General
The Department of Environmental Management takes on Case Studies teaching methodology for better skilled students
The Department of Environmental Management at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Makerere University is introducing the use Case studies as a teaching methodology in order to produce better skilled students. Case based learning which has gained popularity overtime enables students learn from real life scenarios since it helps development of analytical thinking and identification of solutions to problems.
A stakeholder engagement was convened at Esella Hotel, Thursday 22nd August 2024, with the objective of defining and explaining the purpose of case studies. The meeting that brought together selected stakeholders was aimed at enlisting their involvement in case study development and to discuss how effective case studies can benefit all the stakeholders involved.
Prof. John Tabuti, the Principal Investigator said the project, “Strengthening education and research capacity for enhancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resources use (SDG-Partnership) is aimed at creating best practices for university teachers for purposes of teaching conservation sciences. ‘We are looking at improving how teachers deliver the material, creating better capacities among teachers on how to deliver material’, he said while explaining the project background to the participants. He said the meeting was convened to facilitate the process of developing content for teachers but also to enable the teachers to learn how to develop content for the case studies under package one of the ten work packages in the project gaining from the experiences of the participants.
Further, the PI revealed that three staff of Makerere University staff namely Prof. Vincent Muwanika, and Dr. Kenneth Balikowa from the Department of Environmental Management College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, together with Dr. Josephine Esaete from the College of Education and External Studies were undergoing training in case study development and were involved in developing materials. With support from DAAD the staff trained will cascade the skills acquired to other university staff who may want to utilize the case methodology in their teaching. The project is jointly implemented by Makerere University’s Department of Environmental Management, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and Central University of Technology, South Africa. It supports staff capacity building in writing and teaching using case study methodology, as well as other work packages in statistical analysis, and geographical information system management.
The meeting which was an interface between the staff getting trained in Case Study materials development and the stakeholders who are the sources of actual cases was attended by representatives from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Uganda Wild Life Authority, specifically Mt. Elgon conservation area, Pallisa District Local Government among others. The meeting gained consensus on the proposed cases to be developed from the experiences around the Kiteezi events of 10th August, 2024 in the area of governance, and environmental planning, the Lubigi wetland restoration efforts and the Mt. Elgon conservation area focusing on the conflict with the Benet communities.
Dr. Kenneth Balikowa one of the staff undergoing the training observed that Makerere University policy on teaching and learning allows a lot of flexibility and the policy direction was that staff and units find ways of operationizing the policy. ‘Such projects are helping us. Once trained, we shall be able to translate this knowledge to other staff from different colleges who may utilize the case methodology in delivering parts of the course’, he observed.
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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