“Now, as you heard what World Bank is telling us, and if you see what is happening in China, for us we are going to reward those departments which churn out more PhDs. But I agree that there must be quality PhDs,” Prof. Nawangwe stated. “That’s the only thing. As far as I’m concerned, in CoCIS, you are so well-staffed, you have the capacity to double the number of PhDs you are currently admitting. I hope you are not throwing out people claiming you don’t have capacity”.

The Vice Chancellor further noted that the transformation of the African continent hinges on the generation of skilled labour that can lead globally rather than being relegated to menial roles abroad. “We don’t want our children to go out there to be slaves again. Let them go there when they have skills and lead the world. So, it is a challenge to us as our generation… to transform this continent, to free it from mental slavery and from marginalization,” he added.

Assoc. Prof. Tayeebwa from Makerere University Press invited the faculty to revive the college’s journals. The Press has been mandated by the Vice Chancellor to resurrect “dying” journals and provide them with the technical support needed for international indexing, including the provision of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs).

“We are here to say that all our journals… [the] Press has now capacity to work with you… and make sure that all your journals are on their way to being indexed,” Tayeebwa stated.

Read Full Article: https://cocis.mak.ac.ug/prof-nawangwe-rallies-cocis-to-scale-up-more-phds-for-global-leadership/

The Vice Chancellor and his delegation were on a tour to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) to assess the status of graduate training and research. The Vice Chancellor was accompanied by the Academic Registrar Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Assoc. Prof. Julius Kikooma from the Directorate Graduate Research and Training, the representative of the Director of Quality Assurance, Coordinator Makerere University Grants Administration and Support Unit Prof. Antonia Nanyonga Nakimera Tamusuza, Prof. Robert Wamala from the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Partnerships, Coordinator Makerere University Writing Centre Prof. Fredrick Muyodi, Managing Editor Mak Press Assoc. Prof. William Tayeebwa and the Coordinator Makerere University Technology and Innovation Centre, Dr Margaret Nagwovuma, among others. Speaking to the leadership and staff of CHUSS, Prof. Nawangwe highlighted a gap in Africa’s human resource capacity, noting that while the World Bank estimates the continent needs one million PhDs in the next 10 years to transform its economy, the current output is insufficient; Africa currently produces fewer than 40,000 PhDs annually, far below the required 100,000 per year.

“Any PhD [candidate] you send away, you are doing a disservice to Africa,” Prof. Nawangwe stated, urging faculty not to turn away qualified applicants despite perceived constraints in staffing or space.

Nawangwe drew a contrast between Uganda’s research output and that of global leaders like South Korea. He noted that while Uganda currently has a total of approximately 2,500 PhDs, South Korea produces 12,900 PhDs every year and maintains a total pool of 650,000.

“South Korea produces four times more PhDs every year than we have as a total, as a country,” Nawangwe said, attributing South Korea’s rapid economic rise and innovation including its status as a top shipbuilder and oil exporter despite lacking domestic crude to its investment in high-level human capital.

Nawangwe recognized Makerere’s rising research profile despite historical challenges, noting that the university has emerged as a research powerhouse. The institution now brings in more than $250 million annually through research grants, surpassing the University of Cape Town in this metric.

Makerere University Press calls for establishment of departmental journals to boost local publishing

Andrew Mwesigwa, speaking for the Press on behalf of Assoc. Prof. William Tayeebwa, said most departments across the university already have the capacity to host credible academic journals but continue to rely heavily on external publications.

“Potentially, every department in CHUSS has a journal,” he said, urging faculties to build institutional publishing platforms.

Andrew Mwesigwa, the representative from Makerere University Press presenting during the meeting
He noted that Makerere University Press now provides full publishing infrastructure, including ISSN registration, DOI assignment, and digital journal hosting systems to support indexing and global visibility.

Mwesigwa further encouraged departments to establish strong editorial boards and adopt consistent publication schedules, adding that sustained output is key to achieving international journal indexing standards.

Read the full article: https://chuss.mak.ac.ug/en/nawangwe-directs-chuss-units-to-admit-all-qualifying-phds/

Makerere University has stepped up efforts to strengthen its scholarly publishing ecosystem following a Journal Editors’ Workshop held on April 23, 2026, in the Smart Room, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), aimed at improving journal quality, increasing research visibility, and enhancing the university’s global rankings.

The workshop, organized by Makerere University Press (Mak Press), brought together journal editors from colleges, schools, and institutes across the university to discuss publication standards, consistency in journal production, international indexing requirements, governance, and sustainability of academic journals.

Speaking at the event on behalf of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of Graduate Training (DGT) and Chairperson of the Technical and Quality Assurance Committee of Mak Press, said the workshop forms part of the university’s deliberate strategy to restore Makerere’s historic place as a continental hub of intellectual production.

He said Makerere had long been recognized as Africa’s leading center for scholarship, especially in the post-independence period when renowned academics and political intellectuals across the continent sought to publish their work through the university.

“Makerere was once the place where Africa’s leading scholars wanted to publish. We are now working to revive that tradition by ensuring our home-based journals meet international standards and become the first choice for our researchers,” Prof. Kikooma said.

He noted that although the university continues to produce world-class researchers, much of their best work is published outside Makerere, benefiting external institutions in rankings and global visibility.

“Management has realized that there has been a missed opportunity. The research is done here, the scholars are nurtured here, but the visibility and ranking benefits have often gone elsewhere because we lacked strong publishing outlets of our own,” he said.

Prof. Kikooma emphasized that global university rankings heavily depend on publications in indexed journals, making the strengthening of Makerere’s home-based journals critical to its ambition of becoming a truly research-led institution.

He also pointed to mindset as one of the biggest barriers. “Many academics have been inducted into believing that their best ideas are not for home consumption. We must change that mindset and build confidence in our own journals because strong societies use their own research outputs to solve real problems,” he added.

He further encouraged journal editors to make publications more responsive to society by introducing special issues that address pressing national and regional challenges.

Prof. William Tayeebwa, the Chief Managing Editor of Makerere University Press, said the workshop was intended to assess the progress of journals across colleges while equipping editors with the tools needed to meet international publishing standards.

“Our main goal was to engage editors on whether they are producing journals consistently. If they say they are biannual, are they really publishing twice a year? If not, they need to make realistic decisions and strengthen their workflow,” he said.

He explained that the workshop brought together editors from established journals, newly formed journals, and colleges that are yet to establish journals.

Prof. Tayeebwa revealed that one of the major gaps identified was that some colleges still do not have academic journals.

“Why would an entire college not have a journal? That was one of the major concerns. We are engaging prolific scholars in those colleges to understand what is holding them back,” he said.

He also noted that many journal editors were depending on Mak Press for support that should ordinarily come from their colleges, prompting the need for stronger institutional buy-in and sustainability mechanisms.

Mak Press, he said, is helping journals secure International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN), assign Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), and prepare for international indexing.

He described ISSN as a critical identifier for journals. “If a journal does not have an ISSN, it cannot be discovered online and may not even be recognized by quality assurance systems. It is like a vehicle without a registration number plate,” he explained.

Prof. Tayeebwa said while research quality at Makerere is already strong, the university must significantly improve publication output.

“For a university of this size, publishing only a few dozen articles annually is not enough. With over 600 PhD students, master’s students, and staff, Makerere should be producing more than 1,000 journal articles every year,” he said.

He also called for stronger support for graduate students to co-publish with supervisors, noting that publication is already a graduation requirement for PhD students.

The Director, Institute of Gender and Development Studies Prof. Ruth Nsibirano, said the workshop demonstrates the university’s commitment to ensuring that knowledge generated at Makerere reaches the global academic community.

Her institute is currently developing the Makerere Gender and Development Journal, with its inaugural issue expected in early 2027.

“We do not believe the Global South should remain only consumers of knowledge. We have a lot of knowledge to generate and share with the world,” Prof. Nsibirano said.

She explained that the journal will focus on gender, social transformation, and development while providing a platform for research that reflects African realities and perspectives.

According to Prof. Nsibirano, the workshop also promotes collaboration among scholars across disciplines.

“It improves the way we interact as scholars. We can co-publish, co-author, and also know what is being published in other journals under Makerere Press. That strengthens research and institutional visibility,” she said.

She added that the main challenge affecting many journals had not necessarily been structural gaps, but reduced motivation, which caused some long-established journals to become dormant.

With renewed management support, stronger editorial coordination, and a push for international standards, Makerere University leaders believe the institution’s journals can once again become leading platforms for African scholarship and significantly contribute to the university’s competitiveness on the global stage.

“Makerere University Press is basing on that historic achievement to also make a name for you, for itself and for Makerere in the scholarly publishing arena” Dr. Siminyu praised. “Working with you personally has extended our circle of acquaintances and deepened our comradery” he added.

The nine books launched that afternoon were;

1. Runyakitara Language Studies: A Guide for Advanced Learners and Teachers in Runyakitara edited by Oswald K. Ndoleriire,
2. Contemporary Issues in Educational Research and Policy in the Global South edited by Connie Ssebbunga-Masembe and Samuel N. Siminyu,
3. What I Saw When I Died by Jimmy Spire Ssentongo,
4. Moving Back into the Future: Critical Recovering of Africa’s Cultural Heritage edited by Dominica Dipio,
5. Countering Violent Extremism in Uganda: An Assessment of the History, Philosophies and Strategies by Veneranda Mbabazi and Others,
6. Lulu ya Bara by Innocent Masengo,
7. HIV/AIDS in Uganda: Achievements and Challenges edited by James Kiwanuka-Tondo,
8. Statehood on Trial: Thoughts on the 1966 Uganda Political Crisis by Joseph Bossa, and
9. (Mis) Management of sub-Nationalism and Diversity in “Nations”: The case of Buganda in Uganda, 1979-1980 by Godfrey Asiimwe

Author appreciation

After his brief appreciation to the hardworking Prof. Oswald Ndoleriire and his team for their book Runyakitara Language Studies: A Guide for Advanced Learners and Teachers in Runyakitara, Dr. Siminyu pondered, “if we cannot publish to promote and immortalise the study of our local languages, who will?” He was nevertheless happy to announce that relatedly, MUP had received and was processing manuscripts in and about Kiswahili, Luganda, Luo, Ateso and Lusoga.

Read full article: https://news.mak.ac.ug/2022/07/mak-press-launches-nine-books-40-in-the-pipeline/