Principal Gorettie Nabanoga
Top Management Innovation Coaches
Prof Emmanuel Kaunda and Dr. John Bonnell
Project
Skilling to innovate (STI) in agricultural and environmental sciences
Summary of the Problem
The trend of internationalization is putting a demand on the institutions of higher learning to re-evaluate their curricula and research activities in order to improve the innovation culture among students and faculty. The current training system limits students’ competences and renders them less competitive in the global market of jobs and entrepreneurship. Specifically, the agriculture sector contributes over 25% of Uganda’s GDP and CAES is the major training center for human resources for innovations in the Agricultural and Environmental sectors of Uganda.
As Makerere University prioritizes innovation in its training and research activities in order to raise its reputation and ranking with the aim of improving student intakes, external funding and student marketability, the current environment is not conducive for nurturing creativity, exploration, discovery and commercialization of knowledge aimed at improving livelihoods and economic development. Despite CAES’ high potential to generate innovative research projects, services and products, very few innovative outputs are currently generated. This has been partly due to lack of an innovations culture and an institutionalized support systems for innovators/Scholars (Faculty and Students) and innovations at CAES.
Description of the Innovation
The project “Skilling to innovate (STI) in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” seeks to invigorate the innovation culture at CAES through re-orienting CAES-ISP Scholar’s innovation mindset, who would then move the innovation agenda in CAES in both teaching and research engagements. This innovation seeks to engage students, faculty, industry and external stakeholders using the HCD approach to co-create practices and policies that will contribute to the faculty and students’ development and success of CAES innovators. The College Management is expected to support the co-creation of a conducive environment that shall nurture scholars’ (students and faculty across CAES) creativity, exploration, discovery and commercialization of knowledge aimed at improving livelihoods. The program hinges on the Human Centered Design (HCD) approach where the client (student, faculty and industry) are at the center of design and implementation. It is anticipated that skill sets, attributes, experiences, and environments that contribute to innovators’ development and success at CAES will be generated.
The Innovation will Impact Uganda by increase the number of adoptable innovations in agricultural and environmental sectors that will improve livelihoods and contribute to Uganda’s economic development,
Design Team Members
- Prof. Achileo Kaaya, Head, Department Food Science and Technology
- Dr. Justine J. Namalwa, Head, Department of Environmental Management
- Dr. Denis Mpairwe, Associate Professor, CAES
- Dr. Grace Nakabonge, Senior Lecturer, Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism
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