General
NCHE Celebrates 20th Anniversary: Mak Showcases Research & Innovations
On Thursday 12th October 2023, H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officiated at the celebrations to mark twenty years of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. The celebrations that started in March 2023 were held under the theme “20 Years of NCHE Transforming Higher Education in Uganda” and climaxed at Kololo with a Mini-Exhibition by various institutions, inspected by H.E. President Museveni and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni.
Remarks by H.E. the President and First Lady
Speaking at the celebrations, the President congratulated NCHE upon marking their 20th Anniversary. The Head of State urged NCHE to insist on a well-tailored modern type of education that seeks to understand nature and its laws as well as understanding the society and evolution of man from hunter-gatherer to domestication of crops, livestock, and commercial farming.
In her remarks, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni thanked God for the twenty years that NCHE has been in existence as an agency of the Ministry of Education and Sports. She applauded NCHE for the leaps that the higher education sector has made in the last twenty years in the form of quantitative increase of higher education institutions from 67 to 265. The First Lady nevertheless urged NCHE to position itself as a catalyst for the transformation of the higher education system in Uganda so as to make the country a hub for higher education in the East African region.
Recognition of Higher Education Institutions
During the celebrations, the NCHE recognised Makerere University for its contribution to the transformation of the higher education sector through provision of relevant and high quality education. Equally recognized were Uganda Christian University as the first private university in Uganda, the 7th Vice Chancellor and first female Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University Rev. Canon Prof. Olivia Nassaka Banja and the Ernest Cook Ultrasound Research and Education Institute (ECUREI)’s Prof. Micheal Kawooya.
Mak Exhibitors at NCHE@20
Makerere University featured prominently during the Mini Exhibition. Led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the exhibition team showcased research, innovations and services through the following:
- Mak Solar Cooker by Dr. Peter Tumutegyereize (College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences) – an appliance that uses electricity generated by a solar panel system to cook food, requiring no add-ons such as charcoal, rocks, gas, kerosene or even mains electricity.
- AirQo by Joel Ssematimba and Priscah Adrine Warigo (College of Computing and Information Sciences) – a custom low-cost air quality monitor that measure particulate matter PM₂.₅ and PM10, the most common pollutants that affect human health deployed across a high-resolution air quality monitoring network in target urban areas in Uganda and across eight African countries.
- Maka Water Purifier – made with a chicken keratin biosorbent,
- Phyto-Nutra Chicken Feed – from indigenous plant species to address Antibiotic resistance and Environmental pollution, and
- Value-Added Nutraceuticals – from indigenous plant species in the form of Veggie Cocktails, Porridge cocktails, Nutra Cakes, Cookies, and Bread by Dr. Alice Nabatanzi’s projects (College of Natural Sciences). Produced with funding from the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF)
- Makerere Regional Centre of Excellence for Crop Improvement (MaRCCI) represented by Dr. Sharon Tusiime Mbabazi (Seed Specialist and Ag. Deputy Director) and Ms. Fiona Nyanzi (8 Technology Limited, Mak-RIF Project Partner) – showcased a variety of value-added products produced from sorghum and cowpea. Demo video of how to grow cowpea and sorghum. Digital applications for growing cowpeas and sorghum.
- Makerere University Press under the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training represented by Dr. William Tayeebwa – showcased the latest books authored by Makerere University scholars/researchers. They included;
- Contemporary African Philosophy: A Critical Appraisal by Wilfred Lajul
- The Power of Culture and Identity: Imbalu Initiation Ritual Among the Bamasaaba of Uganda by J. P. Wotsuna Khamalwa
- Modernisation of Luganda Terminology in the Field of Linguistics by Saudah Namyalo
- Runyakitara Language Studies: A Guide for Advanced Learners and Teachers of Runyakitara by Oswald K. Ndoleriire (Ed.)
- Contemporary Issues in Educational Research, Policies, and Practices in the Global South by C. Ssebbunga-Masembe & S.N. Siminyu (Eds.)
- What I Saw When I Died by Jimmy Spire Ssentongo
- Moving Back into the Future by Dominica Dipio (Ed.)
- Countering Violent Extremism in Uganda by Veneranda Mbabazi et al.
- Lulu ya Bara by Innocent Masengo
- HIV/AIDS in Uganda: Achievements and Challenges by James Kiwanuka-Tondo
- Statehood on Trial: Thoughts on the 1966 Uganda Political Crisis by Joseph Bossa
- (Mis)management of Sub-Nationalism and Diversity in “Nations”: The case of Buganda in Uganda, 1897-1980 by Godfrey Berinde Asiimwe
- Department of the Academic Registrar represented by Mr. Justus Karegyeya – showcased the Makerere University online application system and programmes that students can apply to from any location as long as they have an internet connection.
Compiled by Mak Public Relations Office
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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