The MUBS Top Management team, led by Principal Prof. Moses Muhwezi, in a group photo with the UNCST delegation at the MUBS Main Campus
September 15, 2025- The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) officially made a site visit to MUBS to engage Management on our readiness to host a Research and Ethics Committee (REC). The REC is a body that certifies and clears a research proposal as free of ethical concerns in whatever field one is due to research in. The UNCST is the Agency of Government mandated to over see research in the country. It regulates and accredits RECs within public and private institutions to assess research protocols as are submitted to them, for recommendation for clearance by UNCST.
MUBS researchers have been seeking and paying for such clearance from sister institutions that already host the RECs.
The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR) made application to host a REC some years ago. The process has been going on involving a host of requirements to be fulfilled. These include setting up a special office, equipping it, assigning dedicated staff to the unit, identifying band appointing members of the REC, over half of whom cannot be staff of MUBS. The composition includes an external personal as chair, representatives of academia, business, government, private sector, medical fraternity among others. These were appointed over a year ago. FGSR had to draft standards operating procedures, guidelines and proposal to Management charging rates, allowance rates and finally to have a policy to Council.
Having fulfilled the basic requirements, FGSR reached a milestone with a site visit of the UNCST accreditation committee. The purpose was to meet Management to get assurance together with the REC members, to see and assess the office and attendant facilities that will be used by REC. The office is based at MUBS Annex Bugolobi. The REC unit will over see the conduct of research in MUBS to ensure compliance with ethical standards and national guidelines. It will receive and assess protocols (proposals) and recommend to UNCST.
Researchers outside MUBS will also have opportunity to apply and be handled by MUBS REC at predetermined fees. The establishment of the REC at MUBS marks a significant milestone in the university’s efforts to enhance its research capacity, promote ethical research practices, and strengthen public trust in its scholarly outputs.
Prof. Moses Muhwezi, Principal, expressed appreciation to UNCST for its continued support and for considering approval of MUBS REC. He noted that its a great step to MUBS and assured the Accreditation Committee of Management’s commitment to ensuring high quality research in the Institution. He outlined the available capacity for example over 150 PhD holders in the School and over 1400 graduate students all of whom are expected to be active in research.
The Principal commended the efforts of FGSR led by Prof. Vincent Bagire and his predecessors for steering the process and laying a strong foundation for the establishment of REC. He directed them to sensitize concerned staff and students towards scaling up research as a critical component of MUBS mission. “Our research must be ethical, credible, and relevant. It should offer guidance to society and policy makers. This is how MUBS contributes to national development,” he added.
The UNCST raised a number of concerns that still have to be addressed especially the need for urgent approval of the Research policy by Council, furnishing the office and the School to commit to an induction and continuous facilitation of the REC members once the REC is approved. Management is now awaiting the decision of the Council once the visiting team has submitted their findings.