A DAY WITH THE UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR

Over the past years, the University of Malawi has been steadily growing, evidenced through the significant increase in student enrollment, from the initial 19 students at its opening to more than 10,000 students currently on campus. The University of Malawi has also become a source of admiration due to the expansion of its spectacular infrastructure and the wide array of significant undergraduate and postgraduate programs it now offers.

On October 11, 2023, the University was honored to have the Chancellor of the University of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who also serves as the President of the Republic of Malawi, to officially open several new buildings on the campus. The Chancellor was accompanied by several notable officials, including ministers and officials from various sectors of the government.

As a way of welcoming the Chancellor, the University of Malawi organized a tour of the campus. Among the projects visited was the new Administration building, which is currently under construction. At this location, the tour guides screened a video that showcased the past, present, and future of the University of Malawi. In an interview with Dr. Zindaba Chisiza, who led the Chancellor’s tour, he expressed appreciation for the admiration and pride that the Chancellor showed during his visit to the University.

“During the tour, the President was equally delighted and impressed with the new infrastructure that the University has built. He further mentioned that the University now has a new face and expressed his amazement at the beauty that Chirunga now exhibits. When the Chancellor was taken to the hostel area, he was able to recognize Kanjedza, the hostel where he had resided, bringing back memories”, he said.

The Chancellor also appreciated various fascinating displays showcased in the Brown Chiphamba Laboratory, where Biology students explained their innovations and how they would contribute to the Malawi 2063 agenda. As the Chancellor stepped out of the laboratories, he was warmly received by a dance performance by students from the Fine and Performing Arts Department, leaving him in awe of their talent.

In the course of the tour, the Chancellor also appreciated classes in session at Chikowi and Wadonda lecture theatres. Other buildings the Chancellor visited included the Business and ICT Centre, Mwambo Theatres, and the School of Economics and Government. The University expressed its appreciation for the Chancellor’s efforts towards the University by presenting him with two gifts: A University of Malawi cloth and a portrait painting of himself, which symbolized the ongoing progress of the University

Later in the day, the Chancellor presided over the 99th congregation in the Great Hall, where 1,330 men and women from the University of Malawi (UNIMA), Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES) graduated after years of diligent work and dedication to their academic studies. The Chancellor also awarded MK200,000 each to nine men and women who graduated with distinctions.

In his speech, the Chancellor congratulated the students on their academic achievements and encouraged them to work even harder in their future endeavors, as the world eagerly awaits their contributions.