Makerere University

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Makerere University Kampala (MAK)
Makerere university tower.jpg
Makerere University clock tower
Motto We Build for the Future
Established 1922
Type Public
Chancellor Prof. Mondo Kagonyera
Vice-Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu[1]
Students 40,000
Location Kampala, Uganda
Campus Urban
Website Homepage

Makerere University Kampala (MAK), Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, (the oldest is Katigondo National Major Seminary in Masaka District, which was established in 1911), was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London. It became an independent national university in 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Makerere University. Today, Makerere University is constituted of 9 Colleges and 1 school offering programmes for about 30,000 undergraduates and 3,000 postgraduates.

Makerere was home to many post-independence African leaders, including former Ugandan president Milton Obote and late Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere. Former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa current president of the DRC Joseph Kabila and recent Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki are also Makerere alumni.

In the years immediately after Uganda's independence, Makerere University was a focal point for the literary activity that was central to African nationalist culture. Some prominent writers, including Nuruddin Farah, Ali Mazrui, David Rubadiri, Okello Oculi, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, John Ruganda, Paul Theroux, V. S. Naipaul and Peter Nazareth, were at Makerere University at one point in their writing and academic careers.

In September 2011, the university announced that it would close indefinitely following a week-long strike by the lecturers who refused resume work until their demands were met.[2]

Contents

Historical Background [edit]

Established in 1922 as a humble technical school, Makerere University(MAK) is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Africa. In January of that year, the school, which was later renamed Uganda Technical College, opened its doors to 14 day students who began studying Carpentry, Building and Mechanics.The College soon began offering various other courses in Medical Care, Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences and Teacher Training. It expanded over the years to become a Center for Higher Education in East Africa in 1935. In 1937, the College started developing into an institution of higher education, offering post-school certificate courses.

In 1949, it became a University College affiliated to the University College of London, offering courses leading to the general degrees of its then mother institution.

With the establishment of the University of East Africa in June 29, 1963, the special relationship with the University of London came to a close and degrees of the University of East Africa were instituted.

On July 1, 1970, Makerere became an independent national university of the Republic of Uganda, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses leading to its own awards. Makerere University offers not only day but also evening and external study programmes to a student body of about 35,000 undergraduates and 3,000 postgraduates (both Ugandan and foreign). It is also a very active centre for research.

The University transitioned from the Faculty-based to the collegiate system on 1 July and as of Friday 30 December 2011, Makerere University officially transformed into a Collegiate University with 9 Constituent Colleges and one School, operating as semi-autonomous units of the University.

Organisation [edit]

Governance [edit]

The University Council is the supreme governance body- The University council works through Eight Committees. Academic matters are channeled to Council through Senate.

Sub Committees of the University Council [edit]

  • Appointments Board [3]
  • Finance, Planning and Administration[4]
  • Quality Assurance, Gender and ICT[5]
  • Estates and Works[6]
  • Staff Development, Welfare and Retirement Benefits[7]
  • Students Affairs and Disciplinary[8]
  • Honorary Awards[9]
  • Audit[10]

Members of Management [edit]

  • Vice Chancellor
  • First Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)
  • Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)
  • University Secretary
  • Academic Registrar
  • University Bursar
  • Dean of Students
  • University Librarian
  • Director of Planning and Development
  • Director of Human Resources

Academic Units [edit]

Colleges [edit]

School [edit]

School of Law

Facilities [edit]

The University Library was established in 1949. In addition to its primary role as an academic library, it also serves as the national reference library and the legal depository of all works published in Uganda. It is also a depository for the United Nations.

The University has maintained a non-sectarian stand on creed, and admits student from every religious background. Nevertheless, the institution is home to St. Francis Chapel for the Church of Uganda (since 1955, St. Augustine Chapel for the Roman Catholic Church (1955) and a Mosque for The Islamic faith (1948).

Games and sports facilities include a swimming pool, a rugby pitch (popularly known as 'The Graveyard'), 3 football pitches including the famous Nsibirwa Grounds, 4 tennis courts, an athletic track, 2 basketball courts, a cricket oval. 2 squash courts among others. University sports teams participate both locally and internationally. Some of the teams participate in the National leagues of their disciplines, the most famous being The Impis Rugby Club which won the 1998 league title. Makerere also plays host to The Makerere 10s Rugby Tournament every November, which is the biggest 10s Rugby tournament in East Africa. Makerere University has nine undergraduate halls of residence three female and six male and one postgraduate hall. Two off campus hostels in Mulago and Kabanyolo accommodate students from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Agriculture respectively.

Notable former and current faculty administrators [edit]

Notable alumni [edit]

Political figures and Government employees [edit]

Sportspeople [edit]

Writers and journalists [edit]

Others [edit]

Halls of residence [edit]

The original eight halls of residence are:

For men
  1. Livingstone Hall
  2. Lumumba Hall
  3. Mitchell Hall
  4. Nkrumah Hall
  5. Nsibirwa Hall
  6. University Hall
For women
  1. Africa Hall
  2. Mary Stuart Hall

Other halls that have been added include:

For Women
  1. Complex Hall(CCE)
For Students of Medicine in their final years
  1. Galloway

Ranking [edit]

In 2010, according to University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP), Makerere University is the best university in Uganda and the 736th best university in the world.[15]

Upcountry campuses [edit]

In January 2010, the university announced the opening of two new campuses, one in the city of Fort Portal, approximately 311 kilometres (193 mi), by road, west of Kampala, and another one in the city of Jinja, approximately 86 kilometres (53 mi), by road, east of Kampala. The following courses will be offered at the upcountry campuses: [16]

Eastern Campus, Jinja
Western Campus, Fort Portal

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Professor Ddumba Ssentamu Appointed Vice Chancellor of Makerere University
  2. ^ http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2011/09/makerere-university-closed-over-lecturers-strike/?Itemid=410
  3. ^ "Appointments Board". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  4. ^ "Finance, Planning and Administration". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  5. ^ "Quality Assurance, Gender and ICT Sub Committee". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  6. ^ "Estates and Works". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  7. ^ "Staff Development, Welfare and Retirement Benefits". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  8. ^ "Students Affairs and Disciplinary Sub Committee". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  9. ^ "Honorary Awards Sub Committee". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  10. ^ "Audit Sub Committee". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  11. ^ "Celebrating Ngugi wa Thiong’o at 70". African-Writing Online.com. Retrieved 15 January 2012. 
  12. ^ http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/ziegler_john.php
  13. ^ Kyemba, Henry. A State of Blood, p. 21
  14. ^ "Special Sitting of the Supreme Court of Belize". Press Office of the Government of Belize. 2001-03-28. Retrieved 2012-04-20. 
  15. ^ "URAP - University Ranking by Academic Performance". 
  16. ^ Makerere Opens New Campuses

External links [edit]

Ranking Web of Universities

Coordinates: 00°21′00″N 32°34′03″E / 0.35000°N 32.56750°E / 0.35000; 32.56750
Capital: Kampala
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