In a historic move aimed at revolutionizing postgraduate education and research across East Africa, Makerere University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with five prominent universities. The agreement, formalized on May 24, brings together the University of Addis Ababa (AAU), the University of Rwanda (UR), Makerere University (Mak), Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Jönköping University, Sweden.
The newly established collaboration seeks to address critical institutional constraints that have hindered the development of high-quality postgraduate programs. These constraints include a shortage of senior researchers and professors available for supervision, as well as limited funding for research. By pooling resources and expertise, the partnership aims to overcome these challenges and significantly improve the quality of postgraduate education and research output within the member institutions.
While signing the MoU on behalf of Makerere University, The Ag. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Umar Kakumba emphasized the importance of leveraging collective strengths to enhance academic excellence and research impact. He also expressed optimism that the collaboration will create new opportunities for faculty and students to engage in cutting-edge research and contribute to addressing pressing societal challenges.
In Makerere University, the MoU will be implemented by the Departments of Policy and Development Economics, School of Economics.
The signing was witnessed by the Director of International Development Collaboration, at Jönköping University, Lars Hartvigson. He said his institution had been collaborating with the different universities and now sought to make this collaboration a joint venture between the six institutions.
Goals and Expected Outcomes
The overarching goal of this partnership is to enhance understanding of management and economic sciences, equipping leaders in public and private sectors with the skills necessary to drive national and regional growth and development. Specific objectives include:
- Improving the quality of teaching and supervision in postgraduate programs.
- Increasing research output among faculty members.
- Enhancing the utilization of research findings by policymakers in both the public and private sectors.
To achieve these objectives, the partnership has outlined a series of activities, including:
- Staff exchanges for teaching and supervision roles in postgraduate programs.
- Student exchanges to participate in training offered by the member universities.
- Joint research projects and publications.
- Collaborative research dissemination through conferences and workshops.
- External examination of PhD and master’s courses by faculty from partner institutions.
- Capacity-building seminars for staff.
- Development and delivery of customized short courses.
- Information exchange on research opportunities and publications.
- Joint grant proposal writing aligned with the partnership’s objectives.
A Unified Vision for Regional Development
Prof. Eria Hisali, the Principal Of the College of Business and Management Sciences, emphasized the significance of this partnership: “This MoU marks a pivotal moment for higher education in East Africa. By leveraging our collective strengths, we aim to create a robust educational framework that not only elevates academic standards but also fosters socio-economic development across the region.”
The partnership is poised to create a dynamic and integrated educational ecosystem, promoting excellence in research and higher education. As the universities embark on this collaborative journey, they set a precedent for regional cooperation and intellectual advancement, ultimately contributing to the broader goals of national and regional development.