science, and related fields, promoting interdisciplinary and collaborative research, and strengthening graduate research capacity and supervision. “We cannot do that without having specific strategic objectives that can get us there,” he said, outlining objectives such as enhancing international partnerships and visibility, and translating research into innovation, policy, and practical solutions.
Dr. Balikuddembe expressed concerns about protecting intellectual property, citing instances of students and researchers failing to protect their innovations before presenting them publicly. “Before you know it, someone may have picked the idea and moved on,” he warned.
The school is focusing on various areas, including AI, data science, cyber security, and emerging technologies like block chain applications and augmented reality. “Mentorship programs, capacity building initiatives, and partnerships with industry and international universities to drive research and innovation are crucial,” he noted.
The East African School of Library and Information Sciences (EASLIS) has developed a research agenda for the next five years, focusing on five thematic areas. According to Dr. Sarah Kaddu, Dean of EASLIS, the research agenda is rooted in five principles, including being relevant, impactful, interdisciplinary, inclusive, and sustainable. The thematic areas include information governance and digital transformation, indigenous knowledge and culture informatics, wellness and health informatics, digital literacy and education, and transparency, accountability, and legal records.
Dr. Kaddu pointed out the importance of collaboration and partnerships in achieving the research agenda’s goals. “We need to partner with others who are well-facilitated, well-endowed, and have the skills,” she said. The school is also prioritizing mentorship, with a focus on guiding both staff and students in research and academic maturity. She noted that mentorship has come out even in the previous presentation. “We really need to be mentored so that we are in harmony with one another.”
The research agenda is aligned with the university’s strategic plan and aims to address national and continental development priorities. Dr. Kaddu stressed the importance of addressing burning social, economic, and technological needs in Uganda and East Africa. The school is also committed to producing research that is transformative in social and economic imaginations of the country and Africa.
The key highlights of the research agenda include thematic areas such as information governance and digital transformation, indigenous knowledge and culture informatics, wellness and health informatics, digital literacy and education, and transparency, accountability, and legal records.
In his closing remarks, the Deputy Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences, Dr. Peter Nabende, expressed gratitude over the presentation on the CoCIS Endowment Fund, recognizing its significance in advancing College’s progress.
He encouraged colleagues to explore high-risk investments in their field and appreciated the emphasis on research areas. Dr. Nabende also acknowledged the college’s achievements, expressing pride in the team’s work.
Nabende called upon colleagues to write presentations and share knowledge citing the importance of interdisciplinary research.
“We have the capability to learn from each other and move forward,” he stated.
The Deputy Principal called upon the college alumni, staff and well wishers to contribution to the CoCIS Endowment Fund that will be pivotal in providing sustainable support to students, research, and innovation initiatives.
‘We urge you to consider contributing to the endowment fund and becoming part of this noble endeavor. Every contribution, big or small, counts, and we look forward to your support.’ Nabende appealed.
Beyond the Launch to Fun Activities
Staff were treated to a cocktail and barbecue dinner as well as fun activities including surfing River Nile. Besides formal work tasks, retreats offer significant benefits like fostering stronger team cohesion through informal interactions, boosting employee morale and reducing stress through a change of scenery, and enhancing communication and collaboration skills in a relaxed setting.
These retreats also provide opportunities for leadership development, allowing employees to step outside their typical roles and showcase new skills. Furthermore, retreats can reinforce institutional culture, values, and mission in a memorable and impactful way, leading to increased employee engagement and a stronger sense of belonging.
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