Makerere University in partnership to strengthen global research collaborations, boost evidence-based policy making

Makerere University (MAK) School of Economics has signed an MOU with the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) and the International Growth Centre (IGC) to strengthen global research collaborations and boost evidence-based policy making.

IGC represented the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at Makerere University’s Council Room in Kampala city.

MAK vice-chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, MAK economics school dean Prof. Mike Ibrahim Okumu, deputy principal of MAK College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Prof. James Wokadala, EPRC executive director Dr Sarah Ssewanyana, IGC executive director for Uganda and Rwanda Dr Jonathan Leape, and IGC country director Dr Richard Newfarmer took part in the signing of the MOU.

Nawangwe reaffirmed Makerere’s commitment to research-led partnerships, noting the university’s ambition to remain a leading student-centred research institution addressing Africa’s most urgent challenges. 

These, include poverty, youth unemployment, climate change impacts on agriculture, rapid population growth and food security.

He stressed that Africa’s target of producing one million PhDs within the next decade will only be met through stronger collaborations that expand supervision and training capacity.

Ssewanyana welcomed the agreement as timely for EPRC, aligning with its new five-year strategic plan (2025/26–2029/30).

(L-R) Wokadala, Nawangwe, Ssewanyana, Leape, and other officials addressing the media during the signing of the agreement at Makerere University Council Room. (Credit: John Odyek)

She said the partnership exemplifies the centre’s focus on building alliances that strengthen evidence-based policymaking and advance Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.

Wokadala described the MoU as a platform to expand faculty and student training, particularly in research and Public Infrastructure Management (PIM).

He said the collaboration would enhance knowledge-sharing, policy dialogue, and solutions to pressing socio-economic and health challenges.

Okumu highlighted recent milestones achieved through earlier engagements with IGC, including hosting a 2025 international conference on mobile money systems and securing Makerere as the host of the Africa Meeting of the Econometric Society in 2027.

Okumu noted that these achievements underscore the university’s growing influence on African economic scholarship.

Leape expressed delight in formalising the long-standing collaboration, pointing to ongoing joint projects on science, technology, engineering, and mathematic education reforms and barriers to business growth.

He emphasized IGC’s mission to connect researchers and policymakers to deliver evidence-based solutions for development.

The MoU is expected to deepen research partnerships, generate policy-relevant findings, and train the next generation of Ugandan scholars, showcasing how academia and policy institutions can work together to accelerate Africa’s development.