_{By Moses Lutaaya}

Makerere University has stepped up efforts to strengthen its scholarly publishing ecosystem following a Journal Editors’ Workshop held on April 23, 2026, in the Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), aimed at improving journal quality, increasing research visibility, and enhancing the university’s global rankings.

The workshop, organized by Makerere University Press (Mak Press), brought together journal editors from colleges, schools, and institutes across the university to discuss publication standards, consistency in journal production, international indexing requirements, governance, and sustainability of academic journals.

Speaking at the event on behalf of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of Graduate Training (DGT) and Chairperson of the Technical and Quality Assurance Committee of Mak Press, said the workshop forms part of the university’s deliberate strategy to restore Makerere’s historic place as a continental hub of intellectual production.

He said Makerere had long been recognized as Africa’s leading center for scholarship, especially in the post-independence period when renowned academics and political intellectuals across the continent sought to publish their work through the university.

“Makerere was once the place where Africa’s leading scholars wanted to publish. We are now working to revive that tradition by ensuring our home-based journals meet international standards and become the first choice for our researchers,” Prof. Kikooma said.

He noted that although the university continues to produce world-class researchers, much of their best work is published outside Makerere, benefiting external institutions in rankings and global visibility.

“Management has realized that there has been a missed opportunity. The research is done here, the scholars are nurtured here, but the visibility and ranking benefits have often gone elsewhere because we lacked strong publishing outlets of our own,” he said.

Prof. Kikooma emphasized that global university rankings heavily depend on publications in indexed journals, making the strengthening of Makerere’s home-based journals critical to its ambition of becoming a truly research-led institution.

He also pointed to mindset as one of the biggest barriers. “Many academics have been inducted into believing that their best ideas are not for home consumption. We must change that mindset and build confidence in our own journals because strong societies use their own research outputs to solve real problems,” he added.

He further encouraged journal editors to make publications more responsive to society by introducing special issues that address pressing national and regional challenges.

Prof. William Tayeebwa, the Chief Managing Editor of Makerere University Press, said the workshop was intended to assess the progress of journals across colleges while equipping editors with the tools needed to meet international publishing standards.

“Our main goal was to engage editors on whether they are producing journals consistently. If they say they are biannual, are they really publishing twice a year? If not, they need to make realistic decisions and strengthen their workflow,” he said.

He explained that the workshop brought together editors from established journals, newly formed journals, and colleges that are yet to establish journals.

Prof. Tayeebwa revealed that one of the major gaps identified was that some colleges still do not have academic journals.

“Why would an entire college not have a journal? That was one of the major concerns. We are engaging prolific scholars in those colleges to understand what is holding them back,” he said.

He also noted that many journal editors were depending on Mak Press for support that should ordinarily come from their colleges, prompting the need for stronger institutional buy-in and sustainability mechanisms.

Mak Press, he said, is helping journals secure International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN), assign Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), and prepare for international indexing.

He described ISSN as a critical identifier for journals. “If a journal does not have an ISSN, it cannot be discovered online and may not even be recognized by quality assurance systems. It is like a vehicle without a registration number plate,” he explained.

Prof. Tayeebwa said while research quality at Makerere is already strong, the university must significantly improve publication output.

“For a university of this size, publishing only a few dozen articles annually is not enough. With over 600 PhD students, master’s students, and staff, Makerere should be producing more than 1,000 journal articles every year,” he said.

He also called for stronger support for graduate students to co-publish with supervisors, noting that publication is already a graduation requirement for PhD students.

The Director, Institute of Gender and Development Studies Prof. Ruth Nsibirano, said the workshop demonstrates the university’s commitment to ensuring that knowledge generated at Makerere reaches the global academic community.

Her institute is currently developing the Makerere Gender and Development Journal, with its inaugural issue expected in early 2027.

“We do not believe the Global South should remain only consumers of knowledge. We have a lot of knowledge to generate and share with the world,” Prof. Nsibirano said.

She explained that the journal will focus on gender, social transformation, and development while providing a platform for research that reflects African realities and perspectives.

According to Prof. Nsibirano, the workshop also promotes collaboration among scholars across disciplines.

“It improves the way we interact as scholars. We can co-publish, co-author, and also know what is being published in other journals under Makerere Press. That strengthens research and institutional visibility,” she said.

She added that the main challenge affecting many journals had not necessarily been structural gaps, but reduced motivation, which caused some long-established journals to become dormant.

With renewed management support, stronger editorial coordination, and a push for international standards, Makerere University leaders believe the institution’s journals can once again become leading platforms for African scholarship and significantly contribute to the university’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Institutions

Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), The Netherlands, The University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK, Makerere University (Mak), College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB) and College of Computing and Information Science Kampala,  Uganda.

Makerere University (Mak) in collaboration with The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and The University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK invites applications for two PhD positions.  The PhD position is under our four (4) year (2026-2030) funded project by Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking and implemented through EU Funding & Tenders Portal under project name: Digital Dashboards in Diagnostic Innovations (DiDiDi) involving 16 research partner institutions from 6 countries, including LUMC, The University of Glasgow and Makerere University.

Project background

Digital Dashboards in Diagnostic Innovations (DiDiDi)  focuses on developing secure digital dashboards to understand disease prevalence and to target new interventions for the treatment of these poverty related helminth infections. Schistosomiasis and soil‑transmitted helminth infections remain major public health challenges in Uganda and other endemic regions. Accurate and scalable diagnostic tools are essential for targeted treatment, monitoring of control programs, and progress towards elimination. The project has a specific focus on government and regional health surveillance systems, meteorological data collection and predictive models.

PhD Positions

PhD Position 1: Field-evaluation of diagnostic innovations for schistosomiasis and Soil‑Transmitted Helminth infections in Uganda

Within the DiDiDi consortium, this PhD project specifically contributes high‑quality field and clinical validation data to support the development and evaluation of digital diagnostic dashboards. The goal for the PhD is to collect and analyse clinical and field data in Uganda and to validate conventional diagnostic approaches against innovative digital diagnostics and environmental risk factors. The work will contribute to a better understanding of infection dynamics and to the development of improved diagnostic and surveillance strategies in endemic settings in low‑ and middle‑income countries (LMICs) to conduct doctoral research on the diagnosis of schistosomiasis and soil‑transmitted helminth (STH) infections in endemic settings.

PhD Position 2: Developing Machine Learning for Microscope Decision Support for Schistosomiasis and Soil‑Transmitted Helminth infections in Uganda

Within the DiDiDi consortium, this PhD project specifically contributes high‑quality field and clinical validation data to support the development and evaluation of digital diagnostic dashboards. As part of this programme, we are further developing low-cost automated microscopy that can be readily deployed in community settings. The goal for the PhD is to develop computationally low-resource mobile phone-based machine learning and AI algorithms to analyse field data. The work will involve the opportunity to collaborate with industrial partnerships based in Uganda and Europe. The overall aim of the project will be to contribute to a better understanding of infection dynamics and the development of improved diagnostic and surveillance strategies in endemic settings in low‑ and middle‑income countries (LMICs).

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit:

• A motivation letter describing research interests and suitability for the project;
• Curriculum vitae.
• Only apply for one PhD track

Following a first selection round, potential candidates will be asked for:

• Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates;
• Names and contact details of at least two academic referees.

A first round of interviews is likely to take place in Kampala on May 17^th or 18^th.

Submission Process

Submit your application to the project contact person at Makerere University, Associate Professor Lawrence Mugisha via email: mugishalaw@gmail.com not later than 7^th May, 2026. For PhD 1, copy in E.A.van_Lieshout@lumc.nl while for PhD 2 copy in jon.cooper@glasgow.ac.uk

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified for the 1^st phase of the interview.

See below for detailed advert

_{By Moses Lutaaya}

Kampala — A high-level webinar hosted by the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships in collaboration with the Directorate of Graduate Training at Makerere University has reinforced the urgent need for early engagement with research ethics, drawing over 500 participants in attendance and close to 980 registrations to discuss ethical approval processes and responsible research conduct.

Delivering the closing remarks, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali, emphasized that research ethics is not merely an administrative requirement but the very cornerstone of academic excellence and integrity.

“Research ethics is not something you come to at the end of your study—it is the foundation upon which credible and impactful research is built,” Prof. Ssali said. “From proposal development to dissemination, every stage must reflect ethical responsibility.”

She urged graduate students to take full ownership of ethical responsibility by embedding ethical considerations throughout the research process. Cautioning against misconduct, she added: “Shortcuts such as falsification of data or unethical practices will not only compromise your work but will also attract serious academic and disciplinary consequences.”

Prof. Ssali further encouraged researchers to actively seek guidance from supervisors and Research Ethics Committees (RECs), reaffirming the university’s commitment to building a robust culture of responsible, transparent, and credible research.

Earlier, Dr. Hellen Opolot, the Assistant Executive Secretary and Head of the Division of Research Management and Quality Assurance at the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, delivered a comprehensive presentation on research misconduct and its far-reaching implications.

“Research misconduct goes beyond fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism,” Dr. Opolot explained. “We are also seeing practices such as ghost authorship, lack of ethical approval, selective reporting, and data manipulation, all of which undermine the integrity of research.”

She noted that pressures to publish, competition for funding, weak supervision, and limited training in ethics often drive such misconduct.

“These practices damage institutional reputations, erode public trust, and weaken the credibility of academic qualifications,” she warned. “They can lead to loss of funding, broken partnerships, and even affect national development because the knowledge produced becomes unreliable.”

Dr. Opolot called for stronger enforcement mechanisms, continuous ethics training, and strict alignment with national regulatory frameworks to safeguard research quality.

In his opening remarks, Director of Research, Innovations and Partnerships, Prof. Robert Wamala, underscored the need to address ethics at the very beginning of the research journey.

“Many students treat ethical approval as a last-stage requirement, and that is where the problem begins,” Prof. Wamala said. “Ethics must come first if we are to produce credible and impactful research.”

He urged researchers to engage RECs early, noting that ethical compliance is critical for protecting participants’ rights and ensuring globally acceptable research outputs. He also highlighted institutional support systems available to guide researchers through the ethical approval process.

Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of Graduate Training, emphasized that ethical compliance is central to the university’s research agenda.

“Ethical clearance is not optional—it is a requirement,” Prof. Kikooma stated. “Without it, students cannot defend their research or graduate. This is clearly stipulated in our Graduate Handbook and institutional policies.”

He also pointed to emerging ethical challenges, particularly in the use of artificial intelligence, calling for responsible and informed application of new technologies in research.

From the Research Ethics Committee perspective, Prof. Stella Neema the Chair MAKSS-REC explained that ethical approval is mandatory for studies involving human participants, personal data, sensitive topics, or vulnerable groups.

“There is no retrospective approval,” she stressed. “Researchers must obtain ethical clearance before they begin data collection. That is non-negotiable.”

She encouraged researchers to consult RECs for guidance, especially where exemptions may apply, emphasizing adherence to ethical standards to protect participants and maintain research integrity.

Dr. Daniel Waiswa, representing the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Ethics Committee (CAES REC), highlighted the broader value of ethical research.

“Ethics ensures protection of participants, promotes valid and reliable findings, and sustains public trust,” Dr. Waiswa noted. “Principles such as informed consent, confidentiality, fairness, and minimizing harm are essential if research is to have real societal impact.”

The webinar also brought together several Research Ethics Committee Chairpersons, including Dr. Paul Kutyabami, Dr. Moses Ocan, and Dr. Eddie Walakira, among others—reflecting a strong, coordinated commitment to strengthening ethical research oversight across institutions. Overall, the engagement delivered a unified message: ethical approval is not a procedural hurdle but a fundamental pillar of quality research. Participants were urged to “start with ethics” to ensure their work meets the highest standards of integrity, credibility, and societal relevance.