Academic Exchange in Action: Dr. Patricia Ndugga Visits the University of Groningen

In March 2025, the Faculty of Spatial Sciences had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Patricia Ndugga from Makerere University, Uganda, as a visiting researcher and teacher under the supervision of Dr Adrien Remund.

Dr. Ndugga is a lecturer and researcher based at the Department of Population Studies in the School of Statistics and Planning at Makerere University. With over 15 years of experience in demography and public health, her work spans maternal and child health, family planning, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, substance use, mental health, and both quantitative and qualitative research methods. She holds a PhD in Demography and Social Statistics from the University of Southampton and an MSc in Public Health from Lund University.

During her stay in Groningen, Dr. Ndugga was hosted by the Department of Demography and was actively involved in the following teaching programmes:

• A lecture on Healthy People and Happy Families for the Population Geographies bachelor course
• A seminar for the Master thesis students in Population Studies, offering feedback on students' research proposals
• A lunch seminar where she presented her ongoing research to PhD students and staff
• A lecture on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Sub-Saharan Africa for international master students in the Spatial Problems and Spatial Policies course
• Participation in the development of a virtual exchange programme between Makerere University, Wits, the University of Ghana, and the University of Groningen’s Master Population Studies programme
  

Reflecting on her visit, Dr. Ndugga shared that one of her primary aims was to experience a different educational environment and to learn new teaching approaches that could enrich her work at Makerere University. “Teaching at the University of Groningen, gave me an opportunity to develop innovative lesson plans that cater to diverse learning styles, and recognize the immense value of experiencing different educational systems firsthand,” she said. “I was eager to collaborate with fellow educators, share best practices, and gain insights that can inspire my teaching and enrich the curriculum at my home institution.”

Among the key takeaways from her visit was a more efficient approach to master’s thesis proposal presentations, which she already recommended at Makerere University. “One notable change was in how we conduct proposal presentations for our master's students. In my department, we usually allocate an entire day for these presentations and invite staff members to participate in guiding the students. However, at UG, the students are assigned to specific staff members who are experts in the relevant subject areas, and the presentations are completed in just two hours.”

Dr. Ndugga’s visit also laid the foundation for promising academic collaborations. UG staff were eager to connect with her to collaborate on a new research paper using recently collected data on climate change. In addition, she met with Prof. Hilde Bras and PhD student Ivana Zecevic to discuss historical research on antenatal care practices in Uganda.

On a personal note, Dr. Ndugga highlighted the hospitality she experienced during her stay. “I found the people in the Netherlands to be very warm and hospitable. They were always willing to help and guide me whenever I needed assistance. The staff at the Faculty also greeted me with great warmth and made me feel very welcome.”

Dr. Ndugga’s exchange experience exemplifies the mutual benefits of international academic collaboration.