Makerere University

Makerere University: Makerere Hill, one of the seven hills that comprise Kampala City, is the site of Makerere University. It is only 2.5 kilometers by road and situated in the Kawempe division, north of Kampala’s major business center.

One of the oldest and most prominent universities in Africa, Makerere University began as a modest technical school in 1922. The institution was renamed Uganda Technical Collage in January of that year, and 14 day students were admitted to start studying mechanics, building, and carpentry.

The main gate of Makerere University is located on Makerere Hill Road, approximately 190 meters west of the Wandegeya traffic lights on Bombo Road. Because he persuaded the Buganda Lukiiko to give land to the colonial authority for development, the former Katikiro of Buganda Nsibirwa is credited for creating the area where the university now stands.

Soon after, the college started to offer a variety of other courses in medical care, agriculture, veterinary sciences, and teacher training. In 1935, it grew to become a center for higher education in East Africa, and in 1937, it began to transform into a post-secondary educational institution that offered post-secondary certificate programs. It joined the University College London as a university collage in 1949 and began offering courses that led to the general degrees of its parent school.

Makerere became a separate National University of the Republic of Uganda on July 1, 1970, and began offering undergraduate and graduate programs that led to its own degrees. About 35,000 undergraduate students and 3,000 postgraduate students, both Ugandan and foreign, are enrolled in Makerere University’s day, evening, and external study programs. The university is also actively involved in research.

One of the Buganda Royals who had a night out with a concubine and failed to return to the palace before dawn gave rise to the name Makerere Hill. When he realized it was daylight, he cried, “Gano makerere,” which translates to “it has dawn on me.” That is why it is called Makerere Hill.

The 300-acre campus of Makerere University features lovely buildings and expansive open spaces that promote a positive learning atmosphere. Students are housed in the six university residence halls, which include the Mary Stuart, Complex, and Africa halls for women. Additionally, there are six halls for men: Livingstone, Mitchell, Lumumba, Nsibirwa, and University. However, these halls are still unable to house the increasing number of university students, which is why dorms are steadily expanding throughout the campus in places like Kikoni, Bwaise, Mulago, Wandegeya, LDC, Nakulabye, and Kavule.

African leaders such as former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, President Mwai Kibaki, Benjamin William Mkapa, Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and well-known authors like Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Ali Muszrui, Peter Nazareth, Paul Theroux, Yasmin Alibhai Brown, Mahmood Mamdani David Rubadiri, as well as public figures like John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, Maama Rebecca Kadaga, Janet Kataaha Museveni, and others have graduated from Makerere University, Uganda’s top university.

In the meantime, on July 1, 2011, the university moved from a faculty-based to a collegiate system. On Friday, December 30, 2011, Makerere University formally changed its name to a Collegiate University, with nine constituent colleges. As of July 1, 2014, there were ten constituent colleges, including the law school, all of which functioned as semi-autonomous units of the university.

Creation of MUBS, a business school
In 1997, Makerere University founded the Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in response to the need for professional business training in Uganda. The National College of Business Studies and the Faculty of Commerce merged to form the new institution. Although the faculty of commerce had to physically relocate from the Makerere Campus to Nakawa, where the National College of Business Studies was situated, the merger and relocation actually happened in January 1998.

The school’s mandate
The School was established by a governmental order that required it to plan and develop business and commercial training at various levels throughout the nation. “By increasing the number of students enrolled in and producing qualified personnel from the various degree, diploma, and certificate programs in commercial and business education, the school aims to strengthen the institution offering commercial and business education in order to provide high quality standards in the commercial sector.”

In accordance with standards established by the act, statutes, and regulations made under the act, or as may be agreed upon by the school and Makerere University, the school will conduct courses that lead to the awarding of degrees, diplomas, and certificates by Makerere University. Additionally, the school and Makerere University will jointly conduct examinations that lead to the awards in connection with the awards.