_{By Moses Lutaaya}

The Director of Graduate Training at Makerere University, Prof. Julius Kikooma, has challenged PhD students to ensure that their research directly contributes to solving Uganda’s pressing societal challenges, saying postgraduate research must move beyond academic theory to real-world transformation.

Prof. Kikooma made the remarks on Monday, May 25, 2026, during the closure of a 10-day PhD cross-cutting training in Advanced Research Methods held at the Main Library Room 24/7 at Makerere University. The blended training, which started on May 11, attracted more than 250 PhD students physically and online from different colleges and schools across the university.

The training was organized by the Directorate of Graduate Training and supported by iCARTA as part of Makerere’s efforts to strengthen doctoral education and research capacity.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Kikooma praised the team of facilitators led by Prof. Stella Neema and Prof. Christopher Mugimu, among others for not only teaching technical research content but also mentoring students into becoming the next generation of impactful researchers.

“I think they are also mentors. They have been mentoring you into the role of the next generation of researchers,” Prof. Kikooma said, noting that the facilitators had given students a framework for thinking critically about research and understanding what the university expects from doctoral scholars.

He emphasized that Makerere University is intentional about producing graduates whose research contributes solutions rather than adding to society’s challenges.

“What we do here should reassure the nation that the products from Makerere University are contributing to solutions. They are not adding to problems but adding to solutions,” he said.

According to Prof. Kikooma, the knowledge and tools acquired during the intensive training should not merely help students earn degrees, but should prepare them to generate insights, innovations and evidence-based solutions for communities and policymakers.

“At this point there are many things happening which still don’t have proper answers and do not have people spending sufficient time to study them. We expect your studies to become part of what the country will use to solve some of the problems,” he added.

Prof. Kikooma revealed that the Directorate of Graduate Training has adopted the theme “Postgraduate Research for Transformation,” aimed at ensuring that all doctoral research connects to broader societal needs.

“Gone are the days where you engage in research and knowledge creation for the sake of knowledge. Your work must translate into innovative solutions and insights that help policy makers make better decisions,” he said.

He further explained that the Directorate’s role goes beyond coordinating academic programmes to intentionally exposing students to cross-cutting competencies such as critical thinking, interdisciplinary, communication skills and problem-solving.

The Advanced Research Methods course is one of the mandatory PhD cross-cutting courses at Makerere University alongside Philosophy of Methods and Scholarly Writing. The courses are undertaken during the first year of the PhD journey, either in semester one or semester two.

Prof. Kikooma said the cross-cutting nature of the course is designed to help students appreciate that modern societal challenges cannot be solved through isolated disciplines.

“The issues that will lead to solutions do not come in compartments. That is why these courses are called cross-cutting,” he said.

He commended the interdisciplinary approach used by facilitators drawn from different academic backgrounds, saying it equips researchers with broader perspectives needed to address complex societal issues.

He also urged students to ensure their research becomes meaningful beyond the thesis by producing outputs capable of engaging policymakers, communities and other stakeholders.

“We have redefined the outputs that need to come out of your research beyond the thesis,” he explained. “Your research should count in different ways.”

In a message that resonated strongly with the participants, Prof. Kikooma encouraged the PhD students to become creators of opportunities instead of job seekers.

“You create problems when you leave the university with the mentality of looking for a job. All these things should translate into defining opportunities for yourselves and for others,” he said.

He acknowledged that the blended and learner-centered approach may have been challenging for some students, but said it was intentionally designed to build resilience required during the demanding PhD journey.

“As you go forward, make sure your research counts and that you become part of the solution,” he concluded.

Speaking after the training, Prof. Stella Neema, an Associate Professor of Medical Anthropology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Makerere University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, described the course as highly transformative for participants from different academic traditions.

“This course was blended. We had people online and others physically present in this big classroom. Initially, participants from different paradigms were not talking much to each other,” Prof. Neema said.

She explained that by the end of the training, students who were quantitatively oriented had developed appreciation for qualitative approaches and vice versa.

“The positivists and interpretive scholars have learned from each other. They learned designing research tools, citations, and also how to protect human research participants through ethics training,” she said.

Prof. Neema added that the course exposed students to practical ethical challenges in research and strengthened their commitment to complete their doctoral studies successfully.

“They admitted to us that they are going to use what they have learned to further their research processes. Many told us they are determined to complete their PhDs on time,” she noted.

She further said the training aligns well with Makerere University’s strategic agenda as a research-led institution and supports Uganda’s national development agenda through innovation, industrialization and scientific problem-solving.

“This research training is like a springboard for Uganda’s areas of investigation and national development,” Prof. Neema said.

The Advanced Research Methods training is part of Makerere University’s broader strategy to strengthen doctoral research excellence, interdisciplinary scholarship and transformative innovation aimed at addressing national and global challenges.