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History

MUIENR was established in 1988 in response to increasing concern by the government of Uganda and Makerere University about the Environmental degradation in Uganda with a mandate to promote the development of knowledge, skills and positive attitudes for sustainable management of the environment and natural resources through training and research. The institute started with a two-year masters programme in Environment and Natural Resources management and this has been supplemented by an active PhD programme and post-graduate Diploma over the last fifteen years. Due to persistent appeals from Makerere University and the general Ugandan community, the institute started an undergraduate programme; Bachelor of Environmental Science in 2003 and the pioneers of this programme graduated in February 2007. MUIENR has over the years been committed to maintaining and improving quality of its graduates.

The institute maintains its focus on inter-disciplinary management of Environment and Natural Resource management through teaching and research. It integrates several disciplines in evaluation and management of environmental impacts of human activity and natural resource utilization. The institute’s programmes of study are designed to train students not only to be literate in environmental issues but also to be able to make professional use of techniques in decision making and searching for new knowledge to solve society’s environmental challenges. The mission of Makerere University Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (MUIENR) to build capacity through training and research for environment and natural resources management responsive to national and global needs.

Our main goals to achieve this mission include educational programmes to develop managers and leaders; research programmes to solve public service activities and to translate knowledge into action through maintaining a good working environment and to encourage creativity and applied research. MUIENR promotes training and research in many aspects of Uganda’s environment and natural resources. The Institute has an interdisciplinary team of researchers. Their expertise range from natural resource surveys and environmental impact assessment (water, landforms, soils, vegetation and wildlife); forestry and protected area management and conservation; database management, remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS).