Partnerships, collaboration key for research funding – Janet

The Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, has urged Kyambogo University to create more partnerships and collaboration networks to attract research financing.

In a statement read for her by the State minister for Higher Education, Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo, on the first day of the institution’s 18th graduation ceremony yesterday, Ms Museveni said due to the economic hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that destabilised the entire education sector, the institution should create more sources of income to supplement its funding gaps.

She said the Public Private Partnerships Act mandates universities to attract partners to supplement funding of the institutions.

“I, therefore, encourage the staff to create more partnerships and collaboration networks which will build your research networks and strengthen the world-integrated learning approach,” Ms Museveni said.

She added: “Mobilisation and the digital era have presented us with unprecedented opportunities for partnerships that can help us to leverage our networks and transform our society.”

The minister said proof of university growth in academic leadership and excellence is reflected by the increase in research and the number of PHD graduates.

“Prioritise research, innovations and position the students to become innovative and responsive to the trending needs of the world we live in today,” Ms Museveni said.

The university chancellor, Prof John Yakobo Okedi, called for more funding to be directed towards research and innovation, stressing that they are constrained by the limited resource envelope.

“Staff are now competent enough to innovate and do research to inform policies and contribute to the development of our communities,” Prof Okedi said.

The vice chancellor, Prof Eli Katunguka, said the university is carrying out research to help people with disabilities.

“The university secured full scholarship from the United States of America and we are working with a group of students and staff to develop 3D system technology devices that are used in rehabilitation of disabling conditions and will help in restoring ability in those who develop disability as a result of accidents or non-communicable disease,” Mr Katunguka said.

A total of 12,080 students will graduate during the institution’s three-day ceremony, which ends on Friday.

Of these,  6,239 are male while 5,841 are female.

The students, who graduated yesterday were from the Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation and the School of Management and Entrepreneurship.