MRU held the International Summer School in Uganda (ISSU) on Survey, Methodology and Data Management from September 16th to September 27th, 2019 at Muteesa I Royal University, Kirumba Campus – Masaka.

It was funded by the VW Foundation and jointly organized by GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany, and Muteesa I Royal University. It brought together 53 participants from 25 Universities, 8 parastatal bodies, and 5 Private Sector organizations from Germany, Uganda, and Kenya.

The International Summer School in Uganda (ISSU) sought to impart skills and capacities to participants in collecting, processing, archiving and analyzing survey and census-based data in addition to providing data services which have only been rudimentary developed in Sub-Saharan Africa. The capacity building initiative was to support the development of local skills for effective data generation and management in Uganda and Kenya.

To serve as a model and pillar for cooperation with neighboring East African countries in the field of the social sciences and other disciplines like education and public health.

The Participants were provided with an intense two weeks training in social science research methods in additional to availing a platform for international research collaboration as well as intercultural exchanges. Some of the major highlights of the summer school in additional to the lecturers included the following activities.

• The first International Summer School in Uganda(ISSU I) was officially opened on 16th/09/2019 at 08:30 am by Prof. Manu Patrick, the Chairman of the Vice Chancellors‘ Forum and also Vice Chancellor Bugema University.
• On Tuesday, 17th September, 2019,5:00 – 7:00 pm an insightful evening talk about the state of Survey data and Statistics in Uganda was delivered by Mr. Vincent Senonno from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics(UBOS).
• On Thursday, 19th September, 2019, 5:00 – 7:00pm, we had another evening of exchange on the topic “Conceptualization of Research Questions” by Mr. Robert Sentamu, the Director of Wilsken Agencies Ltd.
• On the 20th/09/2019,3:00 – 5:00 pm, panel discussion on the topic “Contemporary Open Science Practices and Required Road Map for Developing Countries,” was held and the panelists included:
• Venansius Baryamureeba, Former Presidential Aspirant and Vice Chancellor Uganda Technology and Management University- UTAMU,
• John Francis Mugisha, Vice Chancellor Cavendish University,
• Oliver Watteler- GESIS institute of the Social Sciences,
• Raymond Katebaka, General Secretary African Uninion of Conservationists- (AUC) and Mr. Robert Sentamu, Director of Wilsken Agencies Ltd who moderated the panel discussion.
• On the 20th/09/2019, 5:00 -9:00 pm, the panel discussion was followed by a Social Evening that included cultural dances, a barbeque and a final get together of the participants and their lecturers of week 1 that is, Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye(EPRC) and Miss Sonila Dardha (City University of London) – Introduction to Survey Design and Dr. Anja Perry, Mr. Oliver Watteler(Gesis- Institute of Social Science) and Mr. Vincent Senonno(UBOS) – Research Data Management.
• The first week was ended with a day trip to Ssesse Islands were participants participated in a nature walk in the forests of Ssesse Islands as well as enjoying a ferry ride on Lake Victoria.
• Week Two, was marked by the arrival of new lecturers and the introduction of new courses. The following were the lecturers of week two and their respective courses:
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• Jan-Philip Kolb (GESIS) and Miss Shelmith Kariuki(Kenya) – Introduction to Data Analysis using R.
• Dr. Christof Wolf(Preident- GESIS) , Prof. Dr. Joye Dominique(Switzerland) and Dr. Loice Natukunda(Uganda) – Cross-Cultural Survey
• On the 23rd/09/2019, the East African Scientific Resaerch Network (EASRN) stakeholders convened to sign a Memorandum of Understanding and to participate as well as interact with participants and lecturers of the first International Summer School in Uganda. They also along side with the participants attended an evening talk given by the Preident of Gesis Institute of Social Science, Prof. Dr. Christof Wolf on the topic “International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) as a Resource for Comparative Social Research”.
• Loice Natukunda of NEMRA and Makerere University inspired participants with her exchange on the topic, “Critical Thinking in Research” in yet another evening talk of week2,25thSeptember,2019.
• Friday, 27th/09/19 was the official closure of the first International Summer School in Uganda (ISSU); Prof. Vincent Kakembo and Prof. Dr. Christof Wolf will hand over certificates to ISSU participants.