He holds a Specialist Diploma equivalent to a Msc in architecture and a Doctor of Philosophy "Kandidat Nauk (Кандидат наук)", both from the Kiev Institute of Civil Engineering.

For a period of time, starting in 2010 until 2013, he served as the Principal, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology.

[8] Professor Barnabas Nawangwe was installed as Vice Chancellor of Makerere University on 14 September 2017, at a ceremony at which the president of Uganda was the chief guest.

[24] He serves as a consultant architect and has been involved in many architectural projects at the university for a period stretching back at least 20 years.

He is also an external examiner at the University of Nairobi, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Oslo School of Architecture.