Dr. Elizabeth Birabwa is a multi-disciplinary scientist and higher education specialist, she has extensive experience in advancing cross-cutting priorities within universities, particularly in quality assurance, gender mainstreaming, and internationalisation. She currently serves as a Principal Gender Officer at Busitema University, where she leads institutional strategies to promote inclusivity, gender equity, and safeguarding, while also providing student support through counselling and advocacy initiatives.
She previously worked as a Senior Quality Assurance Officer at Busitema University, playing a key role in strengthening academic standards through policy implementation, development of assessment tools, and capacity building for staff and students. Her expertise also extends to coordinating cross-cutting initiatives under the ADB-HEST Project, where she contributed to the development and implementation of gender and HIV/AIDS policies. In addition, she has been instrumental in driving internationalisation efforts, establishing partnerships and fostering global collaborations within the university.
Earlier in her career, she served as a Lecturer in Environmental Management at Kampala University, teaching courses such as biodiversity conservation, environmental systems, and GIS, while mentoring and supervising undergraduate students.
she holds a PhD in Higher Education of Makerere University (2026), a MPhil in Development Studies of NTNU, Norway, and a Bachelor of Science in Botany, Zoology, and Geography of Makerere University. She has also undertaken specialised training in internationalisation and quality assurance in higher education across East Africa and Europe.
She actively contributes to regional and professional networks, serving as General Secretary of the Uganda Universities Quality Assurance Forum, a member of the Gender and Empowerment Research Alliance (GERA), and a country representative to the East African Quality Assurance Network.