Makerere University has experienced a significant departure of academic talent between 2018 and 2024. The institution lost more than 30 professors and nearly 50 senior lecturers during this period. Distinguished scholars like Professors Sylvia Tamale and Joe Oloka-Onyango left before reaching mandatory retirement age. The university operates at just 42 percent of its required staffing levels. This exodus represents a substantial loss of publicly funded intellectual capital.
Recent rankings placed Makerere 41st among African universities, sharing this position with 31 other institutions. The Times Higher Education metrics revealed concerning scores across key areas. Teaching performance reached only 21 percent while research environment scored a mere 6.4 percent. Research quality achieved 45.1 percent and industry innovation registered just 20 percent. These metrics directly correlate with faculty retention challenges.
Administrative changes have concentrated power within fewer hands at the university. Professor Mukadasi Buyinza simultaneously holds positions as Academic Registrar and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This centralization has shifted decision-making authority from the Senate to the University Council. Political appointees and non-academic figures compose most of the council membership. The transformation has created an environment where academic voices carry diminished influence over institutional direction.
Recent rankings placed Makerere 41st among African universities, sharing this position with 31 other institutions. The Times Higher Education metrics revealed concerning scores across key areas. Teaching performance reached only 21 percent while research environment scored a mere 6.4 percent. Research quality achieved 45.1 percent and industry innovation registered just 20 percent. These metrics directly correlate with faculty retention challenges.
Administrative changes have concentrated power within fewer hands at the university. Professor Mukadasi Buyinza simultaneously holds positions as Academic Registrar and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This centralization has shifted decision-making authority from the Senate to the University Council. Political appointees and non-academic figures compose most of the council membership. The transformation has created an environment where academic voices carry diminished influence over institutional direction.
