Makerere University will be hosting the 2nd Annual Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) Conference from 19th -20th October 2023. The two-day event will be held in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility. The first edition of the Conference was held at the Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Campus in Nakawa.
One of the strategic objectives of the consortium is to build the capacity of its members and the wider fraternity to appreciate the processes of scholarly communication, since libraries primarily provide gateways to the scholarly landscape.
The conference theme for this year is “Information Practices and Emerging Technologies in Library and Information Science”. It will include paper presentations, trainings and exhibitions from some of our information service providers. Nine (9) exhibitors have confirmed attendance and these include companies like Clarivate, the proprietors of the ‘Web of Science’ and ‘Jove’, a video database that intends to revolutionize the teaching of science. Jove database is a new addition to Makerere University subscriptions. It was recommended by academic staff from four Colleges; College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) and College of Health Sciences (CHS). The database provides visual demonstrations of scientific experiments and procedures.
About CUUL
The Consortium of Uganda University libraries, (CUUL) was formed in early 2000 in the advent of automation. With computerization of information services’ delivery, there was a need for University libraries to have access to the latest quality literature for scientific inquiry. The Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and its research arm, the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation (SAREC), funded the initial access to electronic (e-resources) under the project dubbed ‘Information support for Higher education and Research in Uganda’. The Swedish funding enabled subscription and access to electronic databases to support teaching, learning through negotiating access licenses with another agency, the International Network for Advancing Science and Policy (INASP). The project was coordinated by Makerere University Library and resources were shared by other universities in Uganda.
The consortium was formed to ensure that access remained sustainable in the event that the original donor/s pulled out or withdrew from the agreements at any one time. This was based on the advice of Sida and INASP. The objectives of the association included working together to achieve communal access to reliable sources of information, to cooperate in acquisitions and processing of information and to pool funds to collectively bargain with publishers and international database providers, a role that the International Network for Science and Policy (INASP) was performing when Sida/SAREC was the funder. INASP initially trained librarians from the different institutions on negotiation skills. This is a role that CUUL plays to-date.
Each institution contributes a minimal membership fee and a uniform fund for e-resources subscription to the CUUL account. Every year, member institutions sit and agree on common databases to subscribe to for the subsequent year. Universities can still subscribe to individual databases based on disciplinary peculiarities. The Association was registered and formally recognized by the National Council for Higher Education.
The Makerere University Librarian, Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga is the current Chair of the consortium for the period 2022-2024. The consortium has an executive and six functional committees.
The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released full results for the Mature Age Entry Scheme Examinations for the Academic Year 2025/2026 held on Saturday 14th December, 2024.
The Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the examination and have been recommended by the Pre-Entry & Mature Age Committee to the University’s Admissions Board for Consideration.
The Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) has in collaboration with Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors.
Participants were academic staff from two colleges namely, College of Engineering, Art and Design (CEDAT) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The three-day training that took place at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building ended on Friday 20thJune 2025.
In his closing remarks to the participants, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “This is the first cohort we are working together with the Center for Teaching and Learning to put together continuous professional development Program so that we are able to enforce the new teaching and learning policy.”
He said that before lecturers are allocated students for supervision, they must first go through this form of formal teaching and learning training to equip them thoroughly with certification required of supervision of graduate students.
“We are coming up with process to ensure that the certificates earned by participants allow you to supervise graduate students. This is the direction of the university and we must ensure that such trainings are concluded and completed successfully by all participants”, Prof. Kikooma.
Prof. Julius Kikooma – Director of Graduate Training
“We can only have you certified upon completing all the exercises in the training process. This is when you will be eligible to receive the work load for supervision”, He added.
“This training of Supervisors is going to be continuous so that all academic staff in colleges and schools are equipped. This first cohort is going to be our building block to the future trainings in the colleges.”
With such capacity building trainings, Prof. Kikooma said that the university is on the right path to achieving its targets in the new strategic plan of increasing the number of graduate students while progressively reducing the under graduate students.
He further hinted that, “We are in the process of writing a curriculum on this, which will be presented for approval before it is rolled out.”
He echoed all participants to share the knowledge they have acquired adding, “Share all you have learnt, do not keep it. Be open minded, have proper communication channels and the sky will be the limit for you.”
Dr. Robinah N. Kulabako, The Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CEDAT welcomed the training adding, “This training is very pertinent. I have had the opportunity to supervise Masters and PhD students for over 15 years and I must say that the need to be subjected to this training cannot be over emphasized because there is need to learn, unlearn and relearn many aspects involved in the supervision process.”
She added, “We are moving towards knowledge-based supervision rather than experience-based supervision. This means we must be informed and equipped to be able to advise, guide and mentor to be able to lead a successful supervision journey for both supervisor and supervisee.”
Dr. Andrew Gilbert Were – a lecturer at CEDAT and a participant said, “It is important that all supervisors of graduate students receive this certification from Makerere University through a systematic training process that enables them to attain diverse skills to facilitate learning of graduate students from diverse cultures and with unique set of circumstances.”
“This training is long overdue. In fact, it was an oversight that we could be allowed to supervise students without undergoing supervisors’ training.”
Dr. Dorothy Ssebowa, The Director Centre for Teaching and Learning support- CEES said, “The training this time round has had a mix of early career professionals including Lecturers, Supervisors and Professors share experiences. We have learnt a lot more from experienced supervisors who have shared practices on how they have done supervision over the years.”
“The knowledge and experience-based approaches have made this collaboration very active, interactive and learner centered which has resulted into a collaborative learning from the interdisciplinarity of staff from CEDAT and CAES. The issue now is to continue with professional development across all levels.” She added.
The Makerere University Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors. This activity was supported by the iCARTA – Institutionalization of Advanced Research Training in Africa, a NORHED II Project at Makerere University.
R-L: Arch. Kenneth Ssemwogerere (Head of Department, Architecture), Dr. Kizito Maria Kasule (Deputy Principal, CEDAT), and Mr. Kayongo Daniel (Plascon Uganda National Sales Manager) during the official handover of a donation at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University, on Tuesday, 25th June 2025.
The Department of Architecture at Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) is set to begin a significant refurbishment of its design studios starting 1st July 2025. This initiative marks a pivotal step in enhancing the learning environment for architecture students and fostering innovation in design education.
The refurbishment project has received a significant boost from Kansai Placon Uganda Limited, which donated UGX 15 million worth of paint to support the transformation. This contribution highlights the growing partnership between academia and industry in shaping the future of architectural education in Uganda.