Makerere University is the oldest and most prestigious university in East Africa, established in 1922 as a technical school in Kampala, Uganda. It began with 14 students studying carpentry, building, and mechanics. By 1925 it had expanded to 76 students and a variety of courses. In 1935 it became a higher education center for East Africa. It affiliated with the University of London in 1949 and became independent in 1970. Today Makerere University has over 35,000 undergraduate and 3,000 postgraduate students and remains the largest university in Sub-Saharan Africa.

1. What you need to know about the
first university in east Africa
Established in 1922 as a humble technical school,
Makerere University is One Of the oldest And
most prestigious Universities in Africa.
In January of that year, the school, which was
later renamed Uganda technical college,
started with 14 day students studying
carpentry, building and mechanics.

2. On 1st august 1922, the Uganda government established MAKERERE college.
The college immediately shed the trade course previously offered and soon began offering
various other courses in medical care, agriculture, veterinary sciences and teacher training.
By 1925 there were seventy-six students enrolled in MAKERERE to receive
vocational training. Makerere expanded over the years to become a center for
higher education in east Africa in 1935.

3. This was as a result of a proposition of the then British governor, Philip Mitchell
(1935-1940). In 1937, the college started developing into an institution of higher
education, offering post-school certificate courses.
In 1949, it became a university college affiliated to the UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF
LONDON, offering courses leading to the general degrees of its then mother
institution.

4. The first African writers’ conference as hosted by MAKERERE UNIVERSITY in 1962;
soon after Uganda gained independence from great Britain, brought together great
African writers like Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka and spread the institution’s
reputation, making it the largest and most distinguished university in sub-Saharan
Africa.
With the establishment of the university of east Africa in June 29, 1963, the special
relationship with the UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LONDON came to a close and
degrees of the university of east Africa

5. On July 1, 1970, MAKERERE became an independent national university of the
republic of Uganda, offering Under graduate and Post Graduate courses leading to
its own awards.
Today, Makerere university offers not only day but also evening and external study
programmes to a student body of over 35,000 undergraduates and 3,000
postgraduates (both Ugandan and foreign). It is also a very active center for
Research and innovation.

6. The university transitioned from the faculty-based to the collegiate system on 1st
July 2011 and as of Friday 30th December 2011, Makerere University officially
transformed into a collegiate university with 9 Constituent Colleges and One
School, operating as semi-autonomous units of the university.