Makerere University hosted an insightful and educational national workshop at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) conference hall on July 29, 2025 aimed at citing ways how Higher Education can be improved into innovation and research-led learning as well as how education can be changed from the traditional learning to competence-based learning. The workshop was based on the theme, “Reimagining Higher Education for a Skills-Based, Innovation-Led Economy”.

The event commenced with a tour of exhibitions which featured innovations like, skin care products (With love) body jelly created by Raphaelina Okoth a student from Mbarara University of Science and Technology, designed to provide effective hydration for different skin types, and an AI powered medical diagnosis system (Integrated healthcare system) designed to reduce waiting times in health care settings, featuring emergency management capabilities and patient doctor communication tools developed by Hargreave Aturinzire a student from the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS). Other innovations included Mobile App similar to Uber that helps users find trustworthy mechanics in case a car breaks down in an emergency, reducing delays and inconveniences through features like voice support and photo uploads, developed by students based at the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak UniPod).  Developed by Bill Canton Ojoke and Nanzala Joyce. M both students from CEDAT, a water quality testing prototype for fish farmers that automatically monitors parameters like temperature, PH, and ammonia levels sending SMS alerts when issues are detected was also showcased. Also exhibited was an automated precision irrigation system designed to solve issues of over and under irrigation problems, developed by students from College of Health Sciences (CHS) and College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) among others.

Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, expressed his appreciation to the citizens and Government of the People’s Republic of China who made the funds available to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to undertake the important assignment, the China Funds In Trust (CFIT) project. He further thanked the government of Uganda for supporting innovations and technology taking place at different universities.

“I am really encouraged that they are still some Ugandans who receive other people’s money and put it to good use; they are people with integrity which helps our country to move forward,” said Prof. Nawangwe.

He made mention of the success of other countries like South Korea and China in innovation and the need for Uganda to follow suit as this will boost the economy of the country, and demonstrate the importance of promoting innovation and research.

He emphasized the importance of creating jobs for the growing youth population to stabilize the state of Uganda, a task that is upon Ugandans themselves and not anybody else from any country, “The bulk of industrialization in Uganda must be by Ugandans and particularly the young people who have had the opportunity to get higher education, especially in innovation and research related fields,” he said. “History will judge us harshly if we don’t do anything to create jobs for our people,” he argued.  

The Vice Chancellor discussed the challenge of low enrollment in higher education in Uganda and the need to produce more engineers and technologists. “We need to put our efforts together in order to have a reasonable impact,” he said.

Prof. Nawangwe called for collaboration among universities to have a significant impact on industrialization and job creation. He highlighted the role of Mak UniPod in producing companies and creating jobs. “I believe that through the training our students and staff undergo at the UniPod, we are going to begin churning out companies”, said Prof. Nawangwe.

He sounded a wakeup call on the importance of using current resources to make an impact and the potential risks of relying on external aid. “This is not going to be there all the time as the funders can wake up in the morning and freeze all the funds”, said the Vice Chancellor. He said this in relation to the United States of America’s act of withdrawing their funding from UNESCO. “This should be a very good lesson,” he commented.

Deputy Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Prof. Nixon Kamukama highlighted the success of the project, mentioning that six African countries participated, with Mbarara University and Makerere University being chosen from Uganda.

“Traditional lecture methods are being replaced with hands-on, student-centered training, the emphasis is on practical skills, with more time spent in the field rather than lecture halls”, he stated.

He further explained the training of lecturers under the CFIT project, with two cohorts completing the training and receiving certificates. This is in line with skilling and preparing for the students doing the new curriculum who are coming on board. “And it is our policy that as a lecturer, if you don’t have a certificate when it comes to 2027, it will be hard for you to appear on the timetable, because you will have no skills”, said Prof. Nixon.

However, he discussed the challenges of matching traditional lecturers with students trained in competence-based education. “It would be very difficult to match the traditional lecturer and the student who has trained differently”, he said.

He went on and said that there is a mismatch in training approaches, particularly affecting education students who struggle to find employment. Schools are finding it very difficult to employ Students who are doing education because they have not been taken through the competence-based curriculum”, he expressed.

He however encouraged the government to address employment issues by supporting competency-based education whereby a student can manage to start up a project and move on instead of looking for jobs.

Prof. Kamukama also emphasized the need for practical training. “You need farms that will engage all these students, 80% of the time should be spent in the field. We have to take lecture rooms to the industries or bring industries to the lecture rooms”, he stated.

He explained that traditional lecture methods are becoming obsolete, with a shift towards hands-on training. “Soon lecturers and professors are going to put aside their yellow notes and we move on”, he said.

He acknowledged the role of artificial intelligence in education with a focus on practical skills.

Mr. Timothy Ssejjoba, the Commissioner University Education and Training in the Ministry of Education and Sports, expressed gratitude to UNESCO for their coordination efforts and securing funds from the People’s Republic of China.

In his remarks, he highlighted the focus on competence-based assessment systems to prepare students for employment. “I think this project is really leading higher technical education into employment”, he stated.

Mr. Ssejjoba introduced the concept of green skills and their importance in creating a sustainable world. “We need to ensure that whatever we do, we do it in a way that would enable the world to be here long after us”, he commented.

He further mentioned the upcoming training on green skills to ensure that the education system empowers learners to sustainably develop the world. In this he emphasized the need for the education system to support and embrace green skills development.

Mrs. Nasaba Rosemary a representative from UNESCO, congratulated Makerere University and MUST upon their competence based education initiatives. And on this note, she emphasized the importance of celebrating success and innovation in education.

She further mentioned the pride felt by UNESCO due to the universities’ achievements and hoped that the successful model will be replicated across all universities and schools in Uganda.

The UNESCO representative discussed the importance of hands on learning and practical experience in education. “We need people who have learned from experience, that’s why we are very proud that you are looking at competence and hands on approaches”, she stated.

When one walks through the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University, one definitely feels the positive energy and a growing desire to write a research grant.

The new motivation for scholars at the College of Education and External Studies to focus on writing and winning grants, stems from the good news that has been spreading like a wild fire – that a team of dedicated College staff, partnering with key entities, have won a grant worth one million EUROS (about UGX4 billion).

The grant is to support the implementation of a research titled, Transitioning Higher Education Regulators and Universities to Competence Based Education in East and West Africa.

Makerere University is the Lead partner in the implementation of the grant, courtesy of the following members of staff from the College of Education and External Studies who dared the long days and nights to write the proposal: Associate Prof. Josephine Esaete (Principal Investigator), Dr. Alfred Buluma (Co-Principal Investigator), Dr. Michael Walimbwa, Dr. Julius Shopi Mbulankende, and Ms Teddy Nassali.

The grant brings on board a consortium of nine (9) partners from Uganda, Ghana, Spain and Portugal. These include: Makerere University (Lead Partner), Mountains of the Moon University, University of Ghana, University of Education-Weniba, University of Barcelona, Pedagogical Institute of Portugal, National Council for Higher Education-Uganda, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM).

On receipt of the good news, the College Principal, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, congratulated his staff upon the remarkable milestone, which positions Makerere University and the College of Education and External Studies at the centre of transforming the education sector in Africa. Prof. Mugagga noted that winning such a grant was timely, as Uganda continues to take steps to implement competence-based learning at the primary, secondary and university levels of education.

On Thursday 24^th July 2025, the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, commended Prof. İbrahim Hakan Karataş, an international Postdoctoral Research Fellow from Turkey, for his contribution to research and graduate training at Makerere University in particular, and Uganda at large.

Prof. Karataş has undertaken research on Uganda’s Higher Education considering its broader political, economic and academic context, in order to contribute to a comparative study aligned with Turkey-Africa vision and internationalization policies in higher education.

Prof. Karataş is a scholar and researcher. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Turkish language and literature. He earned his PhD in Educational Leadership in 2008. He is an academic, who has served in the capacity of Assistant Professor as well as Head of Educational Administration Department at the Medeniyet University in Istanbul, Turkey.

Prof. Karataş has worked with academic staff at School of Education including Dr. Charles Kyasanku and Dr. Alfred Buluma to write papers focusing on Uganda’s higher education sector. He has also engaged and involved graduate students in research and publication undertakings.

Posted at the School of Education effective 15^th August 2024, Prof. Karataş completed his research fellowship at Makerere University on 24^th July 2025.

Bidding him farewell, Prof. Mugagga appreciated Prof. Karataş for choosing to work with staff in the College of Education and External Studies, and for his deliberate focus on research in higher education. Prof. Mugagga re-affirmed that Prof. Karataş’ research and findings will inform and enrich the higher education sector.

To ensure that Prof. Karataş continues to remember the institution, the College Principal presented to him, a Makerere University Necktie.  Prof. Mugagga noted that the souvenir would enable Prof. Karataş always rekindle the great memories about Makerere University and the College of Education and External Studies.