How a PhD qualification turns one into a global citizen 

A PhD qualification turns one into a citizen of the world, because one transcends all the petty considerations, and they become certified researchers to change humanity through their respective field.

This was stated by Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, who was the host at the Annual Forum for Graduate Research and Policy Dialogue on April 25-26, 2024. Held at Yusuf Lule CTF auditorium, Makerere University under the theme, ‘Regional integration and development’, the function had state minister for Higher Education John Muyingo as the guest of honour.

The vice chancellor of Makerere gave a number of statistics to argue his assertion.

“In UK, with 67 million people, there are close to 800 real universities… China, which now has the same population as Africa, has more than 3,000 universities, meaning a university caters for 456,000 people… This is why China is moving forward very fast, not due to foreign direct investment which some people think raises a country high. Rather, it is due to the researches and the resultant innovations from the numerous master’s and PhDs, that create products and jobs, moving people out of poverty in few years…. The whole of Africa produces 6,000 PhDs every year, yet China produces 100,000 each year… The worst thing is that we are not investing in higher education to change this situation.”

Noting that Uganda has just above 2,500 PhDs, half of whom are based at Makerere University, Nawangwe said even those few we have, we are not making great use of them.

“Last year, Makerere celebrated for graduating 130 PhDs in one go. Yet Makerere could enroll over 2,000 PhD students, and be graduating 500 or 600 per year. We are not unlocking the immense potential that Makerere has.”

China, he noted, has moved very fast in changing the conditions of life and scientific progress of the majority in the past 30 years to threaten what used to be the only superpower, because of embracing the knowledge economy, which mainly means investing heavily in higher education.

“PhD per capita is the best measure for the investment in knowledge economy. The more PhD per capita you have, the faster you progress.”

Muyingo also launched the Research Information Management System (RIMS) which has started digitizing all aspects of research processes at the university – including enrolment, supervision, monitoring, assessment, decision-making, thesis management and defence, among others.

Prof Buyinza Mukadasa, the principal investigator of RIMS, said the system will raise the visibility of Makerere University, among many other benefits.

The forum, which was merged with the annual doctoral convention this year, and attended by civil society, industry captains and students from other universities, aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Over 70 research papers from all colleges were presented, while Makerere University Press presented the numerous research and publication opportunities they are ready to take on.

Dr William Tayeebwa announced that Makerere University Press is organizing a big book fair, involving all publishers in Uganda in an attempt to revive the reading culture in Uganda.