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Uganda Digital Pathways Initiative: Another Lifeline for Youth

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The Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi on Tuesday 29th April 2025 met with a delegation whose vision is to transform Uganda into East Africa’s premier digital skills hub through equipping 200,000 youth and professionals with digital and cybersecurity skills by 2027. The ambitious programme is a strategic collaboration between Deborah’s Impact Projects Africa-Uganda (DIPA-U), Africa World Train Center (AWTC) and the Office of the First Lady of Uganda (OFLU), with Ugandan Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as partners.

The delegation included; Ms. Elinor Wanyama Chemonges-Head DIPA-U, Ms. Betty Byanyima-Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)/DIPA-U, and Ms. Beat Bisangwa-OFLU. In attendance were Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Dr. Rodney Rugyema-Deputy Dean of Students, Mr. Awel Uwihanganye-Head Advancement and other officials.

The presentation by the delegation noted that the proposed programme creates a dual benefit of addressing digital opportunities and creating sustainable employment in high-growth digital sectors. The programme will begin with foundational IT and cybersecurity training before branching off into specialized career tracks in technical cybersecurity, compliance, IT Helpdesk, tech sales and marketing.

The training will be implemented in three phases commencing in May 2025 with IT fundamentals before delving into specialized career tracks and industry certifications in December 2025, and thereafter, workplace integration, business partnerships and freelancing skills in the third phase slated to commence in 2026. 20,000 participants are anticipated to be trained during the first phase, while the second and third phases envision training 80,000 and 100,000 participants respectively, bringing the total to 200,000.

Ms. Elinor Wanyama Chemonges (Left) presents on behalf of the delegation. Uganda Digital Pathways Initiative Meeting with Deborah’s Impact Projects Africa-Uganda (DIPA-U), Africa World Train Center (AWTC) and the Office of the First Lady of Uganda (OFLU), with Ugandan Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), 29th April 2025, Makerere University, Kampala, East Africa.
Ms. Elinor Wanyama Chemonges (Left) presents on behalf of the delegation.

The Uganda Digital Pathways Initiative was officially launched by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs. Janet Kataaha Museveni on 22nd March 2025, where the first student, Miss Precious Keza pre-registered for the initiative. The event held at the Freedom Square, Makerere University was part of the Mantle of Deborah National Conference, an apostolic and prophetic movement aimed at equipping women for leadership, purpose and national transformation.

In his remarks, Prof. Buyinza welcomed and thanked the delegation for choosing Makerere University as partner for the initiative, adding “Our business is training; anything to do with digital skills improvement is welcome and we are excited and committed to transform the mindset of our graduates so as to make them more marketable.”

He further lauded the delegation for including the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) in the deliberations, noting that Makerere is always appreciative of inroads made in linking industry with academia for skills enhancement of graduates.

Contributing to the discussion, Prof. Tonny Oyana reassured the delegation that CoCIS is will be happy to co-create and co-design curricula with the initiative, which he opined can be offered as a short course. “We look forward to designing an experience that gives measurable outcomes.”

Furthermore, Dr. Rodney Rugyema underlined the Office of the Dean of Students willingness to mobilise students to pre-register for the initiative. He nevertheless requested the delegation to share more information on what will inform enrolment for the specialized career tracks so as to enable participants envision how their skills will contribute to the greater goal of transforming Uganda into East Africa’s premier digital skills.

Today’s meeting will be followed by a virtual meeting with the Africa World Train Center (AWTC) to further thresh out finer details on curricula and implementation.

Participants are encouraged to pre-register using the link: https://www.africaworldtraincenter.org/digital-pathways  

Mark Wamai

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72 Makerere University Students Admitted to 2026 Millennium Fellowship

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Female and male students along the Main Building Walkway on a bright sunny day, 6th May 2026. Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

72 undergraduate students of Makerere University have successfully been admitted to the Millennium Fellowship Class of 2026, an initiative of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN) and United Nations Academic Impact. Makerere’s Fellows were selected from a record-breaking 76,000 applicants from over 6,000 campuses across 174 countries to participate in the ambitious programme.

According to the Fellowship website, the programme aims to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN Academic Impact Principles a reality on campuses, in classrooms and throughout communities. Millennium Fellows are university undergraduates selected for their leadership on sustainable development projects in their communities. As Fellows, they complete a semester-long leadership development programme that strengthens their student organizing, partnership-building and community-impact skills.

In his congratulatory message to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Sam Vaghar the Executive Director, MCN shared that Over 330 campuses across 60 nations have been selected to host 2026 Millenium Fellows. “Congratulations to you and Makerere University for having a cohort of Millennium Fellows from your student body again this year!”

Makerere University’s 2026 Millennium Fellows are:

Aber OkeeAbigaba PraiseAinebyoona Innocent
Ainomugisha PreciousAjollo JavuruAkambona Anold
Akello MilthyAllen BabiryeAngel Nuwaha
Apio HellenArnold EsokuAsinde Proscovia
Atuma KisaalaAwate BrownBabirye Patricia
Baguma SolomonBaingana PatrickBarbara Akwiacwiny
Basemera GrantBenardete NakwirisaBilly Garvin Ssemyalo
Blessing AbaasaBulyaba HalimahCherotich Emmanuel
Claire OmodoDedeng LochulDenise Kainomugisha
Diphas KuchanaEmmanuel OporiEsther Kiire
Esther NantambiEvas AkelloGift Nagasha
Haulat NampijjaIyundhu KisameJanet Acaye
Joan NamugaluJoshua MugwanyaJovet Turyatunga
Julian AtimKibenge ShaficMable Apwot
Malinga AnthonyMariot KabarungiMercy Akampurira
Mukisa EzraMukisa MayendeMurungi Marion
Mutebi WillyNabirye KiiryaNahson Kahangwa
Nansubuga GloriaNasasira SeeziNyamuganya Kiconco
Precious NakiryowaPrisca AkelloRashidah Nampiima
Rogers AbongaRose Peter TabanSeida Jackline
Shadia NambasaShamirah KisuuleSharifah Kasa
Sheila MurungiSherina KiraboTumusiime Markline
Tusiime CarolineVicent SsebunyaVictor Musana
Victoria MulagoWaswa AndrewYuda Tadeo Katusiime

Millennium Fellows are engaged in projects that collectively advance all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and all 10 and UN Academic Impact Principles.

Below is a sample of the work of the Class of 2026.

At Harvard University, a UN Academic Impact member institution in the United States of America, Millennium Fellows are expanding OpenDoor, an AI-powered platform that helps people navigate retraining, job opportunities and pathways into high-demand careers. The project grew from their work with people experiencing homelessness and from seeing how difficult workforce programmes can be to navigate even when support exists. Advancing SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, it expects to reach about 7,500 people during the Fellowship.

At the University of Ilorin, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Nigeria, Millennium Fellows are building what they describe as Africa’s first green AI policy framework, helping policymakers and developers understand how artificial intelligence can advance while reducing energy use, pollution and material waste. Aligned with SDG 13: Climate Action, it expects to reach about 75 people during the Fellowship.

At BRAC University, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Bangladesh, a Millennium Fellow is advancing SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production through a start-up replacing single-use products with environmentally friendly alternatives. Its current focus is a paper pen that uses roughly 90 per cent less plastic than a conventional pen, with a seed built in so it can grow into a plant when properly disposed of. The project expects to reach about 450 people.

At Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Moldova, a Millennium Fellow is advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being by studying how environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity may affect recovery after brain surgery. By bringing simple digital monitoring tools into postoperative care, the project aims to help doctors make timelier decisions.

We wish our Millennium Fellows an impactful fellowship.

View Official Announcement

Mak Editor

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Undergraduate Admission Lists 2026/2027

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Students in discussion groups at Freedom Square.

The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released admission lists of candidates admitted under the Talented Sports Men & Women, Disability and District Quota Schemes with Government sponsorship 2026/27 Academic Year including appeals and remarked cases.

Other admission lists released include A-Level Applicants with Ugandan and those with Foreign Qualifications, Diploma in Performing Arts, Mature-Age Entry and Bachelor of Education (EXTERNAL Batch 2) for the Academic Year 2026/2027 under self sponsorship.

The cut-off points points can be accessed by following the link: https://mak.ac.ug/study-mak/cut-points

Kindly follow the links below to access the lists:-

Update 17th August 2026

Admission list for Re-advertised Programmes (Diploma/Degree and International Applicants). Re-advertised on 7th July 2026 here.

Update 10th August 2026

Update 3rd August 2026

Update 27th July 2026

Update 3rd July 2026

International & East African Applicants

Mop-up Lists

Mak Editor

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Makerere jumps 200 positions in latest global rankings

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Screenshot of the Makerere University Ranking July 2026 - Webometrics Global Position. Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University‘s position in the July 2026 edition of the Webometrics Rankings has improved from 925th to 776th globally and from 13th to 11th on the Continent, compared to the January 2026 edition. Makerere remains the top-ranked University in Uganda and East Africa.

The new rankings are as a result of improved performance in the Impact Rank, which measures the number of external domains referring/linking to Makerere (from 1,593 to 1,185) and the Excellence Rank, which measures Research papers in the top 10% most cited between 2019 and 2023 (from 1,095 to 715).

Please see the attached screenshots for details or view Makerere‘s rankings online using the link below:

https://www.webometrics.org/makerere-university

The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities aims to recognize and promote the digital transformation of higher education institutions by evaluating how effectively they reflect their academic, research, and societal contributions online.

We remain committed to ensuring that all our good work in teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, and partnerships continues to be reflected online through various journals and other platforms.

Mak Editor

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