By Mike Sebalu
Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund has received Shs30 billion from the government of Uganda to do research and innovations.
The said funds have been distributed in 4 cohorts including the staff and Ph.D. students of the said University and according to the grants management committee chairperson, Professor Fred Masagazi , the 1st cohort of Ph.D. have already received funding and ready to go in the field to collect data.
“We have so far issued out 4 cohorts and we have given out funds to the staff of Makerere University and also for students. The benefiting students are those at the Ph.D. level because they conduct research and research for students is also part of research and innovations,” Masagazi said.
He added that lack of funds has been another challenge affecting the Ph.D. students in non-completion of their studies since they could not support activities of their projects in the field.
“When we talk about research and innovations, we are referring to issues which can cause an impact to society. So, the government thought it wise, that we need to engage the university to do research to see that our community is transformed using information which is got from the people to cause an impact on the communities,” he added.
He was speaking at a dissemination seminar dubbed Becoming a New Generation (BANG) based on the study of Makerere University, organised under the theme, “Rebuilding the moral infrastructure of the youth in Uganda: Nurturing a new generation for national transformation held at Makerere University main campus.
Peace Musimenta, a senior lecturer at the school of women and gender studies – Makerere University who is a researcher and pioneer of the BANG project said they are focusing on rebuilding the moral infrastructure of the young people which has been missing.
