Makerere starts Masters programme for soldiers

By Innocent Anguyo

THE Makerere University Council, the institution's highest decision making body has approved a Master of Arts in Defense and Security Studies for soldiers in the East Africa Community (EAC).

Speaking to New Vision on Tuesday, Dr Vincent Ssembatya, the Director of Makerere University Quality Assurance Directorate said the programme is aimed at reinforcing the knack of soldiers in the region to tackle the ever growing threat of terror.

The two-year programme enrolls its maiden 40 students in the next academic year, starting July. To be eligible for the programme, one has to be a soldier although there are plans to make it accessible to the general public in the near future.

Soldiers from outside EAC will apply through the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF).

Students will be resident at Kimaka Senior Command and Staff College in Jinja and Makerere will: conduct the lectures; approve the curriculum; set exams; approve the results; monitor studies; supervise research; and issue degrees.

Some unique course units for the programme are- the theory and practice of military intelligence; global politics; command, leadership and management; training doctrine in defense forces; theory and practice of modern warfare; joint war planning; issues in African international studies; and research methodology in defense and security studies.