Building capacity for a changing media environment in Uganda

Project title: Building capacity for a changing media environment in Uganda

Background

Media in Uganda have undergone tremendous technical and economic growth since the early 1990s. Tension over the years between the state and the media have resulted in the current regulatory environment which guarantees press freedom and access to information in the Constitution, but has numerous and sometime contradictory laws governing the media sector. The inclusion of marginalised persons such as rural women and ethnic minorities in the democratic process via the media is still a challenge.

The media in Uganda play a key role in the democratization and development of the country, and have the potential to hold leaders accountable and ensure the inclusion of typically marginalised groups.

Universities for development

The overall goal is to increase qualified academic staff employed at the Uganda Christian University’s Department of Mass Communication competent to run graduate and undergraduate programmes and to conduct effective and relevant research in journalism and media studies. 

A new MA programme in Journalism and Media Studies will be established at UCU, which eventually can lead into a doctoral programme. The MA programme will include a strong gender component to redress identified gaps in gender sensitive research and reporting, with a mandatory course for all students on Media, Gender and Social Justice.

Staff development will take place on three levels through MA scholarships for staff members, PhD fellowships, and post-doc fellowship towards professorship.

Innovative teaching and research

Joint research will be conducted with focus on Media and Social Justice, and how a transnational society faces a number of limitations which impinges on equality, human rights and prosperity. The state of marginalization and exclusion of groups from public participation, for example based on gender, ethnicity or physical ability will be addressed.

The project will set up an online news channel for journalistic training at UCU to prepare students for converged, multimedia news environment.

An important part of institutional development at UCU is enhancement of educational resources, which includes acquisition of media production equipment, long-distance learning solutions and library books.

Key goals and achievements

Overall goal

To enhance capacities for training journalism and media studies trainers and practitioners leading to a more informed, media literate and accountable society in Uganda.

The objectives of the project are

1. To produce more and better qualified graduates of Journalism and Media Studies relevant to needs of Uganda and East Africa
2. To produce more and better quality research within Journalism and Media Studies relevant to Uganda/East Africa
3. To improved infrastructure, policies and systems to ensure sustainable capacity for education and research in Journalism and Media Studies