Makerere University has launched a digital system with inbuilt automated operations to help fast-track the impacts and benefits of research-related grants.
The Makerere Grants Management System (MakGMS) shall help the institution to consolidate data, access grants, write reports, proposal development and accountability.
According to Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the future will purely depend on research and innovations which should be emphasized, especially at university levels.
Prof. Nawangwe made the remarks on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, during the launch MakGMS at Makerere University main campus in Kampala.
He subsequently noted that the university raises a lot of funding towards research and innovation but the lack of information, especially in the public domain hinders several research developments.
The Chairperson Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee – Makerere University (FPAIC) Bruce Kabasa was the chief guest at the event.
He argued that resources incurred in the research developments should be reflected on the output which he said sometimes does not correlate.
Mr. Kabasa called on researchers to ensure that the efforts invested can be compatible with the outcome. This, he said is basic accountability which he said could attract more funding.
The Grants Management System is intended to support the following;
- GAMSU to perform its mandate
- Provide access to grant calls.
- Proper Profiling of grants at Makerere
- Support accountability and compliance.
- Enhance monitoring and tracking grant progress.
- Risk Management
- Cybersecurity and data protection
It should be remembered that in 2019, the Government committed a special Research and Innovation Fund (RIF) to public universities to the tune of shillings 30 billion per year to support the implementation of high- impact research and innovations.
The objective of the fund was to increase local generation of translatable research and scalable innovations that address key gaps required to drive Uganda’s development agenda.
