UICT research calls for stronger data governance to support Uganda’s digital transformation
Uganda’s digital transformation could depend as much on how institutions manage and connect their data as it does on the technology they adopt, according to new research from the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT).
The research proposes a governance framework designed to help tertiary institutions turn growing volumes of academic, administrative, financial, research and innovation data into useful knowledge for decision-making, research and institutional development.
The study, titled “Transforming Institutional Data into a Knowledge Ecosystem: A Governance Framework for Inclusive Digital Transformation in Uganda,” was presented by Gastervas Geofrey Rutwara Mugume, a lecturer in UICT’s Department of ICT & Engineering, during the 30th Annual International Management Conference (AIMC 2026).
The conference was held from September 22 to 25 at Imperial Golf View Hotel in Entebbe under the theme, “The Knowledge Revolution: Driving Innovation and Sustainable Development in Africa.”
Presented under the Digital Knowledge Management and Inclusive Transformation track, the study focuses on a problem increasingly facing institutions as their digital operations expand: having more data does not necessarily mean having better information for decisions.
According to the research, fragmented systems and weak interoperability can leave institutional data scattered across different platforms, making it difficult to connect information and extract insights from it.
To address this, the researchers propose an Institutional Knowledge Ecosystem Governance Framework that links data governance, interoperability, analytics, knowledge management, institutional intelligence and innovation.
The approach treats these areas as connected parts of digital transformation rather than separate technology projects.
The study also found a relationship between the maturity of an institution’s knowledge ecosystem and its readiness for digital transformation. This suggests that technology adoption alone may not be enough for institutions seeking to become more digitally driven.
The researchers recommend strengthening data stewardship and interoperable systems while developing institutional knowledge repositories and expanding the use of analytics. They also point to AI-enabled knowledge services and greater use of research in institutional decision-making and innovation.
The proposed framework could also shape the development of Uganda’s Open Education Data Portal (OEDP). Rather than limiting the platform to publishing education data, the framework envisions it evolving into a trusted knowledge ecosystem supported by common metadata standards, data stewardship, privacy and interoperability controls.
Such a system could also incorporate analytics, research capabilities, AI-enabled decision support and mechanisms for reusing institutional knowledge.
For UICT, the research aligns with its broader work in Digital Government and Public Service Transformation, alongside Digital Trust and Critical Digital Infrastructure.
The institute said strengthening the link between education, research, data governance and innovation will be important as Uganda builds its digital and knowledge economy.
“Data alone do not transform institutions; knowledge ecosystems do,” the institute said.
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