RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY Copyright 2018 RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY 3 Table of Contents MESSAGE FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR 4 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF RESEARCH AND 6 GRADUATE TRAINING INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND 8 RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY 10 DIRECTORATE OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE TRAINING 16 GRADUATE TRAINING STATISTICS 18 RESEARCH FUNDING AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION AT DRGT 27 HUMAN RESOURCES AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN RESEARCH 33 HIGHLIGHTS OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONS IN COLLEGES 40 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (CAES) 41 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES (COBAMS) 76 COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES (COCIS) 86 COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND EXTERNAL STUDIES (CEES) 95 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, DESIGN, ART AND TECHNOLOGY (CEDAT) 114 COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES (CHS) 124 COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES 168 COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES (CONAS) 187 COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, ANIMAL RESOURCES AND 201 BIOSECURITY (COVAB) SCHOOL OF LAW 215 4 RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY 2018 Message from the Message from the Vice Chancellor I am pleased to introduce this year’s Annual Research Report, which illustrates Makerere University’s shared commitment to advancing excellence in education, research, and scholarship. It takes a team to build a great university. As I research into solutions to societal problems. review the details of this report it is clear that the We act with full conscious that as a public accomplishments recounted here are the result of research university, fulfilling our mission extraordinary teamwork by the University’s most requires research and scholarship that address important asset — its people. The Directorate the significant challenges we face in our of Research and Graduate Training, the faculty, communities, across the nation and around the the staff and most importantly, our students: region. Reaching our vision requires even deeper each plays a valued part in moving Makerere engagement at the global level, driving us to University forward. strengthen our commitment to international research partnerships. When Makerere University was established about 100 years ago, its founders aspired to Makerere University is home to an intellectual create an institution that would “serve as a leading community with a distinctive history, built on institution of academic excellence and innovations the ideals of open discourse, rigorous inquiry in Africa”. Over the decades the University has and analysis, and a diversity of perspectives. tasted and relished success in achieving this This unique environment of constant intellectual objective and has grown to become an integral challenge has supported free and open and cherished part of the community. investigation and questioning by generations of faculty, students and alumni. This report documents a year’s worth of progress in what has been a critical stage in our The Future of Uganda is in our hands as history. I am exceptionally proud that growth Ugandans. Today, Uganda is once again at a at this University has occurred with continued crossroads. However, I strongly believe that improvement in our already-high academic the road ahead is marked not so much by standards. uncertainty as by genuine opportunities in regional collaborations. Uganda needs to harness, For me, the key elements of this focus leverage nurture and enhance its capabilities if it is to the longstanding strengths of Makerere move forward and succeed on a global scale in University. I want us to encourage research that the areas of science and technology. I believe that addresses major societal issues, and scholarship MakerereUniversity has a critical role to play in and creative work that promote understanding all these three areas if Uganda is to rise to its new and enrich the human experience. We will seek challenges and emerge as a leader in scientific to provide the best and most forward-looking and technological innovation. graduate and professional education available today to best prepare the leaders of tomorrow. Using creative and cutting-edge techniques, our We will also foster the translation of cutting-edge researchers join their peers as effective, informed 2018 RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY 5 citizens who approach societal problems with an interdisciplinary research approach. These researchers are poised to become leaders in their communities and in their fields—and to navigate the complex cultural, geographic and social dynamics in this age of globalization. As we continue into the New Year, I would like to acknowledge the ongoing commitment and dedication of our faculty, students, staff, alumni, parents, and friends. Thank you for your continuing contributions, support, and accomplishments. Professor Barnabas Nawangwe Vice-Chancellor 6 RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY 2018 Message from the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training t is with great pride and accomplishment that I present to you the Annual Research Report 2018. In presenting the annual report for the year, I would like to recognize that the accomplishments over Ithe past year and the work ahead depends on the support and contributions of our partners and dedicated staff. I am immensely grateful to those individuals and partners whose energy and support continue to sustain us. I am very proud of the accomplishments that and effective utilization are now recognized we’ve achieved, and also how we have faced to be key sources for growth and competitive challenges together. Makerere University is a global economy. Creating the environment and remarkable community of many different and capacity for knowledge generation, innovations talented individuals. I welcome you to look and utilization will be the drivers in re-positioning back on the many stellar academic and mission- Makerere University as a research-led University. related achievements made by our students and Faculty during 2017-18. They reflect a wealth of I wish to report that based on the existing reasons that the University is well on its way to human and infrastractural resource capacity, becoming the leading comprehensive research- Makerere University was awarded 2 of the 23 led university in the region. African Centres of Excelence to be supported by the World Bank. The Two centres of excellence I am pleased to report on our performance and include: (i) Crop Improvement in East Africa; achievements for 2018. As you read the report, (ii) Materials, Product Development and I hope you will gain insight into the breadth and Nano-Technology.Other significant research depth of Makerere’s research portfolio. As the performance indicators are a growing number Director of Research, I pledge to continue the of publications from funded research; more quest for greater knowledge, better programs, staff trained in research management and and enhanced capacity on behalf of every Faculty scholarly writing; increased number of staff that and student. win research grants; more staff attending and presenting their research outputs at conferences We excel in transdisciplinary research, cultivating and more innovation introduced and produced by faculty collaborations representing public policy, researchers at the University. life sciences, law, education, basic science and the humanities, among many other fields. Despite these achievements, the University still faces a number of challenges. These include As the Directorate of Research, we well among others, inadequate infrastructure, acknowledge that research is the mechanism inadequate research funding, many of our through which universities become locus academic staff lack PhD training, a high student- of scientific discoveries that drive national staff ratio, lack of adequate support facilities for economies forward. Research is therefore a pillar students including a students’ centre. of both institutional and national development. Capacity for knowledge production, innovations It is against this background that the University 2018 RESEARCH AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY 7 has a developed its research agenda to In the 21st century, Universities are expected to operationalise the research thrust and guide play larger roles and bear greater responsibilities investment in research and innovation. The than ever before, as members of the global areas of focus include Health and Health community. In light of this, Makerere University Systems; Agricultural Transformation, Food aims to further enhance the quality of our Security and Livelihoods; Natural Resources research education, bring together outstanding Governance and Climate Change; Education human resources from around the world, and and Education Systems; Governance, Culture, become a university that can nurture and Social Justice and Sustainable Development; produce brilliant researchers. We at Directorate Science and Technology. The cross-cutting areas of Research are also doing our utmost to include Biotechnology, Knowledge Translation, significantly contribute to that end. Gender and Human Resource Development. Undoubtedly, the research agenda will improve Recently, for example, the College of Engineering the quality of Research and Training at this and Technology commanded global attention University. when it became the first College to produce an Electric Automobil. Without the S&T Over the last decade, there has been a surge in infrastructure of Makerere University and research outputs and innovation at Makerere government support, the College may never have University. This is demonstrated