The College of Computing and IS got the opportunity to be visited by Mrs. Lorna Magara, the first female to be appointed chairperson of Makerere University Council, since the founding of the university in 1922. On her visit to CoCIS, (the first of its kind by any Makerere University Council member) she was welcomed by Prof. Tonny Oyana (Principal) and Assoc. Prof. Agnes Rwashana (Deputy Principal). Together they showed her around the College facilities i.e. the Lecture rooms, Computer labs, Makerere Innovation Incubation Center, and the different research labs (Artificial Intelligence Lab, Software Systems Centre among others).

Mrs. Magara touring CoCIS facilities
After the tour she met with College management and staff members to discuss several challenges and achievements at the College. Some of the challenges included understaffing in different departmental units, clarification on the research and teaching policies at university level, the need to renovate some of the building infrastructures etc. Among the achievements highlighted was the increase in number of academic staff with PhD’s, the increase in research and funding through several projects like the AirQ, HITRAIN, and WIMEA among others.

Mrs. Magara meets and greets some CoCIS staff
All in all Mrs. Magara enjoyed her visit and thanked the College management for the informative presentations, the information sharing session. She said, “it would be great if the university operated as one unit not silos” but asked that the College give the Council a chance to move things as they are currently addressing and attending to critical issues at University level.