The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has issued a stark warning over the deteriorating state of research in Ugandan universities, cautioning that many institutions risk being reduced to “glorified high schools” due to excessive reliance on tuition fees and minimal investment in research.
The concern was raised by the Executive Director of NCHE, Prof. Mary Okwakol, during the launch of the fourth Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) journal held in Kampala. She revealed that findings from NCHE’s latest annual survey highlight widespread weaknesses in research productivity across the country’s higher education institutions.
“The survey indicators show that our research is not progressing as it should. Many institutions, the majority in fact, do not conduct meaningful research. Most universities are focused mainly on tuition, which is why people say they could be glorified high schools,” Okwakol said.
According to Okwakol, NCHE evaluates universities’ research capacity using metrics such as library strength, innovation output, institutional research policies, and the quality of academic publications. She reiterated that research is central to the mandate of higher education and that universities must prioritise knowledge creation alongside teaching.
“Libraries are a cornerstone of any university, supporting both learning and innovation,” she said, commending CUUL for its renewed commitment to scholarly publishing.
“We are very happy with CUUL for launching the first journal after 21 years. This initiative will gather research from member institutions, identify innovative ideas, and help advance them,” he said.
The CUUL Journal revival marks a major milestone, expected to stimulate research visibility and provide a platform for academic discourse across disciplines.
The Executive Director of CUUL, Andrew Ojulong, welcomed the development but expressed concern over declining student enrollment in Library and Information Science (LIS) courses. He attributed this trend to public misconceptions about the profession, limited awareness, and inadequate ICT infrastructure.
“Ugandan publishers are very few; we have only a handful of journals. The launch of the Uganda University Journal is timely and will strengthen academic publishing while encouraging more scholars to contribute locally,” Ojulong said.
The event drew participation from Vice Chancellors, librarians, researchers, and senior academics from various universities.
Attendees pledged to support CUUL’s publishing efforts and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and knowledge dissemination within their institutions.
The launch of the CUUL journal is expected to serve as a collaborative platform for universities to enhance academic output, improve research quality, and contribute to Uganda’s socio-economic development through innovation and scholarly excellence.