The School of Economics, under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) at Makerere University hosted Prof. Jeanne Sorin, a visiting scholar from the University of Chicago.
Prof. Sorin is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth at the University of Chicago. She specializes in environmental economics, climate change, and urbanization, with research that applies economic analysis to real-world challenges, including projects conducted in Uganda.
During her ten-day (8th to 17th March 2026) visit to the School of Economics, Prof. Sorin interacted with faculty members, and engaged PhD students through a series of lectures and discussions that explored the application of economic theory to practical development issues.
The lectures formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen graduate training, promote context-responsive economic research, and enhance international academic collaboration. The key thematic areas covered included: Environmental economics, climate change, and urbanization, approached through rigorous economic analysis.
Knowledge Exchange and Institutional Collaboration
In an interview with the College Communications office, Prof. Sorin revealed that her motivation to engage with Makerere University was informed by her extensive research work in Uganda, particularly in Kampala and other urban settings.
“Having frequently collaborated with policymakers over the past four years, I was keen to extend this engagement to academia,” she said.
Acknowledging that Makerere University is a respected and renowned institution, Prof. Sorin stated that academic sessions with members of faculty and graduate students, presented mutual benefits of academic exchange including an opportunity to discuss perspectives, contribute to the ongoing academic narratives, as well as, learning from the experiences of students and faculty.
“I aimed at contributing new perspectives to students and faculty. In the process, I also gained valuable insights from their contextual expertise and policy experience,” she said.
Bridging Theory and Practice
Reflecting on her interactions with PhD students, Prof. Sorin commended their strong policy backgrounds, observing that many have worked in government or related institutions.
“The discussions have been highly engaging,” she said. “Students bring detailed knowledge of policy implementation, which allows us to critically examine how such policies can be translated into rigorous economic research frameworks,” she said.
Prof. Sorin emphasized the importance of critical thinking in research, noting that many widely used economic models are developed in contexts that can differ significantly from local realities in countries such as Uganda.
“As economists, we use mathematical models to understand human and economic behavior,” she explained. “However, these models must be questioned and adapted to reflect the specific constraints and conditions within which they are applied.”
She encouraged students to ground their research in both intuition and analytical rigor, urging them to revisit foundational principles while developing contextually relevant research questions.
Advancing International Collaboration
Underscoring the importance of international collaboration, Prof. Sorin highlighted the value of partnerships between Makerere University and global academic institutions, as well as, the broader benefits of fostering joint research on development issues in Uganda and across Africa.
“There is significant potential to formalize collaboration,” she said. “This includes creating opportunities for visiting researchers to engage with faculty and students through seminars, joint research, and academic exchanges.”
She noted that exposure to diverse research approaches and international scholarly networks is key in shaping and advancing the development of young researchers, particularly at the doctoral level.
Prof. Sorin stressed the importance of sustained engagement and knowledge exchange as a means of strengthening research capacity and promoting innovation.
She encouraged students to be critical, understand and appreciate the basics, and build research that reflects their context.
