INVITATION:
The Dean, East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development under the College of Education and External Studies (CEES), cordially invites you to the PhD Public Defense of the following candidate:
Name of the Candidate: Mr. Eutychus Ngotho Gichuru
Title of Thesis:
Experiences of Faculty During their Academic Promotion Process at Makerere University
Date: 18th November, 2026
Time: 11:00am
Venue: Room 127 Curriculum Building . East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University
ABSTRACT
The thesis examines how Makerere University’s academic staff experience the process of academic promotion. The first chapter establishes the historical, conceptual and contextual bases of the study. The literature review in Chapter Two examines the cognitive, affective, identity and agentic fields while evaluating existing research and highlighting where hermeneutic and narrative studies have not been explored. Chapter Three explains the research process through narrative inquiry. The findings (Chapter Four) show cognitive confusion from policy opacity and affective exhaustion from “aggressive silence”; identity fragmentation between authentic and compliant selves; social-relational dependency on patronage; structural inequity that privilege Global North metrics; and alienated strategic agency. The study demonstrates how Makerere University’s Promotion Tracks operate as a “constitution without jurisprudence”, creating a hermeneutic crisis of recognition. The study indicates that negative experiences create a hermeneutic spiral of reciprocal causality because they perpetuate disenchantment. Therefore, the study presents a new synthesis of Ricoeurian hermeneutics and Social Practice Theory that could lead to decolonized and context-specific methods of recognizing different forms of academic achievement while creating clear pathways to academic advancement and restoring institutional trust.
SUPERVISORS:
Prof. Archangel Byaruhanga Rukooko
OPPONENT:
Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo
DOCTORAL COMMITTEE:
1. Associate Professor Joseph Kimoga
2. Dr. Florence Nakamanya
3. Dr. Francis Kiiza Ssali
SESSION CHAIRPERSON:
Associate Professor Jude Ssempebwa
Zoom Link:
https://mak-ac-ug.zoom.us/j/85017894971?pwd=SrcsvHXiB68whUrNfhur5igpnXtaeq.1
Your presence and participation will be highly appreciated as we support the student in this important academic milestone
