Makerere University has received half of the Shs 30bn Research and Innovations Fund (RIF) for the 2019/2020 financial year.

The Fund is expected to offer solutions to challenges facing Uganda’s development agenda.

After a series of meeting between government and the university, the former committed to provide a Research and Innovation (R&1) grant to the tune of Shs 30bn.

With the grant taking effect in the current financial year, Makerere expects to receive this funding for at least three years.

That means the university will have received Shs 90bn by the end of this R&I deal in the 2021/2022 Financial Year.

According to a statement on the grant’s website, half of the money, Shs 15bn, has “already been disbursed by the Ministry of Finance and is already on the Makerere University Account”.

Government expects Makerere to spend this RIF within the financial year.

Already, the university has set up a Grants Management Committee (GMC) that will, among others, select projects for funding.

Acting deputy vice chancellor for finance and administration Prof William Bazeyo will chair the GMC.

Members on the committee include Dr Umar Kakumba, Mr Yusuf Kiranda,  Dr Betty Ezati  Dr Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, Dr John Mutenyo , Dr Josephine Nabukenya, and Prof Moses Joloba.

Others are Prof David Serwadda, Dr Frank Mwiine, Dr Isa Kabenge, Dr Sabrina Kitakka, Dr Charles Masembe,   Dr Robinah Kulabako, Dr Robert Wamala and Dr Roy Mayega

The grant will go to “all technical disciplines in Makerere University as long as the research questions align with national priorities”, according to a statement on the grant’s website.

“The technical disciplines covered by all the colleges at Makerere University will therefore be included in the research grant,” further read the statement.

“Particular attention will be paid to areas of need for which there has not been any funding (unfunded priorities), for which funding has been inadequate, or for which available funding only covers one or a few of the components needed to inform development initiatives in a holistic way.”

University vice chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe has praised government for the funding, saying it will catapult Uganda to middle income status.

“I thank the Government of Uganda for the continuous support to Makerere University,” tweeted Prof Nawangwe.

“This Research and Innovation Fund of Shs 30bn is a catalyst to our march towards Middle Income Status.”

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