Makerere University introduces e-transcripts, expands online learning

What the report says

The Independent Uganda, citing Uganda Radio Network, reports that Makerere University has introduced electronic transcripts and certificates to let graduates retrieve academic credentials online and allow employers or other approved third parties to confirm their validity digitally. The Kampala-based university says the service is intended to reduce the need for alumni to return physically for certified documents and to improve the security and accessibility of academic records.

Academic Registrar Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza told URN the e-credentials form part of a wider digital transformation agenda. The report says Makerere has now institutionalized blended learning across programmes and is working on fully online degree offerings that could enable students outside Uganda and elsewhere to study remotely for Makerere qualifications. The university also plans to introduce revised curricula from the 2026/2027 academic year in line with the government’s push toward Competency-Based Education and Training, with an emphasis on practical skills and employability.

The article also reports comments by Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe during an update on Makerere’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan. He rejected claims of a lecturer shortage, saying the university has about 32,000 students and around 1,400 teaching staff, including roughly 1,100 lecturers with PhDs. He put the lecturer-to-student ratio at 1:21, which he described as stronger than an international benchmark of 1:35.

Nawangwe also denied that recruitment and promotions had been halted, saying appointments and hiring had continued in academic, administrative and support roles. The developments matter because Makerere, Uganda’s flagship public university, is positioning digital credentialing, online learning and curriculum reform as central to improving service delivery and widening access to higher education.