On 20th October 2025, Makerere University College of Education and External Studies hosted a delegation from the University of the West England to discuss research and collaboration.
At the College of Education and External Studies, the delegation led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of the West England, Ms. Jo Midgley, was received by the College Principal, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga.
The partnership meeting at the College of Education and External Studies (CEES) followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Makerere University (Mak) and the University of the West of England (UWE), UK on 17th October 2025, in the Vice Chancellor’s Board Room, Main Building.
The MoU signed by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of the West of England, Ms. Jo Midgley, aimed at strengthening collaboration in education, research, innovation, and enterprise development.
In the operationalization of this MoU, the College of Education and External Studies at Makerere University will undertake a central role. The collaboration meeting provided an opportunity for the leadership and staff from both Universities to gain a deeper understanding of their areas of focus, mandate, roles and expectations, as well adoption of best practices and learning journeys.
The meeting between CEES and UWE centred on research and collaboration, innovative teaching and learning, staff and student mobility, digital pedagogy, e-learning, joint supervision of students, vocational training, special needs education and higher education studies.
Presentation by CEES leadership and faculty members:
Welcoming the delegation, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga presented a brief profile of CEES. He mentioned that the College consists of the School of Education, the School of Distance and Lifelong Learning, and the East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development. It runs the Centre for Teaching and Learning Support, and the Centre for Lifelong Learning.
At the undergraduate level, Prof. Mugagga noted that CEES is renowned for training quality teachers, who graduate, to provide teaching services in Secondary Schools, teacher training institutions, universities and early childhood centres/institutions.
Prof. Mugagga highlighted that the College works in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports, the National Curriculum Development Centre, National Council for Higher Education, and other stakeholders in the education sector to satisfy the education and development needs of the country.
In the areas of online education, Prof. Mugagga pointed out that during the CoVID-19 pandemic, CEES through its Institute of Open and Distance Learning, implemented innovative teaching and digital strategies that enabled Makerere University to continue providing teaching and learning services during the very challenging times.
In the area of early childhood education, CEES operates the Makerere University Institute of Teacher Education and Research (MITER), which conducts the Bachelors, Masters, and PhD programmes in Early Childhood care and education. Prof. Mugagga emphasized the growing demand for Early Childhood Education at Makerere University at the Undergraduate and Master’s degree level.
The Principal articulated that CEES is actively involved in the implementation of Competence Based Education (CBE) at the University and at the national level.
Building on to the Principal’s presentation, the faculty members from CEES highlighted the provision of special needs education, curriculum and foundational studies, e-learning, language education, vocational training, vocationalisation of education, learning pedagogy and teacher professionalism, entrepreneurship, adult education, and external degree programmes undertaken by the College.
Presentation by UWE Deputy Vice Chancellor and Officials:
The UWE Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ms. was delighted to partner with Makerere University. She thanked the Principal for the warm reception at the College of Education and External Studies. She introduced the UWE officials attending the collaboration meeting, namely: Mian Ng-Lead for Global Partnerships in Social and Cultural Engagement, Dr. Anne Eason-Associate Director of Policing, Prof. Emmanuel Adukwu-Dean of Students, and Jimi Ogunnusi-International Director Africa and Africa Strategy Lead.
The UWE Deputy Vice Chancellor flanked by the aforementioned officials, reported that UWE consists of the School of Education. She disclosed that UWE is driven by the pursuit of ensuring that their graduates are employable, which entails bringing the real world into the classroom. In line with this strategic approach, UWE undertakes several strategies including innovative teaching, ensuring that 50% of the time of students studying education is spent in schools, facilitating staff and mobility programmes, offering opportunities to faculty to teach across different disciplines within the university, coupled with an intensive community approach model, which presents a chance to their students to work in the communities.
On their strength and a best practice that has enabled access to high quality education, the delegation indicated that 50% of the students, study online and are enrolled on different distance education programmes. UWE also conducts programmes in early childhood and teaches students living with disabilities.
Citing an example of student mobility in Africa, UWE sends students to Gambia, a partnership that enables UWE students to work with the education students in Gambia to come up with programmes. For example, UWE students worked with a rural school to set up libraries, and also the exchange provides an opportunity to students to share experiences about teaching in the UK.
Way Forward:
The collaboration will enhance staff and student mobility as well as the community based model, digital pedagogy, undertaking a joint supervision model to understand Uganda and the UK context, hosting joint seminars on academics and topical issues, internationalization through conducting joint degrees, partnerships in publications-writing joint research proposals leading to joint publications, strengthening pedagogical training and skills, vocational training, science education, vocalization of education, and special needs education.
CEES staff who attended the Collaboration Meeting:
Prof. Ronald Bisaso-Deputy Principal, Associate Prof. Mathias Mulumba Bawanika-Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Harriet Nabushawo-Dean, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning, Dr. Genza Gyaviira Musoke-Head of the Department of Foundation and Curriculum Studies, Dr. Edward Kansiime-Acting Head of the Department of Science, Technology and Vocational Education, Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda-Department of e-Learning, Dr. Muhammad Musoke Kiggundu-Head of Department, Humanities and Language Education, Dr. Rebecca Nambi-Department of Humanities and Language Education, Ms. Ritah Namisango-Principal Communication Officer, and Mr. Moses Kibirango-Web Administrator-CEES Communication Office.
