I warmly congratulate all the Graduands and our hardworking staff upon their perseverance that has culminated into the 75th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University. This success has been made possible by the sacrifices and diligence of your parents, guardians, sponsors, families and friends. We equally congratulate them upon their respective contributions.
In a special way, I wish to congratulate Hon. Dr. Crispus Kiyonga upon his appointment as Chancellor of Makerere University. Dr. Kiyonga, an alumnus of Makerere University, has had a distinguished career as a Physician, Statesman and Diplomat, and thus, is well positioned to serve as titular head of this great institution, especially as we continue to strategically align with Government programmes to drive high technology innovation, commercialisation of research outputs and wealth creation.
Makerere University by virtue of her status as a Government institution and a globally acclaimed University continues to enjoy generous funding from the Government of Uganda as well as our development partners. This funding has enabled us to boost our research capacity through training staff at Masters, PhD and Post-doctoral level, produce more research and innovations, improve our laboratory infrastructure, grow our international networks and contribute to the attainment of National Development Priorities as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I am happy to note that with the support of Government through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), we have not only been able to fund a number of innovations that are set for commercialization, but also supported PhD Research that addresses national development priorities.
I equally applaud our development partners whose generous support has contributed to training staff, conducting research and the establishment of Innovation Hubs aimed at creating job opportunities for our young people.
On 22nd October 2024, Makerere University in partnership with Kiira Motors Corporation, and UNDP Uganda, launched the Skilling Programme in Electric Mobility and Associated Technologies, aimed at building the required pool of young people to drive Uganda’s electric mobility and related technologies for industrial application. Additionally, on 19th November 2024, we signed an MoU with The Innovation Village to establish the Research2Industry (R2I) platform. The platform will provide infrastructure that fosters innovation and resource sharing as well as streamline the path from research to commercialization through funding mechanisms that remove barriers and accelerate impact.
Therefore, as you leave the gates of Makerere today, I wish to reassure you that your alma mater remains committed to not only providing impactful education, but also nurturing innovations and partnerships that contribute to your employability and our national development priorities.
Once again, I congratulate the Graduands, our staff, parents, guardians and sponsors upon achieving this milestone and pray that God will grant you good health and keep you safe, as We Build for the Future.
Makerere University School of Public Health, through the Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, is accepting applications for a two-week online short course on Introduction to Decision Modelling for Economic Evaluation.
The course will introduce participants to the principles and practical application of decision modelling in economic evaluation, covering Markov modelling, evidence synthesis, model development, validation, sensitivity analysis and interpretation of results to inform policy and resource allocation.
Convened by Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa, Associate Professor of Health Economics at MakSPH, the course will feature Dr. Joseph Babigumira, Managing Consultant at GHE Consulting, as Guest Lecturer.
The training targets health professionals, researchers, policymakers, students and other individuals interested in applying decision modelling to economic evaluation.
Dates: 9–20 November 2026 Time: 3:00–6:00 PM EAT Mode: Online via Zoom Fees: UGX 800,000 (Ugandans) | USD 270 (non-Ugandans) Application Deadline: 1 November 2026
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The meeting in session.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (L) presents an assortment of Makerere Souvenirs to Prof. Dingyu Ou (R).
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (L) presents an assortment of Makerere Souvenirs to Prof. Zhuoqiong Xia (R).
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
Makerere University School of Public Health invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for three positions under the Wellcome Trust-supported NETOMA study, which examines the coexistence of health worker shortages and unemployment among qualified health professionals in Africa.
Available Positions
Research Officer To coordinate longitudinal research, data management, quality assurance, and statistical analysis across study sites. Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21465
Policy Scientist To undertake health workforce policy research, evidence synthesis, qualitative analysis and knowledge translation. Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21468
Research Assistants To support participant recruitment, field data collection, research documentation, and analysis. Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21470
Application deadline: Friday, 16 October 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EAT .