General
Council Celebrates Prof. Suruma’s Two Terms as Chancellor
It was an evening of warm remarks and celebration as the University Council on Wednesday, 20th December took a moment during its last meeting of 2023 to celebrate the conclusion of Prof. Ezra Suruma’s two terms as Chancellor. Prof. Suruma who was installed as Chancellor on 18th January 2016 was at the expiry of his first term in December 2019 re-appointed by the President of the Republic of Uganda and Visitor of Makerere University, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for a second eligible term.
Welcoming Members of Council, Management and other guests to the celebration, the University Secretary and evening’s moderator Mr. Yusuf Kiranda noted that the dinner was only one of the activities the University Council had lined up in honour of Prof. Suruma’s distinguished service.
Delivering the opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe expressed delight at welcoming Prof. Suruma and his wife Mrs. Specioza Suruma to the evening of celebration. He testified that he had enjoyed a very cordial working relationship with Prof. Suruma, whose advice has always been valuable.
Turning to the day’s host the Chairperson of Council, Prof. Nawangwe observed that Makerere has attained a lot during Mrs. Lorna Magara’s term, especially with regard to changes aimed at fostering the University’s research-intensive and research-led aspirations. “In the Soviet Union we used to say ‘thank you very much our very wise and visionary leader’”.
The Vice Chancellor equally thanked the Government for restoring confidence in the University as exhibited by designated funding for research and innovations (Mak-RIF), timely remuneration and able representation on Council. In the same breath he thanked the University Management as well as the Principals and their Deputies for the hard work that has kept Makerere shining and internationally recognized.
In her remarks prior to inviting Prof. Suruma to address the guests, Mrs. Lorna Magara acknowledged the Vice Chancellor’s appreciation of her leadership, relating it to a proverb often quoted by leadership gurus that says, “If you think you are leading and no one is following you, then you are only taking a walk.”
She too paid allegiance to Prof. Suruma, whom she admitted looking up to as “a strong leader, a leader of integrity, a man who leads by conviction”, and who has challenged all members of Council and Management to lead the same way. His distinguished service, Mrs. Magara added, has inspired both staff and students to lead more impactful and conscientious lives.
Quoting a public speaker who recently used the illustration of a pencil to describe human life, the Chairperson of Council shared that just as the important part of the pencil is the lead that writes, the important part of life is who we are on the inside. Similarly, just as sharpening makes the pencil usable, Mrs. Magara pointed out that it is the difficult experiences that sharpen us and prompt us to lead more impactful lives.
She therefore paid tribute to Prof. Suruma for being an exception leader, “you have fathered us, you have given us wisdom, you have guided us” praised Mrs. Magara, before adding “and we bless you together with your wife and your family that the next season will just take you further up in your purpose in life.”
She concluded by informing guests that the University Council would request Prof. Suruma to deliver a public lecture early in 2024, whereupon he would be presented with various items in appreciation of his distinguished leadership as Chancellor.
Prof. Suruma’s remarks of the evening were equally as warm, expressing great joy and satisfaction with the Makerere University Community for eight years of friendship, cooperation and leadership at Uganda’s greatest educational institution.
“In a very special way, permit me to thank the University Council Chairperson, Mrs. Lorna Magara and the entire Council for eight years of professional cooperation and leadership… Allow me also to say how delighted I am to recognize the excellence and distinction of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe. Thank you very much for serving humanity with such great love and sacrifice” extolled Prof. Suruma.
Turning to the Graduation Ceremonies, a highlight of his role as Chancellor, Prof. Suruma thanked the Deputy Vice Chancellors, Prof. Umar Kakumba and Prof. Henry Alinaitwe as well as the Academic Registrar and Principals of colleges for ensuring that the events were managed efficiently and effectively throughout his tenure. In the same breath, he acknowledged the special relationship nurtured with the Department of Performing Arts and Film, whose performances he said, “Often brought tears of joy to my eyes”.
Prof. Suruma described his fifty years of relationship with Makerere University where he started out as Lecturer in 1973 as “intermittent”. In 1975 he had to leave for the USA to complete his Ph.D, which he did in 1976, but had to wait until President Amin’s overthrow in 1979 to return. Unfortunately, he had to flee back into exile that same year because he had joined politics and the military was looking for him, only returning in 1985 when it was safer.
In 1987 he once again had to leave Makerere to take up the position of Director of Research at the Bank of Uganda, where he rose to the rank of Deputy Governor in 1990. He went on to serve in various capacities as Chairman and Managing Director of Uganda Commercial Bank (1993-1996), Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (2005-2009), and as Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PDMU) during which term of service he was appointed Chancellor in 2016.
“When my late father, Sulumani Baliranwa prayed to be an intellectual as the Late John Bikangaga, probably the first graduate from Kigezi region, God told him that would not happen. But He promised that ‘one of your sons would teach Uganda’. That divine promise has been fulfilled in my presence here” remarked Prof. Suruma.
He therefore prayed that all present at the dinner would discover God’s purpose for their lives and pursue it diligently, and concluded by thanking the University Leadership for treating him and his wife to the wonderful evening of celebration. Upon Prof. Suruma’s request, the Department of Performing Arts and Film led by the Chair, Dr. Benon Kigozi sung the hymn Amazing Grace and in the Spirit of Christmas followed it up with Joy to the World.
College of Health Sciences Quality Assurance (QA) Training in Assessments, Pedagogy and Competence Based Curriculum Held 18–19 June 2026 at Esella Hotel.
Pedagogy, Assessment and Supervision Training Workshop
The College of Health Sciences has embarked on the journey to improve the teaching, assessment and preparation for the adoption of the competence-based curriculum.
The training was held on 18-19 June 2026, at Esella Hotel, Kira, the training targeted the teaching assistants, lecturers’ senior lecturers’ key administrators and some PhD fellows, generally the early career academic staff that are yet growing in the ranks.
Objectives
- Equip participants with modern pedagogical approaches for effective teaching and learning.
- Review and harmonize assessment strategies to ensure quality and fairness in academic evaluation.
- Enhance supervisory competencies for guiding graduate students in research and academic progress.
- Foster collaboration and shared experiences among facilitators, supervisors, and administrators.
The key focus areas for the training
- Guidelines in Assessment & Course Outlines- Dr. Cyprian Misinde -Chief Quality Assurance Officer.
- Competence Based Education and Assessment- Dr. Mike Kagawa
- Advancing continuous improvement in teaching, learning through teaching styles -Dr. Ssebowa Dorothy.
- Teaching methods Knowledge production and acquisition- Dr. Peter Ssenkusu
- Graduate Supervision Challenges and Opportunities- Prof. Grace Ndeezi.
- Competence Based Curriculum in line with the NCHE- Dr. Innocent Besigye.
- Feedback mechanisms in training- Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende.
Key Outcomes for this training
- The participants gained the understanding of learner-centered teaching approaches and pedagogical principles.
- Acquired new skills supervisory skills, particularly in guiding research and addressing student challenges.
- Consensus on adopting standardized assessment tools across graduate programmes.
- Practical exposure to teaching models and interactive learning methods.
- Development of action plans for continuous professional development in pedagogy and supervision.
- The participants also acquired more skills in line with the competence-based curriculum as required by the National Council for Higher Education.
During the Discussion Key important Questions emerged as follows:
- Who supervises the supervisor?
- What is the difference between notion hours and contact hours?
- The 60/40 way of assessments—can it be independent for every course unit taught or allocated differently?
- How do we manage difficult supervisors?
- How do we Coerce PhD students to be fully involved in departmental activities without them feeling Coerced?
- How much time do we need to prepare for the review of the programmes in line with the competence-based curriculum as required by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the World Health Organization (WHO)?
We truly thank the facilitators and the participants who made this training very informative and enlightened. We also appreciate the Principal/Deputy CHS, the Chief QA Officer, Makerere University and the University Management for the enormous support and for making this activity possible.
Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende
Quality Assurance 0ffice
College of Health Sciences,
Makerere University
The Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs (DVCAA) Prof. Sarah Ssali on 15th July 2026 commended the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU)’s Industrial Trainee Program, describing it as the perfect hands-on intervention for the future workforce. She made the comments while on a guided tour of RENU’s on-campus Lab facility where ten undergraduate students from Makerere and other Universities are undergoing a two-month practical training.
Origin of tour
The tour was prompted by a 24th June 2026 meeting with a RENU delegation led by CEO, Mr. Nicholas Mbonimpa, aimed at broadening the existing partnership with Makerere University beyond internet service provision to supporting teaching, learning and research activities. During the said meeting, Prof. Ssali expressed Makerere‘s desire to produce graduates that are not only academically grounded but also cognizant of the needs of the job market.
In his response then, Mr. Mbonimpa expressed RENU’s readiness to continue advancing digital transformation through advancing resilient connectivity, research infrastructure, and innovative initiatives that enhance teaching, learning, and research. He shared that the Senate Building’s computer network had been revamped in line with advancing resilient connectivity, and the initiative would be expanded to the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) buildings and other premises subsequently.
The RENU CEO further highlighted that resilient connectivity forms a good basis for the proposed Open Radio Access Network (RAN) Architecture deployment set to be done within six months, so as to boost training of students in 5G and other technologies. Other initiatives discussed included training staff and students on acquisition of Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) to improve visibility of their publications and research output.
Training Program Lauded
Addressing student interns during the 15th July guided tour, the DVCAA who was accompanied by the 92nd Guild Speaker Rt. Hon. Trevis Mutatiina Muhwezi urged beneficiaries to harness all the technical and social opportunities accorded by the Program. “Not all students in your respective academic programmes had the benefit of being exposed to this kind of training so please make the most of it and utilize skills gained here beyond the classroom setting”.
The 2026 Industrial Trainee Program is equipping students with skills on how to diagnose and repair ICT equipment based on old and disused stock.
Prof Ssali was also toured the makerspace where solar-powered routers are manufactured and deployed to extend internet connectivity to both rural and urban locations. In 2023, RENU partnered with Mesh++, a Chicago-based connectivity solutions manufacturer, to manufacture solar-powered internet routers in Uganda. Since inception, over 200 units have been manufactured and deployed across various sites in Uganda, while over 80 units have been shipped to various African countries such as Malawi, Rwanda and South Sudan under the RENUMESH Technologies joint venture.
Partnerships Inspiring New Prototypes
The RENU CEO nevertheless pointed to a long turnaround time for shipping parts from the U.S. as one of the drawbacks hindering the product’s rapid deployment. As a result, RENU, in response to the Ugandan Government’s call for import substitution and local capacity development is developing a solar-powered internet router with some of the components sourced from Ugandan companies Innovex and Chloride Excide.
“Innovex will supply the Internet of Things (IoT) component to help RENU remotely monitor and control the router while Chloride Excide will provide the batteries” Mr. Mbonimpa explained. He added that some of the current lot of trainees were already running simulations on the prototype and proposing how the device can be further refined so as to increase its portability and reduce its price.
A call for Expansion
At the conclusion of the tour, Prof. Ssali who commended the use of modular Ugandan components for the prototype thanked the RENU team to exposing students to real-world technological deployments. She nevertheless urged the CEO and his team to expand the program’s intake beyond ten trainees and duration beyond the current two months so as to give students a richer experience.
The CEO RENUMESH Technologies Mr. Brian Masiga thanked the DVCAA for following up their 24th June meeting with the visit, which demonstrates that the University Management values students’ development of practical skills. He equally thanked Prof. Ssali for Management’s support to RENU activities and pledged to further refine the prototype to produce a cheaper and more portable proudly Ugandan product.
General
Makerere University Launches First Writing Summer School to Strengthen Professional Writing Skills.
KAMPALA, UGANDA, EAST AFRICA| July 6, 2026.
Makerere University has officially launched its inaugural writing summer school, a week long professional development program aimed at equipping students, graduates, researchers and staff with practical writing skills required for academic excellence and success in today’s competitive job market. The program jointly organized by the Makerere University Writing Centre and Makerere University Press (MakPress), reflects the University’s commitment to nurturing graduates with not only academic knowledge but also the communication skills needed to thrive professionally.
Held virtually, the launch attracted more than 280 participants from Makerere University and other higher education institutions, demonstrating the growing demand for structured writing support beyond the classroom.
Building the Next Generation of Writers.
Speaking at the launch, the Director of Makerere Writing Press, Prof. William Tayeebwa, said the summer school represents an important investment in developing writers before their work reaches publication.
“The press has traditionally focused on publishing books, journals and scholarly work. Today, we are expanding that mission by helping and develop the writers who will produce tomorrow’s publication.
He noted that MakPress continues to support the publication of books and scholarly works produced by members of the Makerere Community. Using recently published books authored by a member of staff and a student as examples, he encouraged participants to submit manuscripts for publishing support rather than relying solely on self publication.
Writing as a Foundation for Academic and Professional Success.
Chairperson of the Makerere University Writing Centre, Prof. Frederick Muyodi, said the center was established to strengthen the writing competences among students, researchers and university staff.
” The Writers Center is here to support every stage of the writing process from CVs and application letters to research manuscripts, grant proposals, reports and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in writing.”
He explained that the Centre supports writing across multiple disciplines and professional contexts, adding that its long term vision is to extend writing support beyond Makerere University to institutions across Uganda and the East African region.
Equipping Graduates for the Labour Market.
Officially launching the summer school, the First Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, described the initiative as a strategic investment in preparing graduates for an increasingly competitive labour market.
She observed that while universities successfully impart disciplinary knowledge, many graduates leave campus without the practical writing skills required to secure employment and other professional opportunities.
“We teach content very, but many students are never taught how to write an effective CV, application letter, motivation statement or scholarly essay. Yet these are the documents that often determine whether someone secures an opportunity.”
Prof. Ssali said the writing summer school would bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice by equipping participants with market ready communication skills.
Reaffirming her office’s commitment to the initiative, she added:
“My office is pleased to support this initiative as we institutionalize the Writing Summer School to ensure that Makerere graduates leave not only with degrees but also with practical competencies needed to thrive professionally,”
She officially declared the inaugural Writing Summer School open and expressed optimism that future editions would attract even more participants and resources.
Participants Gain Practical CV Writing Skills.
The first technical session was facilitated by Mr. Abdul Noor Luttamaguzi, a PhD student in the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences within the School of Bio sciences at Makerere University, a Senior Fisheries Officer with Luweero District Local Government, and the founder and director of the ANL Foundation, an organization that supports youth employment and capacity building.
During the session, he guided participants on developing competitive CVs tailored to specific professionals and employer expectations. He emphasized that applicants should customize their CVs to suit each opportunity instead of submitting the same document for every application. Participants also learned how effectively present their education, work experience, leadership roles technical competencies and professional achievements, while avoiding unnecessary personal information. Practical demonstrations using professional specific CVs provided participants with hands on examples of preparing competitive job application documents.
Looking Ahead.
The Writing Summer School continues throughout the week sessions on application letter writing, responsible use of artificial intelligence, professional communication and other essential writing skills aimed at improving academic productivity and employablity.
Through initiatives such as the Writing Summer School, Makerere University continues to strengthen its commitment to producing graduates who are not academically accomplished but also equipped with practical communication skills that enable them to compete and lead in today’s global workplace.
-
General2 weeks agoRE-ADVERT: Admission to Undergraduate Programmes 2026/27
-
General2 weeks agoStakeholders of Mastercard Foundation Initiatives at Makerere University Convene to Review Progress and Strengthen Collaboration
-
General6 days agoPress Release: Updates on Makerere University’s Staffing, 2026/7 Academic Calendar, Ebola Response Leadership
-
General2 weeks agoMakerere Strengthens Capacity to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Violence
-
General4 days agoDVCAA Commends RENU Industrial Training Programme, Calls for its Expansion