European Union Ambassador to Uganda Jan Sadek has called for increased investment in education, research and youth development, saying these are essential to economic growth, innovation and sustainable development.
“Investment in young people is one of the wisest investments any society can make. And investment in education and research is an investment in resilience, prosperity, and peace,” Sadek said.
He was speaking at the EU–Uganda Research and Study Fair 2026 at Makerere University’s Freedom Square, an event organised in partnership with Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports as Uganda and the European Union mark 50 years of cooperation.
The fair brought together students, researchers, universities, government institutions, European diplomatic missions and development partners to showcase opportunities for academic mobility, scholarships, research collaboration and innovation.
Sadek said education and research were becoming increasingly important as countries respond to challenges ranging from climate change and public health to food security, digital transformation, employment and governance.
“Around the world, education and research are becoming ever more central to how societies grow, innovate and respond to shared challenges. Whether we are speaking about climate change, public health, food systems, digital transformation, jobs or governance, knowledge matters everywhere, skills matter, research matters, and above all, young people matter,” he said.
He described Uganda’s youthful population as a major asset but said young people needed opportunities to translate their abilities into practical contributions to society.
“Uganda is a very young country. And this is a tremendous asset, it means energy, talent, creativity, and potential on a very large scale,” Sadek said.
“Young Ugandans are not only the leaders of tomorrow, they are already shaping the Uganda of today, in universities, in laboratories, in businesses, in communities, and in public life.”
He said the fair was intended to make international study and research opportunities more accessible by connecting students and researchers with universities, funding programmes and potential collaborators.
Sadek said the European Union continued to invest in higher education, skills development, research cooperation and youth empowerment in Uganda and across the region.
He cited Erasmus+ as one of the programmes creating opportunities for students, researchers, academic staff and institutions to collaborate across borders.
According to Sadek, nearly 1,500 Ugandan students and staff had been selected for mobility to Europe over the preceding five years, while more than 700 European students and staff had been selected for mobility to Uganda. He added that 61 Ugandans had received Erasmus Mundus joint master’s scholarships.
He said the benefits of international academic exchange extended beyond individuals travelling abroad to include the institutions and communities to which they returned.
“Exchange brings new perspectives, new methods, new networks, and new confidence. It helps build bridges between countries, but also between ideas, disciplines, and generations,” he said.
Muyingo calls for investment in youth skills
Acting Minister of Education and Sports John Chrysostom Muyingo said Uganda’s young population could become a demographic dividend only if the country invested adequately in education, skills, creativity, research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, and this presents an enormous opportunity. However, our young population will become a true demographic dividend only if we make the right investments today,” Muyingo said.
He said the country needed an education system that went beyond expanding access to ensure quality, relevance, effectiveness and inclusion.
“We need an education and training system that equips young Ugandans with the knowledge and competencies required by a rapidly changing economy,” he said.
Muyingo added that education should prepare young people not only to seek employment but also to create jobs, develop enterprises, innovate and address challenges affecting their communities.
He said achieving these goals required strong schools, universities and training institutions, well-prepared teachers and lecturers, and stronger links between education, research, innovation and the world of work.
The minister commended the European Union and its member states for supporting Uganda’s education sector through scholarships, academic mobility and research cooperation.
He urged universities and researchers to use the available opportunities to strengthen international partnerships and develop solutions to national challenges, including climate change, food security, public health, energy and unemployment.
Muyingo also challenged students to prepare early for scholarships and international study programmes rather than waiting until application deadlines approached.
“A scholarship or an international study programme does not begin when you submit an application. Preparation begins much earlier, through your academic work, the skills you develop, the networks you build and your willingness to seek information about available opportunities,” he said.
He encouraged young people to be ambitious for themselves and their country, adding that knowledge and experience acquired through international partnerships should contribute to Uganda’s development.
Makerere seeks stronger research partnerships
Makerere University Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs Prof. Sarah Ssali, representing Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, said the university would continue strengthening its relationships with European universities, research institutions and development partners.
She said the 50-year Uganda–European Union partnership had supported education, research, skills development, innovation and institutional strengthening, while creating opportunities for Ugandans to acquire knowledge, establish international networks and contribute to development.
Ssali said the next phase of cooperation should place greater emphasis on research, technology, innovation and young people.
Uganda’s development ambitions, including those under Vision 2040 and the National Development Plans, required a skilled population and a strong knowledge ecosystem, she said.
“We need universities and other institutions of learning to produce graduates who are not only employable, but who can also create employment, generate new knowledge, develop technologies, solve problems, and contribute to national transformation,” Ssali said.
She called for research that moved beyond academic publications to influence policy, improve professional practice, generate products and services, strengthen communities and contribute to economic development.
Ssali also revisited debates about the role of African universities following independence, contrasting the argument for institutions that could compete internationally with the view that universities should respond directly to the needs of their societies.
She said Makerere sought to balance the two objectives: global competitiveness and national relevance.
The fair, she said, offered students opportunities to discover scholarships and exchange programmes, researchers to identify partners and funding, and institutions to establish new areas of collaboration.
Ssali encouraged participants to “engage, explore, connect, and discover” opportunities while considering how the knowledge and skills they acquired could benefit Uganda.
The fair also highlighted research projects and academic partnerships supported by the European Union.
The exhibition also featured information on European study opportunities, research funding, institutional partnerships and the experiences of Makerere alumni who had benefited from international academic cooperation.
Nine European Union member states—Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden—participated in the fair through exhibitions showcasing opportunities for study, research and collaboration.
