Nutrition Education and Policy:
A Partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison
and Makerere University, Uganda

Statement of Need: Malnutrition is killing the children of Uganda and leaving many survivors with diminished physical and mental capacity. Makerere University needs to strengthen its ability to prepare the next generation of leaders to deal with this continuing tragedy. The University of Wisconsin-Madison needs to help its students and citizens gain a better understanding of this central problem that affects one third of all Africans and over 800 million people throughout the developing world.

Project Objectives: Makerere seeks to strengthen BSc and MSc curricula in nutrition; improve numerous courses that deal with nutrition in its many biological, social, cultural, political, and economic contexts; expand nutrition distance education; and build related research skills. Wisconsin seeks to improve the ability of its faculty to teach and conduct outreach to enhance understanding in the U.S. of malnutrition in developing countries; to improve nutrition-related courses in several disciplines; and to explore new research collaborations. Both universities seek to develop skills to alleviate malnutrition, and to build on the broad-based links that already exist between their two faculties by focusing intensively on this specific problem area.

Long-Term Impact: Makerere expects to have a more coherent, multidisciplinary curriculum in nutrition education with new degree options and stronger component courses. Wisconsin expects to strengthen numerous courses and outreach programs and expand and improve its two Uganda study abroad programs. Both universities expect to contribute to government, NGO, and citizen efforts to alleviate malnutrition.