FORT PORTAL CITY: As communities across East Africa grapple with the compounding shocks of climate change, food insecurity, and a surging youth unemployment crisis, the burning question remains: Where is the practical science to salvage the situation?

In a direct bid to bridge the systemic gap between ivory tower academic research and real-world community survival, Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) in the Fort Portal City of Uganda is convening a high-level scientific intervention.

Organised under the grand theme: “Harnessing Research and Innovation to Strengthen Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development,” the public university has finalized plans to host its highly anticipated 3rd International Research Dissemination Conference 2026 from June 25th to 26th, 2026.

The hybrid event (combining physical and virtual engagement) will take place at the university’s breathtaking Lake Saaka Campus nestled in Fort Portal City.

Unlike traditional, dense academic gatherings that end in dusty library shelves, MMU’s strategic agenda this year centers on the aggressive commercialization and application of science.

According to Mr. Duncan Keith Musumba, the 2026 gathering is explicitly tasked with translating raw research data into commercial products, scalable technologies, policy recommendations, and sustainable jobs.

This directly aligns with MMU’s institutional niche: agriculture, environmental conservation, and tourism.

The hybrid summit is projected to draw over 300 cross-sector delegates, including pioneering researchers, international development partners, financial innovators, grassroots farmer groups, and policymakers.

To deliver targeted socio-economic solutions, the conference presentations and panel debates will be rigorously structured around eight critical developmental anchors:

1. Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: Mitigating crop failures and building resilient food supply chains.
2. Environmental Sustainability & Climate Action: Practical approaches to reversing ecological degradation.
3. Tourism and Cultural Industries: Leveraging regional heritage as an economic driver for Rwenzori and beyond.
4. Digital Transformation & Emerging Technologies: Harnessing the infrastructure of the digital age for local development.
5. Business & Financial Innovations: Designing inclusive economic models for smallholder enterprises.
6. Education Innovations: Driving transformative, competence-based training frameworks.
7. Governance and Social Inclusion: Crafting equitable policy structures that leave no vulnerable group behind.
8. Healthcare Innovations & Social Protection: Advancing public health systems and local medical interventions.

How to Participate

The Scientific Program Committee has officially issued a global Call for Abstracts for scholars, innovations experts, and development practitioners who wish to present breakthrough papers or exhibit physical technological solutions.

As captured in the official event flyer featured in this story, interested parties must strictly note the following operational milestones and contact channels:

Critical Deadlines & Dates:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: June 8th, 2026
• Delegate Arrival & Check-in: June 24th, 2026
• Official Opening & Keynotes: June 25th, 2026
• Scientific Paper Presentations & Innovation Exhibition: June 26th, 2026
• Networking Excursion & Eco-Tour: June 27th, 2026

Direct Contacts for Submissions and Inquiries:

For paper abstract evaluations, institutional exhibition space bookings, or registration details, researchers are advised to use the following verified institutional channels:

• Prof. Fredrick Bagamba (Conference Vice Chairperson): +256 774 246156
• Dr. John Sekajugo (Chair, Scientific Program Committee): +256 782 223004
• Official Conference Email: mm***********@****ac.ug
• University Portal: www.mmu.ac.ug

The upcoming MMU conference marks a significant milestone in Uganda’s higher education evolution.

By steering the academic conversation toward concrete innovation exhibitions, real-world data processing, and policy-relevant recommendations, MMU is proving that universities can—and should—act as the primary engine for regional sustainable development.

For more information, Click HERE for details.

For real-time updates, scientific paper summaries, and live coverage from the Lake Saaka Campus, bookmark www.researchfindsnews.com. and @ResearchFindsUG on X

About The Author

Arinaitwe Rugyendo

The Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ResearchFinds News and a Doctor of Philosophy in Journalism and Communication from Makerere University a credential that anchors his editorial vision in academic rigour and positions ResearchFinds News at the intersection of research and public interest journalism.

An accomplished journalist with over two decades of experience in Uganda’s media industry, Rugyendo has navigated every tier of the newsroom from cab reporter to Bureau Chief, Managing Editor, and Marketing and Digital Media Director at two of the country’s most consequential publications: the Daily Monitor and Red Pepper. At Red Pepper, he helped pioneer a participatory publishing model that transformed how Ugandan journalism related to its audience, a contribution that earned him international recognition and remains a reference point in African media scholarship.

Beyond the newsroom, Rugyendo has been recognised as a Desmond Tutu Fellow and a Crans Montana New Leader — distinctions that reflect his commitment not merely to journalism as a craft but to media as an instrument of social change. He serves as Chairman of Young Engineers Uganda, Uganda’s premier STEM and robotics education organisation, and as Chairman of the Uganda Premier League, demonstrating a leadership span that cuts across education, youth innovation, and sport.

With a PhD now in hand, a practitioner’s instinct sharpened over two decades, and a platform built on the conviction that research belongs in the public domain, Rugyendo is one of Uganda’s most distinctive voices at the intersection of scholarship, journalism, and nation-building.

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