Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) is seeking more than Shs27 billion from the government over the next five years to recruit additional staff, citing a shortage of personnel that is affecting teaching, research and academic supervision.

Speaking at the university’s 33rd graduation ceremony, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika said the institution’s overall staffing level stands at approximately 31 per cent of its approved establishment, while academic staffing is at only 25 per cent.

She said the staffing gaps were affecting teaching, student supervision, research, staff promotions and the implementation of competence-based education.

Prof. Byakika-Kibwika also called for an increase in annual government funding for research and innovation from Shs1 billion to at least Shs15 billion, saying the current allocation was inadequate given the scale of national challenges and the university’s growing research capacity.

She revealed that the university had operationalised its research institute to strengthen research governance, interdisciplinary collaboration, grants management, innovation and the commercialisation of research findings.

According to the vice-chancellor, MUST is currently implementing more than 93 externally funded research projects and is seeking to strengthen its contribution to solving national challenges through research, in line with Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan.

The university Chancellor, Prof. Jack H. Pen-Mogi Nyeko, commended the government for its continued support but said additional investment was necessary to sustain the institution’s progress in research and innovation and address the needs of its growing academic community.

Meanwhile, University Council Chairperson Dr Warren Namara challenged graduates to uphold integrity, accountability and honesty in their professional lives.

He urged them to accurately represent their abilities, respect intellectual property and avoid plagiarism, warning against sacrificing the truth for convenience.

Dr Namara said Uganda needed professionals who were not only competent and skilled but also compassionate.

The 2026 graduation ceremony saw the university produce its largest graduating class, with 1,670 graduates, including 49 PhD holders, up from 31 in 2025.

Female graduates numbered 658, representing 39.4 per cent of the cohort, compared with 31.7 per cent in the previous year.