{"id":6671,"date":"2025-06-24T14:13:31","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T11:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuss.mak.ac.ug\/en\/?p=6671"},"modified":"2025-07-24T15:50:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T12:50:59","slug":"makerere-sets-bold-target-one-million-phds-to-drive-africas-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chuss.mak.ac.ug\/en\/makerere-sets-bold-target-one-million-phds-to-drive-africas-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"Makerere Sets Bold Target: One Million PhDs to Drive Africa\u2019s Transformation”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jane Anyango
Makerere University, Kampala | June 20, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a bold declaration at the opening of the inaugural 2025 CHUSS Graduate Symposium, Makerere University has committed to a transformative research agenda, tasking its PhD students to be engines of social change, innovation, and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symposium, hosted by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) and attended by over 80 PhD candidates from Uganda and the broader PANGeA network, was officially opened by Professor Buyinza Mukadasi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, on behalf of Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-day symposium (19-21 June 2025) hosted with support from the Lisa Maskell Fellowship aimed to showcase research, share knowledge, and strengthen mentorship in graduate education and networking. Day one was dedicated to the Graduate writing workshop and the second day kicked off with an official opening ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to participants, Prof. Buyinza emphasized Makerere\u2019s strategic shift toward becoming a research-intensive university, underscoring the pivotal role of graduate students in building a \u201cknowledge economy\u201d that addresses Africa\u2019s pressing social and economic challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe must train not just more PhDs\u2014but the right kind of PhDs. This is not a numbers game. It\u2019s about quality, relevance, and impact,\u201d Prof. Buyinza said. \u201cResearch is unimportant unless it is relevant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Million-PhD Ambition<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Uganda currently produces only 200 PhDs annually, but Prof. Buyinza announced the university\u2019s vision to help the nation reach an ambitious target of one million PhDs in a decade. He warned that without drastic improvements in completion rates and graduate output quality, this vision will remain out of reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi representing the Vice Chancellor during the official opening ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to scale up efforts. Completion rates remain poor. Many start, but few finish. That\u2019s why gatherings like this symposium are critical,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deputy VC challenged doctoral candidates to ensure their research directly serves communities, urging them to become \u201cthe soul of the nation\u201d by translating knowledge into social transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not a PhD Factory\u2014But a Center of Excellence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While committing to increased output, Prof. Buyinza pushed back against the notion of mass production, stating that Makerere is \u201cnot a PhD factory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want graduates with relevant skills\u2014graduates who will solve problems, drive policy, and change lives,\u201d he said. \u201cIf your research doesn\u2019t impact society, it\u2019s a waste of resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some of the PhD students<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The symposium was made possible through funding from the Lisa Maskell Fellowship and brought together scholars from across East and Southern Africa under the PANGeA initiative. Prof. Buyinza hailed CHUSS for its renewed academic vibrancy and role in shaping future intellectual leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are producing the cream of the nation. And we believe that together\u2014with faculty, government, and development partners\u2014we can sustain Makerere as a premier research university on the continent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe Are the Mine of Excellent Minds\u201d \u2014 CHUSS Principal Commits to Nurturing Uganda\u2019s Next Generation of Scholars<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Associate Professor Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS),  reaffirmed the college\u2019s unwavering commitment to fostering high-quality graduate education and positioning humanities at the heart of Uganda\u2019s national transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Nkabala described CHUSS as \u201cthe mine of excellent minds,\u201d vowing to continue supporting graduate students in producing timely, impactful, and world-class research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a college, we are very intentional about ensuring that our graduate students thrive,\u201d she said. \u201cWe shall continue to support you because it is through you that this university will realize its dream of becoming a research-led institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Assoc. Prof. Helen Nabalirwa Nkabala addressing participants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Nkabala celebrated CHUSS\u2019s evolution, pointing to the successful transition of the School of Women and Gender Studies into a full-fledged institute as an example of the college\u2019s legacy of growth and academic excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t lose a child \u2014 we gave away a thriving one. The institute remains a proud child of CHUSS,\u201d she quipped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She honored the enduring contributions of retired faculty and supervisors, many of whom continue to mentor graduate students across the region. \u201cAt CHUSS, we never say goodbye,\u201d she said, acknowledging professors who, despite relocating or retiring, remain active in guiding the college’s academic mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Nkabala invited applause for the graduate students in attendance, praising their commitment to timely completion and academic excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you see here is a committed crop of scholars. The faces before you will reappear at graduation in January,\u201d she confidently told the gathering, reinforcing CHUSS\u2019s strong record of research output and graduation rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also commended the coordination team and facilitators of the symposium \u2014 including local and international partners \u2014 for their \u201csleepless nights building not farms, but futures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Call for Intentional Innovation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Principal emphasized the importance of turning visionary ideas into formal innovation, including the potential patenting of unique academic concepts emerging from CHUSS. She urged departments to explore the university\u2019s intellectual property frameworks and pledged institutional backing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A section of partipants during the opening session<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no better way to honor the legacy of our recently transitioned excellent mind than fulfilling just a fraction of his dreams,\u201d she said, referencing a late scholar who inspired many within the college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her closing, Prof. Nkabala reiterated the broader mission of humanities and social sciences in national development:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll the work that comes out of CHUSS is excellent \u2014 not because we are excellent only, but because we are the mine of excellent minds<\/em>. And we shall continue mining.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the PhD: Prof. Grace Musila Urges Scholars to Pursue Well-Being, Growth, and Integrity in Academic Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Delivering a powerful keynote address on life after a PhD, Professor Grace Musila challenged emerging scholars to reimagine life after a PhD\u2014not as a destination, but as a lifelong journey of intellectual growth, personal integrity, and communal contribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on over 17 years of postdoctoral experience across African and global institutions, Prof. Musila urged early-career academics to resist stagnation. \u201cIf you forget everything else I say today,\u201d she told the room, \u201cremember this: be careful not to plateau.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redefining the \u201cGood Life\u201d After the PhD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rejecting neoliberal definitions of success based on consumption and status, Prof. Musila offered an alternative rooted in holistic well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Grace Musila delivering the keynote address<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI prefer to speak in the grammar of well-being, not success,\u201d she said. \u201cA good life is one where we operate in equilibrium\u2014physically, psychologically, financially, and spiritually. It\u2019s about learning, growing, and contributing meaningfully.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She reminded scholars that a PhD is not an endpoint, but a license to explore deeper intellectual and ethical terrains. \u201cIt gives you the permission to chart your path, but you must stay hungry, curious, and committed to personal development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Networks Don\u2019t Grow Like Weeds: Cultivating Academic Community<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the central themes of Musila\u2019s talk was the value of intentional, reciprocal networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNetworks are like crops,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you abandon them, they will abandon you. They need to be cultivated with effort and care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She cautioned against becoming passive or extractive participants in academic communities\u2014what she described as \u201csponging.\u201d Reciprocity, she stressed, is essential: \u201cYour presence must feed the network as much as you draw from it. Academia is a small pond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay Intellectually Fit: Lifelong Learning as a Discipline<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Musila introduced the concept of intellectual fitness<\/em>, describing it as essential to academic vitality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou must feed your mind intentionally\u2014beyond teaching and admin,\u201d she said. \u201cCuriosity is your intellectual gym.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She encouraged practical routines: reading journal tables of contents, attending virtual seminars and book launches, setting up Google alerts for key scholars, and tracking both Global North and Global South publishing trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re only reading what you teach or supervise,\u201d she warned, \u201cyou risk becoming a secondary illiterate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integrity Is a Face Card That Never Declines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Musila emphasized integrity as academia\u2019s most valuable currency. \u201cBy the time you earn a PhD, everyone knows you\u2019re smart,\u201d she said. \u201cThe question is: can you be trusted? Can you be fair, accountable, and kind?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining ethical standards in environments where corruption is normalized, but insisted that integrity remains non-negotiable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Grace Musila during the presentations<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn a world that rewards corner-cutting, choose to be gold\u2014because gold never depreciates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also highlighted the importance of goodwill in academic systems built on peer review, mentorship, and collaboration\u2014often unpaid labor. \u201cAm I contributing to the ecology of goodwill, or only taking from it?\u201d she challenged the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initiative and Intergenerational Impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Closing her keynote, Prof. Musila called on graduate students to build peer support networks, host reading groups, and contribute to their academic communities from day one. Citing her own Mashariki Literary and Cultural Studies collective\u2014formed from informal academic friendships\u2014she illustrated how small initiatives can evolve into lasting institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany of the academic associations that shape our fields started as coffee conversations,\u201d she said. \u201cThe baton is in your hands. Don’t wait. Start now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She concluded her speech with a moment of silence in honor of the late Prof. Ng\u0169g\u0129 wa Thiong\u2019o, dedicating her address to the literary giant and fellow Makerere alumnus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Message: Who Will You Become?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Musila\u2019s message to Makerere\u2019s doctoral community was clear: the PhD is just the beginning. What comes next depends on your commitment to growth, reciprocity, and moral clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStay curious. Stay generous. Stay grounded. And never let yourself go,\u201d she said to a standing ovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her final words left a lasting imprint:
\u201cLife after the PhD is not about chasing success. It\u2019s about choosing the kind of scholar\u2014and human being\u2014you want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom a Platform to a Pillar: Dr. Levis Mugumya Celebrates the Growth of the CHUSS Graduate Symposium\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Levis Mugumya, Administrator of the Gerda Henkel Project at Makerere University, took the audience through a reflective and celebratory journey of the evolution of the symposium. Tracing its roots back to 2018, Dr. Mugumya reminded participants that what began as a modest platform for early-career scholars has grown into a vital pillar of academic exchange within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dr. Levis Mugumya speaking during the symposium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“This year\u2019s edition is unique,” he said, “not because of a defined theme, but because we chose to give space to a wide array of doctoral work\u2014whether at proposal stage or nearing completion.” He emphasized the inclusive nature of the symposium, where even those outside Makerere, particularly from the PANGeA network, were welcomed to share their scholarly journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a blend of pride and gratitude, Dr. Mugumya acknowledged the crucial financial support of the Gerda Henkel Foundation, which he credited for removing barriers like registration fees and enabling full participation. He further praised the tireless work of faculty supervisors, department heads, deans, and the organizing team, noting that these collective efforts ensure doctoral fellows not only complete their research within the stipulated three years but do so with quality and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe received 91 abstracts this year and accepted 82 for presentation,\u201d he said. \u201cThat is no small feat. It\u2019s evidence of the thriving research culture we are building together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Mugumya also paid tribute to Professor Grace Musila, the keynote speaker, calling her a long-standing intellectual partner whose consistency and commitment to the CHUSS academic community was both rare and invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He closed his address by recognizing the behind-the-scenes contributors\u2014organizers, facilitators, IT support, and the PR team\u2014whose often-invisible labor made the symposium possible. \u201cLet us use this space to engage, to share, and to grow,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is more than a symposium. It is a statement of our collective academic vision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBuilding Bridges of Belonging: Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi on Legacy, Networks, and Nurturing Future Scholars\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a heartfelt and reflective address  Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi, Project Administrator and Symposium Convener, moved beyond formalities to deliver a personal meditation on mentorship, scholarly networks, and the intergenerational responsibilities of academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Nabutanyi contextualized the symposium within Makerere University\u2019s larger transformation into a research-led institution. Citing a reported improvement in graduate training rates\u2014from 9% to 16%\u2014he asserted that \u201cthis graduate symposium is one of the building blocks\u201d of that vision. He praised recent council decisions, such as post-retirement contracts for professors, as critical to nurturing expertise in Africa’s academic future. In a recent council decision, post retirent contracts for associate professors and professors were extended to the ages of 75 and 80 years respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi making his remarks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But it was his deeply personal storytelling that brought his remarks to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recounting how Professor Sister Dominic Dipio entrusted him, fresh into the department in 2008, with organizing the prestigious David Cook Memorial Lecture, Dr. Nabutanyi reflected on how that single act of trust shaped his scholarly path. \u201cWe are always generational,\u201d he said, \u201cand one generation must prepare the next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His narrative then turned to Professor Grace Musila, the keynote speaker, whom he first encountered in 2009 through a call for papers on East African intellectual traditions. Despite lacking the funds to attend the conference, he was encouraged by Musila to apply for the Stellenbosch PhD program\u2014a gesture that changed his life. \u201cThat journey,\u201d he said, \u201chas been good for me, for my family, for the department of literature, and for Makerere University.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His testimony was a powerful reminder of the emotional and intellectual bonds that shape academic communities. \u201cFifteen years from now,\u201d he told the graduate students, \u201cyou will reflect on how someone in this room\u2014your supervisor, a coordinator, a colleague\u2014made you feel. That is what will carry you through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a closing gesture, Dr. Nabutanyi acknowledged the many colleagues, past and present, who have supported CHUSS’s scholarly journey and contributed to building a dynamic and sustainable intellectual ecosystem. \u201cIt is in this spirit,\u201d he said, \u201cof shared legacy and communal commitment, that we welcome our keynote speaker to lead us in reflecting on scholarly networks after the PhD.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that moment, it was clear that Dr. Nabutanyi was not only a convener of symposia but a custodian of academic memory\u2014ensuring the torch of scholarship continues to burn across generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n