Presidential Initiative
The Presidential Initiative Program was introduced to the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) of Makerere University in 2009 as a fund to support innovations within the college. The initiative originated from the President’s keen interest in science and technologies in relation to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Presidential Innovations Fund for CEDAT was then adopted by the government of Uganda as part of its strategy to build the country’s scientific and technological capacity, thereby facilitating its development efforts on a sustainable basis. It is a UGX 25 billion five-year project financed by the government and implemented by CEDAT through ten different projects. CREEC as a centre for research in modern types of energy was awarded the Solar Technologies Project in 201. Other projects within the program include the Clusters project, ARMS project, TDTC project, Irrigation project, iLabs project, CWRC project, Industrial parks project and MAKAPADS project. These projects highlight the potential of triggering an innovation process to propel Uganda into a real knowledge economy and the industrial world. They target human resource development, research to increase production, and transfer of technologies between higher education institutions and communities. For more information about the various projects under the Presidential Initiative, visit CEDAT’s website here.
CREEC’s activities through the Presidential Initiative include: