Makerere to reduce funding research and innovations
Officials pose for a group photo with Minister John Muyingo during the Makerere Annual Forum Graduate Research Policy Dialogue. Photo/Courtesy of Makerere University
What you need to know:
- Although the Parliament Sectoral Committee on Education increased the University’s recurrent expenditures from the current Shs338.4b to Shs338.6, it significantly reduced the development budget by almost a half from Shs29.4b to Shs15.3b.
The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof Barnabas Nawangwe has said that the University will, with effect from the next financial year, reduce the funds it injects in research and innovations.
Speaking to Monitor at the sidelines of the inaugural launch of the Annual Forum for Graduate Research and Policy Dialogue as well as the Research Information Management System (RIMS) at the University on April 26, Prof Nawangwe said the decision by Parliament to reduce the institutions’ budget will affect many sectors including research and innovations.
“It is not only us but agencies as well who have suffered budget cuts and for us they didn't specify on what item they have reduced funding but as the University we shall have to cut the research and innovation funds to meet the operational costs. It is bad but we have no choice,” he said.
A report by the Parliament Sectoral Committee on Education, on the Ministry of Education and Sports presented on April 12 indicated that Makerere’s budget was reduced from the current Shs367.8 billion to Shs353.9 billion.
Although the committee increased the University’s recurrent expenditures from the current Shs338.4b to Shs338.6, it significantly reduced the development budget by almost a half from Shs29.4b to Shs15.3b.
This, Prof Nawangwe said cripples the gains the institution has attained especially by promoting research and innovation as they aspire to fulfill the strategic goal of becoming a research led University and hub of knowledge in Africa.
“Noting that we are in the era of the knowledge economy where those in the know get ahead of those who are not, he reiterated that it is Nations such as China that have prioritised knowledge production through funding of Higher Education and research that are making leaps economically,” he said.
The University Don did not specify how much shall be reduced from the Shs30b research and innovation government has been investing in these sectors annually.
“If Africa is going to industrialise, we must produce more PhDs because no amount of foreign direct investment is going to industrialise Africa. Africa will be industrialised by the small and medium enterprises, which will come mostly out of research by PhD and Masters students, and a few undergraduate students – the Kiira Motors came from undergraduate students” he explained.
While officiating the launch, the State Minister for Higher Education, Dr John C. Muyingo who officiated the two days event pledged government commitment towards ensuring that the University is well funded to do its work well.
“Your pursuit of knowledge and academic excellence holds the promise of transformative change, serving as a catalyst for innovation, progress, and inclusive growth,” he said.
He noted that higher education and research play a pivotal role in driving regional integration and development, and called upon scholars and researchers to play their respective roles.
“Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) such as Makerere play a more practical role in engaging the policy space and contribute to nurturing a policy environment receptive to evidence-based solutions,”
The forum was held under the theme: regional integration and development.
Speaking at the event, the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Prof. Edward Bbaale said that the Annual Forum provides a platform to showcase the potential of graduate research as a driver for socioeconomic transformation.
“Additionally, it serves to enhance the capacity of graduate students to engage effectively in policy dialogues and debates.”
He reiterated his directorate’s commitment to augmenting the skills of graduate scholars in policy engagement and communication as part of their doctoral research and education toolkit, owing to the impact these graduates have.
“There is now evidence that return on investment in Higher Education is higher than the return on investment in lower education and hence the Government is encouraged to support graduate training through scholarships and loan schemes.”
Relatedly, RIMS was developed by a team made up of Mr. Juma Katongole, Mr. Joshua Muhumuza and Mr. Denis Wamala.
The latter who presented on behalf of his colleagues demonstrated how the e-Supervision module can be used to track a scholar’s progress right from the conceptual stage right to the dissertation and defence.
