Gulu University Holds Handover Ceremony for Research Ethics Committee Leadership

Gulu University has held the official handover ceremony for the leadership of the Gulu University Research Ethics Committee (GUREC) on the 15th October 2026, officiated by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Mwaka.

The ceremony marked the transition from the outgoing Chairperson, Associate Professor Juliana Obika, to the incoming Chairperson, Mr. Walter Yagos Onen, and provided an opportunity to reflect on the committee’s achievements and priorities in promoting ethical research at the University.

In her remarks, Associate Professor Obika expressed gratitude to her team for the significant milestones achieved during her tenure, particularly in safeguarding the rights, welfare, and dignity of research participants. She highlighted the improvement in the protocol review process, noting that GUREC now reviews research protocols within two weeks. This achievement, she observed, has strengthened confidence in the committee’s review processes.

The incoming Chairperson, Mr. Walter Yagos Onen, pledged to uphold the independence and integrity of the research ethics review process while building on the strong foundation established by his predecessors. He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that research protocols are reviewed in accordance with established ethical standards.

Speaking as Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Mwaka, who also serves as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, commended GUREC for its contribution to strengthening research ethics at the University. He recalled that, before the establishment of the committee, university staff had to submit their research protocols to ethics committees at other institutions for review.

He described the committee’s progress as a reflection of strategic honesty, characterised by a realistic assessment of institutional capabilities, available resources, and researchers’ needs. He noted that this approach had helped GUREC build its capacity and establish a functional research ethics review system at the University.

Professor Mwaka also emphasised the importance of community engagement in research, noting that researchers must ensure their study tools are appropriate and understandable to the communities participating in their studies. He observed that many academic journals increasingly expect researchers to engage communities and test their research instruments to establish whether they are meaningful within the context of the study.

In addition, he called for the training of university staff in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to establish a common foundation of knowledge and understanding across the institution.

Professor Mwaka further encouraged the outgoing Chairperson to share her knowledge and experience in strengthening grants management at Gulu University, noting the value of her expertise in supporting the University’s research agenda.

In his closing remarks, the Acting Vice Chancellor expressed appreciation to both the outgoing and incoming Chairpersons for their commitment and service throughout their respective tenures. He acknowledged the contributions made towards advancing research ethics and encouraged continued collaboration to sustain the committee’s progress.

The leadership transition reaffirms Gulu University’s commitment to ethical research, the protection of research participants, and the continued strengthening of institutional rese