First Regional Ministerial Conference on the EAC Common Higher Education Area

Professor Mary J. N. Okwakol is the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education. She was the founding Vice Chancellor of Busitema University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Gulu University, and previously served at Makerere University where she rose to full Professor of Zoology. She has also held leadership roles in several regional and international higher education bodies, including AICAD, RUFORUM, the Inter-University Council for East Africa, and the Forum for African Women Vice Chancellors. Her work has extended to global research collaborations, where she has chaired international boards and committees under UNESCO, GEF/UNEP, focusing on biodiversity, soil science, and sustainable land use. Beyond academia, Professor Okwakol has served on numerous national, regional and international boards, councils, and professional organizations in the fields of education, environment, wildlife, and science. She is currently Chairperson of the Forum of CEOS of National Councils/Commissions for Higher Education in East Africa. Her contributions have earned her multiple awards and recognitions. A Zoology scholar specializing in Ecology, she holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Zoology from Makerere University, as well as an honorary doctorate from Josai International University in Japan. She is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society of London and the Uganda National Academy of Sciences. Outside her professional life, Professor Okwakol is a wife, mother, and grandmother.