Kabale University Convenes RESPECT Project Advisory Committee Meeting to Advance Human Rights Education and Research

Kabale University held a significant milestone event on 17th November 2025 at White Horse Inn, Kabale, bringing together stakeholders for the RESPECT Project Advisory Committee for Feasibility Meeting. The gathering formed part of the ongoing efforts to steer the progress of the Responsible Critical Thinking (RESPECT) project, a transformative partnership between Kabale University (KAB) and Lund University (LU) in Sweden.

Funded by the Swedish Institute (2024–2026), the RESPECT project aims to strengthen KAB’s institutional capacity to establish and independently run a postgraduate programme in Human Rights, with a firm focus on addressing the plight of marginalized communities in East Africa. The Advisory Committee forms a central pillar of this effort by ensuring that project activities reflect both the University’s priorities and the broader development needs of society.

The Committee brings together voices that represent Kabale University and the communities it serves, including:

• University top leadership
• Academic staff
• Postgraduate students
• District administration representatives
• Members of the Batwa community, one of Uganda’s indigenous minority groups

Their inclusive engagement helps ensure that the emerging human-rights programme is grounded in real societal challenges and informed by lived experiences from diverse communities.

During the meeting, members reviewed the progress made so far and deliberated on strategies to advance the project’s mission. The discussions centered on several key objectives:

• Assessing progress in implementing project activities to date.
• Enhancing the quality and quantity of postgraduate research, especially research focused on marginalized groups.
• Strengthening postgraduate supervision processes, improving the quality of mentorship, and promoting a rights-based academic culture.
• Expanding local and international research networks that support human-rights scholarship.
• Evaluating KAB’s preparedness to sustainably run a postgraduate Human Rights programme beyond the project’s funding period.

These conversations provided valuable direction and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to becoming a center of excellence in human-rights research and postgraduate training.

The meeting also showcased major milestones that the RESPECT project has already accomplished, demonstrating its growing impact within the University and beyond:

• Two scholarships awarded to postgraduate students at Master’s and PhD levels.
• Sixteen (16) postgraduate students supported to conduct research and collect field data on human-rights issues.
• About 30 postgraduate supervisors trained, strengthening supervisory capacity across faculties.
• Seventeen (17) postgraduate students trained under the project’s first cohort.
• Community engagement conducted with the Batwa community in Kisoro District, advancing the project’s goal of connecting academia with marginalized communities.
• Three project team members sponsored to present research at an international conference in South Africa, boosting global visibility for KAB’s human-rights research initiatives.

These achievements highlight the transformative impact of the RESPECT project in shaping both academic excellence and community-focused research at Kabale University.

As the Advisory Committee meeting concluded, it was evident that Kabale University is steadily positioning itself as a regional leader in human-rights education, interdisciplinary research, and community engagement. Through the RESPECT project, the University continues to promote inclusive academic development, empower marginalised communities, and contribute to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

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