Assessing the use of social media by Ugandan universities: A case study of Makerere University Kampala

Abstract

Over the past six years, Social Media has grown in importance world over. With this growth it has become increasingly imperative that Universities use these new technologies in Marketing, Public Relations and Communication. This research sought to investigate the use of Social Media by Ugandan Universities and identify gaps in the way the Social Media is being used. The case being studied was of Makerere University, Kampala. The research design was a descriptive study which involved a one-time interaction with groups of people. The results of the study showed that Makerere University uses predominantly Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as their social media platforms. It also showed that the university uses Social Media to communicate with their audience, to update their audience on events, to promote their brand and to stay connected with their alumni.