Apply Online

Francis Otto

Francis Otto

Chief, ICT Services

Units

Contact Details

Research Platforms

Social Media

Dr. Francis Otto is a Computer Scientist with special interest in information and communication technology (ICT) research for development. He has more than 20 years of experience in Higher Education and ICT sectors having worked in a number of organisations – both public and private.

Before joining Mountains of the Moon University as Director of ICT, Dr. Otto worked for fives years as Manager of Knowledge Hub at the RUFORUM, a network of 170 universities in 40 African countries (as at 2024), based in Makerere University in Uganda and previously worked with Uganda National Council for Higher Education, Huawei Technologies and  Orange Telecom.

He is a member of ICT Association of Uganda, Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) and other professional bodies.  In terms of academic leadership, he worked with Makerere University and Uganda Christian University and rose from Assistant Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and Head of Information Technology Department, which he served for more than 5 years and  also acquired other relevant administrative experience in relation to management of academic processes.

Francis earned a BSc (hons) in Computer Science and Statistics from Makerere University in 2003 (passing with a second class upper division) through the funding from Government of Uganda. In 2007, he obtained M.Eng. degree in Computer Application Technology from Central South University in China after receiving a Chinese Government Scholarship. He graduated in 2013 with a Graduate Diploma in Leadership Development in ICT and the Knowledge Society from Dublin City University in Ireland.  This was an African Leadership in ICT (ALICT) programme that was funded by the African Union Commission. In 2016, Dr. Otto completed his PhD in Computer Science Degree programme from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, which was funded by the British Government through the Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme.

Otto, Francis; Amitu, David, Martin and Agena Maureen. Social Collaborative e-Learning Contextual model. RUFORUM Working Document Series, 2018, ISSN 1607-9345, No. 17 (1), Available from http://repository.ruforum.org. Tizikara, Clesensio; Nakayiwa, Florence; and Otto, Francis. Investing in women as drivers of growth: A gender-based assessment of the science, technology and innovation ecosystem in Uganda. African Journal of Rural Development, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 2, p. 261-281., Apr. 2020. ISSN 2415-2838. Otto, Francis; Amitu, David, Martin; Elalami, Rafiq; Lubega Jude, Thaddeus and Mirembe, Drake, Patrick. Transforming Agriculture in Africa using Digital Technologies: A Perspective of Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, RUFORUM Working Document Series (ISSN 1607-9345), 2019 Amitu, David Martin and Otto, Francis. Environment monitoring sensors for future nuclear power plants. RUFORUM Working Document Series (ISSN 1607-9345), 2018, No. 17 (2): 127-130. Available from http://repository.ruforum.org Amitu, David Martin; Otto, Francisand Jacob Kato. Exploiting the 5G network opportunities for enhancing food security. RUFORUM Working Document Series (ISSN 1607-9345) 17 (2), 115-119. Available from http://repository.ruforum.org Kato, Jacob; Nnam, Jacqueline and Otto, Francis. Evaluation of RUFORUM online platforms. RUFORUM Working Document Series (ISSN 1607-9345), 2018, No. 17 (1): 175-182. Available from http://repository.ruforum.org Otto, Francis; Shirley Williams and Karsten Øster Lundqvist. “Using Social Networking Tools for Teaching and Learning: A Perspective of University Lecturers and Students.” In International Conference on E-Learning, E-Education, and Online Training, pp. 191-199. Springer, Cham, 2015. Otto, Francis; Nurul Amin Badrul; Shirley Williams and Karsten Øster Lundqvist. “Students’ Perception of Privacy Risks in Using Social Networking Sites for Learning: A Study of Uganda Christian University.” In International Conference on E-Learning, E-Education, and Online Training, pp. 182-190. Springer, Cham, 2015. Otto, Francis and Shirley Williams. “Official use of social network sites by African universities.” In Science, Computing and Telecommunications (PACT), 2014 Pan African Conference on, pp. 46-51. IEEE, 2014. Otto, Francis and Musinguzi Benon. “Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Private Universities in Uganda: Challenges and Opportunities.” (2012). Otto, Francis and ABK Kasozi.  “Uganda’s Education System Tailored to the Job Market and Job Creation: What went Wrong” Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS). (2012) Otto, Francis; Drake Patrick Mirembe and Maybin Muyeba. “A model for data management in peer-to-peer systems.” International Journal of Computing and ICT Research 1, no. 2 (2007) Mirembe; Drake Patrick and Otto, Francis. “Analysis of Free Haven anonymous storage and publication system.” Strengthening the Role of ICT in Development (2007): 372. Otto, Francis and Song Ouyang. “Improving Search in Unstructured P2P systems: Intelligent walks (i-walks).” In IDEAL, pp. 1312-1319. 2006. Otto, Francis; Mirembe Drake Patrick; Elizabeth Olule and Song Ouyang. “Enhanced master-slave time synchronization architecture for wireless sensor networks.” In proceedings of Australian Telecommunication Network Application Conference (ATNAC), Melbourne, Australia, 2006.

2020: PI; Capacity building on the use agMOOCs for students and academic staff in Sub-Saharan Africa. The USD 32,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Learning supported the development of agricultural massive open online courses (agMOOCs) development. 2019: PI; Implementation of Regional e-learning Platform for Africa under Africa digital agriculture programme (AfriDAP). The USD 300,000grant from BADEA was a two year project, which supported a number of universities in Uganda and other African countries. 2018: Co-PI; Sharing Innovations and Experiences from Korea for Higher Education Transformation in Africa (SIKET). The USD 504,000 projected was funded by the AfDB and supported a number of African universities in terms of lessons sharing, learning visits of leaders, strengthening innovation and incubation, high level dialogue and training university staff on entrepreneurship. 2018: Co-PI; Strengthening Gender Inclusive Participation in Science, Technology and Innovation. The USD 200,000 project was  funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and was meant to support support  Forum for African Women Vice Chancellors in promoting Gender Inclusive Participation in Science, Technology and Innovation

KATATUMBA KaganziFidelis, Doctor of Philosophy of Nkumba University, Online Learning Technology Adoption and Learning Success at Primary Level of Education in Uganda, In progress LUKWAGO Ismail, Doctor of Philosophy of Nkumba University, A Model for Adoption of E-Learning in Higher Institutions of Learning: A Perspective of Selected Private Universities in Uganda, In progress IYKE Nicholars Jude, Doctor of Philosophy of Nkumba University, Adopting Grid Computing Model for Collaborative Research in Higher Institutions in Kampala, In progress MWEBAZEEdgar,  Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, Design of A Savings-On-Transaction E-Wallet to Boost Savings for Informal Sector Case Study: National Social Security Fund, 2024 BYARUHANGA Benson Mworozi, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, A Framework For The Adoption Of Intelligent Farm Advisory Systems For The Coffee Sector: A Case Of Western Uganda, 2024 BURWANIBENON K , Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, Developing E-Agriculture Framework For Inclusive Agriculture In Uganda, 2024 MUNANURA Dan Mbahungirehe, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University,Information Security Governance and Management Model for Digital Health in Low Resource Environments Case Study of Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital, 2023 MUHUMUZA Faizo,Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, Assessing Barriers associated with Cloud Adoption to accelerate eGovernment by the Government of Uganda, 2023 MUSONDOLI Ezra, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University,An Interoperability Framework for Guiding Information Sharing Within Drug Detection Systems in Low Resource Countries: A Case Study Of National Drug Authority – Uganda, 2023 LADWAR Jacob, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, a Modified AODV Routing Protocol, 2012 MUKALERE Justine,  Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University,  Electronic Voting and Anonymity in the Case of Electronic Governance: Case study of Guild elections, 2012 NKENYEREYE Lewis, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, a Non FIFO (First In First Out) Packet Assignment Structure for DSMS (Distributed Shared Memory Switches) Memory Management Algorithm, 2012 MWANDHA Alfred Obadiah Ayazika, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University,  a Mobile Content Portal for High-End Feature Phones and Smart Phones, 2011 MUSERERO Joseph, Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University, Towards Effective E-participation model for policy management: A Case Study of Office of the Prime minister of Uganda, 2011 MWESIGWA Isaac,  Master of Information Technology of Uganda Christian University,  Fixed WiMAX Performance of a Deployment in the Sub-Sahara Region, 2011

Boards and Committees: 2024; Chairperson, Ad-Hoc Committee on the Verification of Integrated Data Management System (IDMS) Arrears 2024; Member, Curriculum implementation Ad-Hoc Committee 2023; Chair, Mountains of the Moon University, Curriculum Harmonization Task Force 2023; Vice Chairperson of the Mountains of the Moon University Administrative Staff Association Task Force 2019-2020;  Alumni Advisory Panel, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK. 2011-2013, Board Member, Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda Grants Assessment: 2019 -2020: Reviewer of Makerere University Research Innovation Fund (RIF) proposals 2022: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Research Grants proposals Examination of Doctoral Thesis: NAMARA, Asiimwe Khadija, Doctor of Philosophy of Nkumba University, Information Technology Alignment and Employee Performance in the Private Service Sector in Uganda: A Case Study of Umeme (U) Limited Central Uganda, 2023 TAMALE,  Lilian, Doctor of Philosophy of Nkumba University, 2025