Professor Paul Waako

Ph.D., Pharmacology, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Presently Prof. Paul Waako is the Vice-Chancellor of Busitema University. Prior to the Vice-Chancellor appointment, Prof. Waako served as Founder Dean of Busitema University Faculty of Health sciences. This position involved establishing the Faculty of Health Sciences which included Curriculum development, Resource mobilization, Advocacy with internal and external stakeholders, and Academic, Financial, and General administration of the Faculty. Over the past five years, Prof. Waako has presided over the evolution of a Faculty to the present staffing level of Fifty-six (56) with six accredited (6) academic programs and a student population of 500. The school has 19 satellite training sites that serve as community outreach Platforms. The faculty has attracted international funding in form of scholarships and secondment experts and research grants. Before his Deanship position at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof. Waako was Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Makerere University for nine (9) years. This position involved managing a team of at least 30 staff and directing their efforts toward the key University functions of training, research, and service to the community. He was directly responsible for the Academic programs, administration, and financial aspects of the department including budget preparation, implementation, risk mitigation, and cost control. He was also responsible for the Department's research and Outreach portfolio which included resource mobilization. His tenure as departmental chair gave him the opportunity to direct the activities of the Makerere University Medicines Information Centre which was established with support from the Swedish International agency to give free information on the use of medicines. The major competencies developed include team building, teamwork, strategic planning and implementation, resource mobilization, advocacy, and report writing.