The Chairperson of Makerere University Council, Dr Lorna Magara, has called for urgent reforms to Uganda's higher education legal framework, warning that outdated laws and oversized governance structures are undermining efficiency, accountability and innovation in public universities.
Speaking at the launch of Makerere University's Strategic Plan 2025–2030, Magara said the institution is operating under a governance framework that has failed to keep pace with the evolving demands of modern higher education, particularly in innovation, resource management and institutional agility.
She singled out the Universities and Tertiary Institutions Act (Cap. 262), saying it no longer reflects the realities facing universities today.
"The law has not evolved with the complexity and demands of today's universities. It is increasingly becoming a constraint rather than an enabler," Magara said.
She also questioned the size of Makerere University's governing council, which currently comprises 24 members, arguing that it is significantly larger than governing boards at comparable institutions.
"This is the only board I know of with such a large membership. Most boards operate with about nine members. We must ask whether this structure is still efficient for decision-making in a modern university," she said.
According to Magara, the current governance arrangement risks slowing critical decision-making at a time when universities are expected to respond rapidly to national development priorities, technological change and global competition.
She said the university council will formally engage both the government and Parliament to seek amendments to the law, arguing that governance reforms are necessary to improve institutional performance and strengthen accountability.
Magara also welcomed the government's growing investment in higher education, revealing that Makerere University's annual budget is projected to increase from about Shs380 billion to nearly Shs640 billion over the five-year strategic period.
She said the increased funding demonstrates government confidence in the university sector but stressed that it must be matched by stronger oversight and measurable outcomes.
"Public investment on this scale demands exceptional stewardship. Every shilling must translate into measurable impact for the country," she said.
Magara described the new strategic plan as a national development blueprint aligned with Uganda's National Development Plan and Vision 2040, saying the university's success would ultimately be measured by the quality of its graduates, research output and innovation.
"Fifty years from now, the question will not be what we planned, but what we delivered for this country," she said.
The Strategic Plan 2025–2030 seeks to reposition Makerere as a research-intensive university by increasing postgraduate enrolment, raising Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) participation from 30 percent to 55 percent, improving PhD completion rates from 10 percent to 35 percent, and significantly expanding peer-reviewed research and commercially viable innovations.
Magara said the targets are binding performance commitments that will be used to assess leadership accountability throughout implementation.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said Makerere has already made significant progress over the past five years, with annual research publications increasing from fewer than 800 to 1,365.
He attributed the gains partly to increased government support, which has funded road rehabilitation, renovation of student residences and upgrades to academic facilities.
Nawangwe said the university now plans to increase the number of professors and senior lecturers to strengthen postgraduate supervision while doubling graduate enrolment by 2030 without reducing undergraduate admissions.
He added that Makerere intends to more than double the commercialisation of research by converting university innovations into enterprises capable of creating jobs and supporting economic growth.
The Vice Chancellor identified artificial intelligence as one of the institution's key strategic priorities, citing the establishment of AI laboratories at the College of Computing and ongoing development of innovation hubs under the Makerere University Technology and Innovation Centre.
Despite the ambitious targets, Nawangwe cautioned that funding constraints remain a major obstacle, saying recent budget reductions are inconsistent with the university's goal of becoming a research-led institution.
He called for sustained government investment and stronger partnerships with development partners to bridge financing gaps and ensure full implementation of the strategic plan.
Nawangwe said the university ultimately aims to establish itself as a regional leader in research, innovation and policy influence in support of Uganda's long-term development agenda.
