With the research and innovation fund provided to Makerere University by the government of Uganda, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, has vowed to make Makerere the best university in Africa in the field of research and innovation. Currently, the university takes the lead in research and innovation in East and West Africa.
The Vice Chancellor made the remarks on January 5, 2024, during the Speakers and Presiding Officers’ visit to Makerere University, Kampala, who are currently in Uganda to attend the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) at the Commonwealth Speke Resort Munyonyo.
This comes as the Government of Uganda has agreed to ensure that the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation gets special funding to continue supporting scientists and innovators in the country as an approach to transforming the economy by supporting Ugandan-made products.
Prof. Nawangwe appreciated the government for the continuous funding of the institution, stating that the funds illustrate the increasing importance the government attaches to research and innovation as a driver of the national transformation agenda.
“The main objective of this fund is to increase the local generation of translatable research and scalable innovations that will address key gaps required to drive Uganda’s development agenda,” he said.
Each financial year, Makerere University expects to receive at least Ugx 30 billion (US$8,100,000) under the Government Research and Innovations Fund.
