UNIPNGU HOSTS UNIMA STAFF

One of the more recent partnerships established in the history of the University of Malawi is that between the institution and Universidade Púnguè in Mozambique. Officials from Universidade Púnguè visited UNIMA on 7th February 2022. As a way of concretizing this working relationship, personnel from the University of Malawi (UNIMA) on 12th September, 2022 made a reciprocal visit to Universidade Púnguè (UNIPÙNGUÈ), during which a memorandum of understanding was signed, formalizing the relationship between the two institutions.
UNIPÙNGUÈ delinked from Universidade Pedagógica of Mozambique and is how headquartered in the City of Chimoio, Manica Province. The university was created by the Mozambican Government under the Decree-Law No. 4 of 2019, passed on 4th March, 2019. The University has another campus in the City of Tete. This campus has been established in light of the restructuring process.
Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, which was attended by senior academic and administrative members of staff in Chimoio, the UNIMA Vice-Chancellor (VC), Professor Samson Sajidu, said he was delighted to have signed an MoU. The objective of the agreement is to promote the development of joint studies, research and training activities, and other educational programs of mutual interest. The MoU is for an initial period of five (5) years, after which it may be renewed.
“We are very happy that we have concretised this dream for a partnership that should facilitate collaborations and mobility of both staff and students between our two universities. We have high expectations from this agreement,” he said.
The VC, accompanied by Acting Executive Dean of the School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Professor Cosmo Ngongondo, and Acting Executive Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Associate Professor Emmanuel Ngwira, said similarities in environment and closeness of the two universities should make it easier for the partnership to be a success.
On her part, the hosting Chancellor of UNIPÙNGUÈ, Professor Emilia Zulmira Afonso Nhalevilo, said her university has embarked on a robust internationalisation drive with the neighboring countries to foster collaborations that will provide African solutions to African socio-economic challenges.
She said she was impressed with the UNIMA’s record of quality education, and observed that the partnership was a great opportunity for both universities to benefit.
“We have been motivated by this collaboration, especially with an impressive record of the number of PhD programmes that UNIMA offers. I feel we have a great opportunity ahead of us,” she said.
She concurred with her counterpart that the similarities of the universities should make it easier for the two to implement successful future collaborations.
The MoU indicates that the two institutions will share experiences for university governance; implementing joint programs and projects for institutional development, scientific research and mobility of faculty and students; and providing training for both academic and administrative members of staff.
While in Mozambique, the UNIMA officials toured both the Chimoio and Tete campuses of UNIPÙNGUÈ. They appreciated the infrastructure, including lecture theatres and science laboratories, as well as the robust ICT services available to students and staff. On 14th September 2022, Professor Cosmo Ngongondo delivered a public lecture entitled “Climate Change Adaptation: The Role of Partnerships at the Local Level.” The talk was well attended by the UNIPÙNGUÈ academic community.
UNIPÙNGUÈ has six faculties, namely Education; Exact and Technological Sciences; Biological and Agrarian Sciences; Social Sciences and Humanities; Geoscience and Environment; and Engineering. The institution has a student population of 5,800, and has 266 academic and 145 administrative staff members.
UNIPÙNGUÈ prides itself as a highly tech-savvy and leading university in Mozambique, well-known for offering high quality online classes at both of its campuses.