The Regional Scholarship Innovation Fund (Rsif) Regional Coordination Unit  International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) paid a visit to Makerere University, located in Uganda’s capital, Kampala for a physical monitoring and evaluation. Makerere is one of the 15 Rsif African Host Universities (AHU).

The visit’s purpose was to give technical support in the ongoing selection and shortlisting process of Rsif cohort 6 scholarship applications and discuss the implementation status and progress of the ongoing PASET-Rsif funded PhD students at the Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement (MaRCCI).

At hand to receive the delegation Dr Richard Edema, MaRCCI Director  and a senior lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Production Makerere University and and Dr Dramadri Isaac Onziga, Team leader Research at MaRCCI and lecturer in Department of Agricultural Production.

The meeting began with presentations from Rsif scholars on the progress of their work, accomplished tasks, and workplans for remaining activities.

Rsif team led by Dr Evelyn Nguku who is the capacity-building specialist, then met Prof Robert Wamala , the Director Makerere University Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, who welcomed the group and took them through the institution’s rich history and hailed the partnership.

“We have 68 centres of excellence in Makere University so you are in good ground when it comes to quality research. It is ranked as number one in Uganda,” Prof Wamala stated adding that the university also has several state-of-the-art facilities across different departments.

“So far the Department of Agriculture has the highest number of PhD enrolment, so Rsif scholars are in good hands when it comes to quality mentorship,” Prof Wamala said.

According to Dr. Nguku, there have been 282 scholars since the programme’s inception, and the selection process for cohort 6 is currently underway.

“We have about 40 scholars who have graduated across cohorts 1 – 3, and a big percentage of these graduates get absorbed in meaningful employments in their countries,” Dr Nguku stated.

Dr Edema emphasized that the rigorous selection process keeps building the institutions’ capacity to produce more PhDs for the continent. “PhD is the engine that this continent needs to progress,” he said.

He added that “The Rsif students that come to MaRCCI also get the opportunity to take more additional short trainings offered by the RCU. We also ensure timely completion, which is also our strength.”

On his part, Dr Onziga stated that the students he is supervising are all on course and will complete in time.