Makerere Universityis Uganda’s largest and oldest institution of higher learning. It was first established as a technical school in 1922 before becoming an independent national university in 1970. Today, Makerere University is composed of nine colleges and one school, offering programmes for approximately 36,000 undergraduates and 4,000 postgraduates.
Makerere University plays an important role in research regionally and internationally. The university is a global leader in public health, and through its distinguished Infectious Disease Institute has major research programmes on HIV/AIDS, Ebola, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases. The university’s research also focuses on climate change and its effects on food security, water management, migration and conflict. Makerere hosts the World Bank Centre of Excellence on Crop Improvement. The university is also home to the African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence on Notions of Identity in Africa.
