By Brenda Odhiambo

Makerere University, which is a partner institution in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, visited USIU-Africa from March 27-28, for a benchmarking visit.

The delegation, which included the Program Director, Prof. Namaalwa Justine JJumba, the Program Administrator, Ms. Harriet Nakiryowa, and the Principal Communication Officer, Mr. Bernard Buteera, came to exchange knowledge and best practices to strengthen the implementation of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at both Makerere University and USIU-Africa.

Ms. Linet Aguko, the Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at USIU-Africa, welcomed the delegation and emphasized the significance of collaboration between the two institutions. She stated, "We are delighted to host our colleagues from Makerere University and share our experiences in implementing the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program here at USIU-Africa. Collaboration and knowledge exchange are essential for driving meaningful impact in the lives of young people across the continent".

Prof. Namaalwa, representing Makerere University, expressed their keen interest in learning from USIU-Africa's experience. She said, "We are here to gather insights that will enhance our implementation of the Scholars Program at Makerere University. USIU-Africa’s success and expertise in areas such as the recruitment and selection processes for Refugees and Displaced Youth and Youth with Disability are of keen interest to us, as we seek to make our institution truly inclusive".

The key areas of interest for the Makerere University team included recruitment processes for refugees/ displaced youth and youth with disability, the operations of the Disability and Inclusion Centre, transition support for refugees/ displaced youth and youth with disability, the Program’s monitoring and evaluation plans/activities, and the institutional transformations as a result of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at USIU-Africa. Additionally, the team also had the opportunity to take part in a campus tour, as well as a group discussion with Scholars drawn from the Program.

Makerere University is an independent national university of the Republic of Uganda and a center of excellence offering undergraduate and graduate courses to learners across Africa. In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Makerere University has been able to recruit over 1,032 Scholars since 2013, out of whom 933 have graduated and become enterprising leaders who contribute significantly to the development of their communities.