Busitema University wants Shs8b for research

Busitema University has asked government to allocate Shs8b to fund its stalled research and innovation activities.

The University Vice Chancellor, Prof Paul Waako, said they need direct funding from the government because it is not sustainable for the institution to rely on external support.

“The funds will be directed towards increasing the local generation of translatable research and scalable innovations that will help address key gaps required to drive the country’s agenda,” he said.

Prof Waako made the remarks at the weekend during the midterm review for Busitema University Research and Innovation fund in which the university recently received Shs1 billion special funding under the Research and Innovation to support high impact research and innovations.

He said the university has a total of 40 ongoing research collaborations with both local and international partners, which has increased the university’s visibility and contributed to sustainable socio-economic transformation.

“It would be good if each public university in the country is given an adequate amount of money for research and innovations,’’ he said.

Mr Robert Muyinda, a senior lecturer and an investigator in the faculty of Agriculture and Animal Sciences at the university, said the department needs more funds for innovations namely Aflatoxin control . 

“This will enable us to have quick and reliable food safety measures in agricultural products in the market,” he said.

Ms Victo Nabunya, a lecturer in the faculty of Engineering and Technology, said they are piloting plastic waste reinforced roads at the institution. She said they have already made a 30 meter section of tarmacked road.

“Under this innovation, we have reduced the quantity of bitumen and replaced it with plastic materials to avert climate change,” she said.