Launch of Mak@100 Celebrations

As part of celebrations to mark the 59 Years of Uganda’s Independence, H.E. The President of the Republic of Uganda and Visitor of Makerere University will officially launch the Mak@100 celebrations at a brief ceremony on 9th October 2021.

Theme: Leveraging 100 Years of Excellence in Building a Transformed Society

Archive photo of the Makerere main building in the 1920s

The President will unveil the Mak@100 logo. On the same occasion, Makerere University will showcase research and innovation outputs arising from student, faculty and stakeholders work and engagement activities. The research and innovations are supported by the Government of Uganda and several development partners.

Please follow the Independence Day Celebrations (featuring the launch of the Mak@100 celebrations and showcase of Mak Research and Innovations) on television and radio stations that will broadcasting the event live.

About the celebrations

As Makerere celebrates 100 years of existence, it is imperative to leverage the capacity already developed over time and its positive experiences to impact and transform society. Makerere University has the challenge to ensure that African indigenous knowledge does not disappear. The University also has the responsibility to address the challenges which face Uganda and the region, including youth unemployment, climate change, emerging infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and others. 

Thus, the University’s new focus on being research-led is motivated by various circumstances that characterize its operational environment. Over the next years Makerere will strive, among other things to:

  1. Create an enabling environment that fosters innovative teaching and learning 
  2. Become a research led institution with:
    1. A fully-fledged Science and Technology Center and 80% of the Labs modernized;
    2. Increased number of research publications (from the current 1500);
    3. Research translation into products and services impacting national growth;
    4. Grant Management offices at each college and at least four (4) multi-disciplinary think Tanks.
  3. Enhance Partnerships with the industry, the community and international institutions;
  4. Engender an engaged, motivated and highly productive workforce with at least 80% of the academic staff with PhDs as well as doubling the number of professors (from the current 100);
  5. Support Human Capital Development by increasing graduate enrolment from the current 13% to 30% by 2030; while committing to the creation of Graduates that are versatile, professionally grounded, ethical and committed to lifelong learning with positive attitudes.

A year-long sequence of events and activities (October 2021-October 2022) will be held based on the  five pillars of the celebration activities including:  the History; the Alumni;  Students and Staff; the Community; and Government.