Research
Mak-RIF Round 5, Track 2: PhD Research Grants 2023/2024 Request For Applications
Research
Makerere University Rolls Out Thesis Completion Grants to Accelerate PhD Research and Strengthen National Policy Impact
By Moses Lutaaya
KAMPALA — The Directorate of Graduate Training at Makerere University has launched a thesis completion grant aimed at supporting PhD students to complete their research, improve completion rates, and align academic work with Uganda’s national development priorities.
This was on Monday 8th June, 2026 at Telepresence hall at the Senate Building, Makerere University, where beneficiaries met with leadership of the Directorate Graduate Training.
Speaking at the rollout, Prof. Julius Kikooma said the initiative responds to long-standing funding gaps in doctoral training, which have historically left many researchers struggling to complete their studies.
“For quite a while, Makerere University, just like other institutions in the country, was predominantly supported by development partners when it comes to research support, because by nature research is very resource intensive,” Prof. Kikooma said.
He explained that much of the earlier support for PhD training came from development partners such as SIDA, which enabled many candidates to complete their studies. However, he noted that this support gradually ended around 2018–2019, leaving a significant gap in research funding.
“Around 2018–2019, that support came to an end. And so the gap became much more visible,” he said, adding that the university could not reverse its commitment to training PhD-level staff despite the financial constraints.
Prof. Kikooma said the university has since been working to mobilize internal resources to support doctoral students, noting that the new grant is intended to assist candidates who are already at advanced stages of their research.
“We thought it would be important that there is some money available which can help as you progress, even though we may not be able to shoulder the whole financial burden of your PhD research,” he said.
He emphasized that the fund is small but strategically targeted at critical activities such as fieldwork, data collection, and limited publication support. “The budget is very small, but we are convinced that there can be some progress based on that support,” he added.
Prof. Kikooma further said that beneficiaries will be required to implement their thesis completion activities or work within six months, submit a progress report after three months, and adhere to strict monitoring arrangements to ensure accountability and timely completion of their Doctoral studies.
“We are going to come up with a roadmap and follow you up just to make sure you don’t go off track,” he said, stressing that the funds are public resources that must be used within defined timelines.
He also underscored the importance of aligning research with national priorities and ensuring that doctoral work contributes beyond academia.
“Those days are gone now where research has no connection with any national interest,” he said. “The research that we do here must be clear and aligned with national priorities.”
He added that the university now expects PhD candidates to extract policy-relevant outputs from their research to contribute to national decision-making processes.
“We expect that from your work you extract something that can lead to a conversation around national issues and policy direction,” he said.
In a related address, Phillip Mawejje, the Principal accountant at the Directorate of Graduate Training confirmed that 18 PhD candidates had benefited from the revised grant following a budget review process.
“It is more than 10. We managed to facilitate 18 this time around based on your budgets,” Mawejje said, adding that all beneficiaries had received their funds or should immediately report any delays.
He instructed recipients to consult Dr. Nestor Mugabe to work with the revised budgets in line with the disbursed amounts.
“As I speak now, I believe all of you have the money. If you have not received it, please let us know,” he said.
Mawejje emphasized strict accountability requirements, noting that beneficiaries must account for the funds within 60 working days or earlier, depending on the nature of their research activities.
“We will need accountability for that money because this is public funds, and our instructions require that you account for the funds within 60 working days or less,” he said.
He added that while extensions may be considered in cases of ongoing research, progress reports must be provided to justify continued use of the funds.
“It is either earlier or within 60 days. If your work takes longer due to unavoidable circumstances, please give us progress reports,” he said.
He also announced that once the PhD candidates complete their studies, the university will organize a dissemination workshop to allow them to present their findings and demonstrate their contribution to society and the economy.
“We will conduct a workshop and then you come and disseminate your findings and how impactful it is to society and the economy,” he said.
The initiative is part of Makerere University’s broader effort to improve doctoral completion rates, strengthen research output, and ensure that academic work contributes directly to Uganda’s development agenda amid declining external research funding.
Research
Makerere Challenges PhD Students to Turn Research Into Solutions as Advanced Research Methods Training Ends
By Moses Lutaaya
The Director of Graduate Training at Makerere University, Prof. Julius Kikooma, has challenged PhD students to ensure that their research directly contributes to solving Uganda’s pressing societal challenges, saying postgraduate research must move beyond academic theory to real-world transformation.
Prof. Kikooma made the remarks on Monday, May 25, 2026, during the closure of a 10-day PhD cross-cutting training in Advanced Research Methods held at the Main Library Room 24/7 at Makerere University. The blended training, which started on May 11, attracted more than 250 PhD students physically and online from different colleges and schools across the university.
The training was organized by the Directorate of Graduate Training and supported by iCARTA as part of Makerere’s efforts to strengthen doctoral education and research capacity.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Kikooma praised the team of facilitators led by Prof. Stella Neema and Prof. Christopher Mugimu, among others for not only teaching technical research content but also mentoring students into becoming the next generation of impactful researchers.
“I think they are also mentors. They have been mentoring you into the role of the next generation of researchers,” Prof. Kikooma said, noting that the facilitators had given students a framework for thinking critically about research and understanding what the university expects from doctoral scholars.
He emphasized that Makerere University is intentional about producing graduates whose research contributes solutions rather than adding to society’s challenges.
“What we do here should reassure the nation that the products from Makerere University are contributing to solutions. They are not adding to problems but adding to solutions,” he said.
According to Prof. Kikooma, the knowledge and tools acquired during the intensive training should not merely help students earn degrees, but should prepare them to generate insights, innovations and evidence-based solutions for communities and policymakers.
“At this point there are many things happening which still don’t have proper answers and do not have people spending sufficient time to study them. We expect your studies to become part of what the country will use to solve some of the problems,” he added.
Prof. Kikooma revealed that the Directorate of Graduate Training has adopted the theme “Postgraduate Research for Transformation,” aimed at ensuring that all doctoral research connects to broader societal needs.
“Gone are the days where you engage in research and knowledge creation for the sake of knowledge. Your work must translate into innovative solutions and insights that help policy makers make better decisions,” he said.
He further explained that the Directorate’s role goes beyond coordinating academic programmes to intentionally exposing students to cross-cutting competencies such as critical thinking, interdisciplinary, communication skills and problem-solving.
The Advanced Research Methods course is one of the mandatory PhD cross-cutting courses at Makerere University alongside Philosophy of Methods and Scholarly Writing. The courses are undertaken during the first year of the PhD journey, either in semester one or semester two.
Prof. Kikooma said the cross-cutting nature of the course is designed to help students appreciate that modern societal challenges cannot be solved through isolated disciplines.
“The issues that will lead to solutions do not come in compartments. That is why these courses are called cross-cutting,” he said.
He commended the interdisciplinary approach used by facilitators drawn from different academic backgrounds, saying it equips researchers with broader perspectives needed to address complex societal issues.
He also urged students to ensure their research becomes meaningful beyond the thesis by producing outputs capable of engaging policymakers, communities and other stakeholders.
“We have redefined the outputs that need to come out of your research beyond the thesis,” he explained. “Your research should count in different ways.”
In a message that resonated strongly with the participants, Prof. Kikooma encouraged the PhD students to become creators of opportunities instead of job seekers.
“You create problems when you leave the university with the mentality of looking for a job. All these things should translate into defining opportunities for yourselves and for others,” he said.
He acknowledged that the blended and learner-centered approach may have been challenging for some students, but said it was intentionally designed to build resilience required during the demanding PhD journey.
“As you go forward, make sure your research counts and that you become part of the solution,” he concluded.
Speaking after the training, Prof. Stella Neema, an Associate Professor of Medical Anthropology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Makerere University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, described the course as highly transformative for participants from different academic traditions.
“This course was blended. We had people online and others physically present in this big classroom. Initially, participants from different paradigms were not talking much to each other,” Prof. Neema said.
She explained that by the end of the training, students who were quantitatively oriented had developed appreciation for qualitative approaches and vice versa.
“The positivists and interpretive scholars have learned from each other. They learned designing research tools, citations, and also how to protect human research participants through ethics training,” she said.
Prof. Neema added that the course exposed students to practical ethical challenges in research and strengthened their commitment to complete their doctoral studies successfully.
“They admitted to us that they are going to use what they have learned to further their research processes. Many told us they are determined to complete their PhDs on time,” she noted.
She further said the training aligns well with Makerere University’s strategic agenda as a research-led institution and supports Uganda’s national development agenda through innovation, industrialization and scientific problem-solving.
“This research training is like a springboard for Uganda’s areas of investigation and national development,” Prof. Neema said.
The Advanced Research Methods training is part of Makerere University’s broader strategy to strengthen doctoral research excellence, interdisciplinary scholarship and transformative innovation aimed at addressing national and global challenges.
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