Kampala — Makerere University has begun transitioning from paper-based academic documentation to a digital system that will allow graduates to access electronic transcripts and certificates through an online platform.
The university’s Academic Registrar, Professor Mukadasi Buyinza, said the new electronic process marks a major step in improving efficiency, reducing bureaucracy and strengthening verification of academic credentials.
Prof. Buyinza said the university had reached a milestone after completing the shift from traditional paper-based processes to what he described as the e-process.
“We have one amazing academic process that I can tell you about. All the work from my commission has been geared towards improving efficiency, but the last mile has been the e-process,” Prof. Buyinza said.
He explained that graduates will no longer be required to physically move between university offices to obtain academic documents.
“This means that a student or graduate of Makerere University no longer has to physically move from one office desk to another to obtain academic documents. Instead, through a digital portal and with the access rights that we shall announce, graduates will be able to securely obtain their electronic transcripts and certificates,” he said.
The Academic Registrar said the initiative is part of Makerere’s broader digital transformation agenda aimed at delivering faster and smarter services to students and graduates.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to moving away from paper-based systems towards more efficient, smart and intelligent ways of serving our students,” he added.
According to Prof. Buyinza, the new system will also improve the process of verifying academic documents by employers and other institutions.
He said the university’s digital architecture has been designed to allow third parties to authenticate academic credentials after receiving permission from graduates.
“Employers, once given the access rights by the graduates, will be able to verify that this is a genuine credential and that it was issued by Makerere University,” he explained.
The move is expected to address long-standing challenges associated with manual processing of transcripts and certificates, including delays, physical travel and difficulties in verifying academic records.
Prof. Buyinza said the electronic certification system aligns with Makerere’s wider adoption of blended learning, combining physical and online education.
He noted that the university is continuing to develop online programmes that will enable students to study remotely while obtaining Makerere qualifications.
“You should be able to run a programme and study from wherever you are, and still obtain one of the qualifications of Makerere University,” he said.
The digital academic records system comes as Makerere prepares to implement further reforms aimed at aligning university education with practical skills development.
Prof. Buyinza said the institution is reviewing its curriculum to support the government’s directive to move away from purely theoretical learning towards competency-based education.
“We are currently reviewing our curriculum to ensure that we align our programmes with practical, hands-on training that prepares learners for the real world,” he said.
He explained that Makerere has already introduced competency-based approaches in several disciplines, including health sciences and clinical legal education at the School of Law.
The university has also increased emphasis on continuous assessment, with Prof. Buyinza noting that previous reforms allocated greater weight to continuous evaluation compared to final examinations.
“There is not much that we are going to change. The foundation has already been established. We are mainly retooling our staff to give a lot more attention to continuous learning exercises, practical assessments and different training models beyond the traditional lecture-based approach,” he said.
Meanwhile, Makerere University Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe announced that the institution will return to its traditional academic calendar beginning with the next academic year.
Under the new arrangement, the academic year will start on August 1 with an orientation week for first-year students. Continuing students will return later in August, with the first semester expected to run until December 5.
The end-of-year break will run from December 5 to January 5, followed by the university’s graduation week in January.
Prof. Nawangwe said restoring the traditional calendar will improve academic planning and university operations.
He also announced that newly admitted students can now access provisional admission letters through the university’s online application platforms, reducing the need for physical visits to campus.
The developments mark another phase in Makerere University’s efforts to modernise academic administration, expand digital services and improve access to higher education.