How Makerere University’s first Critical Thinking and Social Intelligence cohort found a new way to question the world

What the report says

Makerere University has completed its first Critical Thinking and Social Intelligence course, a short programme run by the Department of Philosophy under the School of Liberal and Performing Arts. According to The Independent Uganda, 52 participants from varied professions and backgrounds finished the three-week course and received certificates at a graduation ceremony on Aug. 7.

The course ran from July 20 to Aug. 7 and was designed to help participants examine assumptions, weigh evidence, spot manipulation and disinformation, and improve how they interact with others. The newspaper reported that the curriculum combined lectures, guided discussions, group debates and practical exercises, with examples drawn from real-life situations, social media and current affairs. Organisers said they wanted to move beyond conventional classroom teaching and link critical inquiry with social intelligence, empathy and communication.

The cohort included lawyers, journalists, medical workers, teachers, accountants, architects, students and public administrators. The article said more than 350 people applied after the programme was announced, although only 52 were admitted. Course coordinators Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo and Dr Nixon Wamamela were involved in developing the idea, which reportedly grew out of earlier discussions about human rights and ethics. The report suggests the initiative reflects a broader need for analytical skills in an environment shaped by fast-moving online information and persuasive but weakly supported claims.

Participants quoted by The Independent Uganda said the training changed how they evaluate arguments and engage with others. Their comments point to the course’s broader significance: it aimed not only to sharpen reasoning, but also to encourage more careful, respectful decision-making in work and public life.