Govt to set up research fund for universities

The Government intends to set up a special fund to facilitate research in universities, the education minister and first lady, Janet Museveni, has said.

Without giving any timeline for establishing the fund, the minister said the research endowment will guarantee funding for critical academic investigations in Universities instead of relying on foreign financing to undertake studies.

"We plan to create a fund for research in universities so that we can do research and the results remain here for us to utilize. Sometimes, research studies are funded and the results taken away. This was needed yesterday," Museveni stated.

The minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, the vice chancellor Kyambogo University, Prof. Eli Katunguka (C) and deputy vice chancellor, Prof. Fabian Nabugoomu (R) pose for a photo after the 4th international interdisciplinary conference at Kyambogo University

 
However, the minister noted that institutions of higher learning are grappling with limited financing across Africa because governments are trying to deliver on other equally critical commitments -energy, infrastructure, health and picking high wage bills for public servants.

"Funding to education is not sufficient in Africa. But Universities also need to find out how they can increase funding. Universities need to come to governments with solutions," she said during the opening of the 4^th international interdisciplinary conference at Kyambogo University in Kampala on Tuesday.

She decried the high unemployment levels in the country, noting that universities churn out an estimated 40,000 graduates each year, but only about 8,000 of them get absorbed by the public and private sectors.

Making a case for research, the minister said that perhaps universities should liaise with the employers to establish the kind of employees they are seeking for, noting that universities like Makerere are still delivering academic courses that are not ‘needed' today.

"We need to break the barriers that keep us isolated. Universities train people who are not needed in the job market. Graduates from Mbarara University of Science get employed because their courses are needed," she said