Positioning Makerere University as the Centre of Growth for National Development

1. Positioning Makerere University as the Centre of Growth for National Development A Paper Presented to the Mini-Stakeholders Meeting 3rd August 2012 Professor V. Baryamureeba Ag. Vice Chancellor Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.

2. Contents • Introduction; • The University strategy; • Creating an enabling Environment; • Opportunities for Advancement; • The way forward.

3. Introduction • The transition to knowledge based economies and increased use of ICTs places higher education institutions at the root of economic development • These institutions are critical in fundamental areas of human capital development, research & innovations and the capacity to utilise generated knowledge through partnerships with communities (incl. Private and public sectors) • Hence there is need to devise mechanisms that will ensure sustained relevance of higher education at the community, national and international arenas. • This is the bedrock for Makerere University's strategy

4. The University Strategic Plan • Vision To be the leading institution for academic excellence and innovations in Africa • Mission To provide innovative teaching, learning, research and services responsive to National and Global needs.

5. Teaching & Learning Knowledge Transfer Part. & Networking Research & Innovations Quality AssuranceGender Mainstreaming Internationalization Res. Mob & Invest Fin. Mgt. Human Res. Lib. Services ICT Phy. Infras. & Planning Organ & Mgt Staff & Student Social Services Mak Strategic Pillars

6. Pillars of the University Strategic Plan (core functions) • A research led University where research and teaching/learning are mutually reinforcing • Moving from teacher centred instruction to learner centred/ problem based instruction • Paradigm shift from Outreach to Knowledge transfer partnerships andnetworking

7. Our thrust • To place the university at the heart of development in: • health, agriculture, Science, technology development and transfer • as well as champion the government intent of transforming society from peasantry to prosperity (National Development Plan).

8. Implications of learner centred pedagogy • A retooling of the academic staff to reorient them towards learner centred pedagogy • Restructuring the academic facilities to make them suitable for learner centred instruction • Re-orienting the mind -set of the learners from being recipients of knowledge to active participants in the knowledge acquisition process.

9. Implications of learner centred pedagogy cont. • Increasing in the number of multidisciplinary and generalist courses to supplement the core disciplinary programmes. • Increasing public - private partnership in academic provision. • Curriculum review and design, field attachments and the provision of real life experiences to the students.

10. Research and Innovations: Placing the University at the centre of National Development Rationale • Universities are the bedrock of knowledge generation • Makerere University as the cradle of higher education in Uganda should play an active role in knowledge production, innovations and effective utilisation

11. Research and Innovations: Placing the University at the centre of National Development The University is re-positioning herself to becoming a Research-led University Figure 1: The University Research Trajectory

12. Research Focus • Preventive, curative and health management innovations (HIV/ AIDS, reproductive & mental health; degenerative diseases such as cancer) • Increased agricultural productivity through disease resistant varieties ( value chain expanded to incld. agro processing, value addition and entrepreneurship for agro based products) • Research in transport technologies and establishment of alternative energy ( the famous Kiira EV).

13. Research Focus contd. • good governance, service delivery needs, conflict resolution, and land reforms • gender, culture, diversity and social norms

14. Research Environment-Some Established- Research Infrastructure • Bio- technology, bio medicine and bio-chemistry laboratories • Avian Influenza research laboratory, Imaging Centre • Centre For Research and Energy Conservation (CREC). • Demographic Surveillance Site • Infectious Disease Institute

15. Research Dissemination • Beyond the academic frontiers of published findings e.g. public dissemination seminars of PhD research findings • Target areas where research is relevant for improving livelihoods through partnerships with public and private sector • Focus of ownership of the overall research process

16. Implications of Research Drive • Increased partnership and research ownership in the design, implementation, dissemination and utilisation of research. • Conducive policies that will stimulate additional research at the national and the university level; • Avenues for dissemination and utilisation of research- ie government ministries, private sectors, regional and international networks; • Increased funding for research from the established and un-established partnerships, Government Ministries, the private sector and civil society.

17. Knowledge transfer partnerships • Focus is on interface between Communities (incl. Private and public sectors) and Academiathrough integrating community development modules or field attachment into the curricular. • This prepares students to work in the communities after graduation, directly contribute to service delivery in the communities and improves the community - university relationship.

18. Examples Knowledge transfer partnerships • Infectious Disease Institute (IDI): includingHIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. • Internship/ field attachments: Deployment of students on internships to local communities   (incl. Private and public sectors)

19. Examples Knowledge transfer partnerships cont’d • Community Based Education and Research for Students (COBERS): - Through this initiative the college of health sciences is spreading health support to different parts of the country. • This has immensely contributed to addressing health inequities between rural and urban communities in Uganda. • This academic year 53 health facilities are partnering under the initiative. • The college is moving towards accreditation of these centres. • The initiative has received positive evaluation and feedback from both the communities served and the medical ‘experts’ involved in terms of the capacity to improve health care.

20. Examples Knowledge transfer partnerships cont’d • Governance: Public debates on issues of national and international concern are hosted by Makerere University aimed at contributing to better policy formulation, • championed by The School of law and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences focusing on domestic violence, land reform and human rights;

21. Examples Knowledge transfer partnerships cont’d • The Demographic Surveillance Site: Community development through provision of important data on health and population issues. • This multidisciplinary site, the only one of its kind in the country has filled the gap that is left by the existing inadequacies in births, deaths and other socially useful data in records keeping systems. • Current initiatives include four research studies in the areas of Uganda Newborn Survival Study (UNEST), Epilepsy and its treatment, Malaria vaccine trial and a TB surveillance

22. Support under the Presidential Initiative since 2010/11 Supported units: • College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology (CEDAT), • College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), specifically the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-engineering; • College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources & Bio-security (COVAB).

23. Supported Projects under the presidential initiative since 2010/11 cont’d • The Africa Institute for Strategic Animal Resource Services and Development (AFRISA). • Food Technology and Business Incubation Centre. • Technology Innovations: • The Innovations Systems and Clusters Programme • The Uganda Gatsby Trust • MakaPads • Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) • The Industrial Parks project

24. Implications of knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP). • Increased the visibility of the University as a champion of national development; • Enhances capacity for networks and collaboration between academia and the communities in which the initiatives are implemented; • Experiential learning augments the versatility of the students produced. • Production of an all- round and relevant graduate who has capacity to operate in a diversity of environments particularly the rural areas.

25. Some of the Makerere University Institutional Development Partners. • Government of Uganda, • Government of Sweden, • Government of Norway, • Netherlands Government, • The Carnegie Corporation of New York, • The Rockefeller Foundation, • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and • The Millennium Science Initiative to mention but a few.

26. Creating an Enabling Environment • The university strategy has focused on human resource as a prime resource. • Issues of staff attraction and retention are fundamental to the continued sustenance of the establishment. • We acknowledge that staff attraction and retention extend beyond the financial to include and appropriate working environment and opportunities for growth and developmentof the University.

27. University Reforms/ Change management • The University Research, Administrative and Financial Reforms Committee (URAFR) was constituted in 2008 to steer the reform process. • Have developed OrganisationalManual and the Research Manual. • URAFR recommended the establishment of constituent colleges as key academic and administrative units that would anchor the proposed reforms. • Nine Colleges and one school in transition were established • Change Management Committee in Place

28. University Colleges/School • College of Health Sciences (CHS); • College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES); • College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS); • College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS); • College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT); • College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) • College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS); • College of Education and External Studies (CEES); • College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (CoVAB) • The School of Law

29. Financial Reforms • The aim was to increase capacity for optimal utilisation of University’s financial resources, through processes that improve the effectiveness and efficiency in financial management. • Development of policies, financial management guidelines that will streamline, collection, allocation and utilisation of financial resources. • The reforms have outlined improved process for budgeting, resource mobilization, accounting, receipts and payments as well as financial reporting. • This process is designed to create meaningful financial decentralization, retooling staff handling financial management and establishing a robust financial management information system.

30. Opportunities for further support • Increase in research capacity in modernising research laboratories, further re-equipping and refurbishing; • Development of ICT teaching capacity especially access to band width and e-resources; • Strengthening ties with the local government, NGOs, private sector and the public sector to enhance internships and field attachments; • Bridging the gender gap especially in the science based disciplines for students and higher academic ranks for staff and more female positions at executive level;

31. Opportunities for further support cont’d • Development of a framework that will fully operationalise the University strategic direction of a learner centred university; • Improve public relations, communication strategy and networking at national level; • Strengthening the mechanism for staff attraction, development and retention; • Enhance the change management process that is designed to integrate administrative and financial reforms in the university activities.

32. Acknowledgements • We wish to acknowledge the contribution of our Development Partners, the Government of Uganda, the private sector and parents, staff and students • Your valuable input has been the foundation for what we are,have been, what we are and what we envisage to become, as we celebrate 90 years of Makerere University.

33. WE BUILD FOR THE FUTURE INVITATION TO MAK@90, 04/08/2012 AT 10.00AM I thank you