PhD Defense : Ms Winifred Namuwonge

An Interpretive Study on Experiences and Support Services for International Graduate Students at Makerere University

Abstract

The enrollment of international graduate students is declining at Makerere University. Yet, Makerere aspires to be a research-led institution with an internationalization agenda. There is need to increase the numbers of international graduate students as this would help Makerere University to realize her vision. This study therefore explored international graduate students’ experiences and how they are supported at Makerere University. It was guided by two objectives: (1) To explore experiences of international graduate students at Makerere university. (2) To explore how international graduate students are supported at Makerere University. This study was based on the interpretive world view, subscribing to the transcendental phenomenology of Edmund Husserls which states that those who have experienced a phenomenon can give meaning to it. Eight international graduate students at Makerere University were interviewed and they were selected from different academic disciplines which were categorised according to Becher and Biglan’s classification of academic disciplines. Data analysis followed thematic analysis whereby three themes including non-academic experiences, academic experience and support emerged as experiences and support that was provided to international graduate students at Makerere University. It was therefore concluded that those international graduate students had non-academic and academic experiences which were both positive and negative at Makerere University. It was also concluded that those international graduate students received non-academic and academic support at Makerere University. This study recommends that Makerere University Management should provide more resources that is financial, human, and physical to the International Office to deal with some possible negative experiences that international graduate students are facing at the University. The International Office may work with the Office of the Dean of Students to organise events for graduate students to facilitate interactions between international and domestic students and they may also put in place peer mentors for new international graduate students to foster a sense of community. This study recommends that the International Office needs to work very closely with the Deans of Schools in the different Colleges of Makerere University as this will improve their academic experiences and ultimately their numbers at Makerere University. Finally, the university management should strengthen and streamline the activities of the International Office at Makerere University

Winifred Namuwonge

2019/HD04/21390U

M.A(PAM), PGDE, BA (Arts) Makerere University

Supervisor: Dr Florence Nakamanya