Innovating Doctoral Education and Training in Uganda for Research and Development

Abstract

Uganda aspires to progress towards achieving middle-income status by 2040 as expressed in Uganda Vision 2040 (Government of Uganda, 2013). To attain the middle-income status and improved competitive advantage in the global knowledge-based economy, Uganda needs a strong research and innovation system. This cannot be realised without a critical mass of doctorates/researchers who can train innovative researchers, undertake translatable research and generate innovations. Although the most current figures are not readily available, there is acute shortage of a critical mass of doctorates/researchers in Uganda. There were only about 37 researchers per million inhabitants in Uganda by 2010, and only 26 by 2014, well below the world average of 1,083 (UNESCO, 2015). Yet, doctoral education and training capacity in both public and private universities/institutions in Uganda is very low. Only about 1,197 PhDs have been awarded in Uganda between 1970-2020. Without a critical mass of doctorates, creation of a knowledge based-economy in Uganda as expressed in NPD111(GoU, 2020) cannot be achieved by 2040. This brief provides policy direction and practical actions necessary for innovating doctoral education and training in order to create a strong research and innovation system in Uganda.