By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa/ Umoja Standard.
Kampala, Uganda: Makerere University School of Business successfully climaxes the 3rd Annual Doctoral Colloquium Programme, 2024 which brought together 34 PhD students, including 11 third-year and 23 first and second-year students, for a four-day engagement from Monday to Thursday, 9-5 pm.
Under the watch of Prof. Godfrey Akileng, the dean school of business and Dr. Kasimu Sendawula, the colloquium was organized under the theme, “Research Grounding, Framing, Problematizing, and Making a Contribution for Seamless PhD Experience,” with objectives to educate participants on research proposals and thesis guidelines, motivate scholars to appreciate the PhD journey, enhance scholarly writing and presentation skills, provide critical feedback, and stimulate networking between young and senior researchers.
The colloquium achieved its objectives through sessions on Provisional Admission (proposal and thesis structure, conceptualization, literature review, philosophy of methods, scholarly writing, and ethical clearance) and Full Admission (proposal and thesis structure, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, philosophy of methods, scholarly writing, and ethical clearance).
Paper Presentation Sessions took place on Days 3 and 4 and expected outputs included understanding PhD management policies, refined research ideas, scholarly writing skills, increased confidence, understanding philosophical foundations, constructive feedback, and equipped presentation skills.
The organizers sought additional support for PhD training activities, aligning with Makerere University’s “A Research Lead University” vision.
Professor Godfrey Akileng, Dean Makerere University School of Business has in his opening remarks noted that the school has achieved significant milestones in its doctoral program since its inception in 2019. “We have 31 active doctoral students and five graduates expected in January,” said Prof. Akileng.
Prof. Akileng highlighted the school’s progress, saying, “We can’t call ourselves a school when we are not researching, when we are not training future scholars.” He expressed pride in the school’s initiatives and progress, noting, “We are happy with the new handbook, the rate of publication from our students is increasing, and from staff, we are very happy.”
The Dean encouraged scholars to present their research, develop a matrix for comments received, and work hard to finish on time. “Our business thought is that the best strategy is having a satisfied work customer and address their needs,” he emphasized.
Prof. Akileng affirmed that, As staff, they are at students service, asked them to continue working hard and make sure they do everything according to plan.
There are key upcoming events including;
the November research seminar featuring presentations from staff members studying abroad (Tadeo, Caroline, Martin),
december research seminar featuring presentations from staff members studying abroad.
Prof. Akileng affirmed, “We are here at your service, continue working hard and make sure you do everything according to plan.”
Speaking at the third Annual Doctoral Colloquium, Dr. Julius Kikoma, Director of the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) Makerere University praised School of Business progress.
“I’m happy to see that over the years, the school has grown its capacity to train PhDs,” Dr. Kikoma said. “We’re trying to transform the view that a PhD is a lonely journey. Gatherings like this help PhD students realize they’re not alone.”
Dr. Kikoma highlighted the DRGT’s efforts to improve PhD training, including policy changes and initiatives. “We’ve come up with some changes in the policy and other initiatives to create an environment that allows PhD students to move smoothly through their journey,” he explained.
Notable reforms include shifting from open-ended to structured PhD programs, admitting students in cohorts, and providing full admission instead of provisional admission. “We pushed for a policy change to structure PhD by research training, and now students come in on full admission,” Dr. Kikoma noted.
[Prof. Godfrey Akileng, Dean of the School of Business, emphasized the school’s commitment to research and producing scholars. “Our business thought is that the best strategy is having a satisfied work customer, address their needs,” he said.]
The colloquium provided a platform for PhD students to present their research and receive feedback. Dr. Kikoma encouraged students to engage with the ideas of the Finance Ministry Secretary, noting, “We should invite him to a workshop to discuss how we can be part of creating the foundations for an economy that works.”
The engagement demonstrate Makerere University’s dedication to advancing graduate training and research, fostering a supportive community for PhD students. In this endeavor, Prof. Kikoma revealed that 350 applicants for PhD by research showed up in the current academic year.
The coordinator of PhD Programme at Makerere University School of Business and Management Sciencies (CoBAMS) Dr. Kassim Sendawula highlighted that they requested scholars to submit papers, which were reviewed by experts, providing valuable written and verbal feedback. He explained that the review process was “well-appreciated” by participants as they gained essential skills and insights.
Dr. Sendawula thanked the Dean and team for their support, noting, “We’re glad you’re here to highlight changes in PhD training.” He emphasized the workshop’s significance, saying, “It’s a great opportunity for our scholars to consider these changes and refine their research.”