Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Crispus Kiyonga has today appointed Professor Sarah Evelyn Nabwire Ssali as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, congratulated Prof. Ssali on the appointment, describing her as an outstanding scholar, administrator, and leader whose service will further strengthen the University’s academic excellence.
Prof. Ssali has had a distinguished career at Makerere University spanning over two decades. Until her appointment, she was the Acting Director of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), having previously served as Dean of the School of Women and Gender Studies (2017–2024). She is also the Director of the Centre of Excellence in African Identities under the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA).
An accomplished scholar, Prof. Ssali is a Professor of Gender and Development Studies and a prolific researcher with more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, several book chapters, and edited volumes to her name. Her research focuses on public policy, institutions, social transformation, gender, global health, health systems, and identity studies.
Beyond academia, she has contributed significantly to university governance, serving on Makerere University Council since 2010, the Appointments Board, and as Chair of several Council committees including Quality Assurance, Gender Mainstreaming and ICT. She has also played a leading role in curriculum reviews and policy reforms across the University.
Prof. Ssali holds a PhD in International Health Studies from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, a Master of Arts in Women and Gender Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (Political Science and Public Administration) from Makerere University.
Makerere University warmly congratulates Prof. Sarah Ssali on her appointment and looks forward to her leadership in steering academic affairs to greater heights.