NEWS:

5 Jul, 2015


President Mutharika receives the recognition award from RUFORUM Board Chair, Prof. Levy Nyagura
Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a consortium of 46 African universities of which LUANAR is one of them, has crowned Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi, as a Champion for Higher Education in Africa.

The installation ceremony took place on Sunday at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

According to RUFORUM Executive Secretary Professor Adipala Ekwamu, President Mutharika was appointed as the key driver for ensuring that Africa higher education is revitalized and strengthened to drive Africa’s development agenda.

“In addition to being Champion for Higher Education in Africa, His Excellency Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika, has also been recently appointed as Champion for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Youth Programme and Global Impact Champion for the UN He for She Campaign. This demonstrates the confidence the international community has in President Mutharika’s leadership and commitment to champion international causes,” said Professor Ekwamu.

President Mutharika said he has accepted this rare honour for the benefit of Malawi and Africa in general since higher education is a key for their prosperity.

“I should admit that access to higher education remains a challenge in Malawi and other African countries and I will make sure that access to higher education should be available to all,” said President Mutharika.

The Malawi President said in his new role as a Champion for higher education in Africa, he is committed to ensure that schools are offering comprehensive science education which may lead to the growth of their countries economy.

Professor Mutharika cited that China was developed due to the country’s systematic investments in sciences that have lifted its economic status.

He further said in his capacity as a Champion of higher education in Africa, he will address matters of gender disparities and ensure that there are enough resources in the education sector.

Apart from the inauguration, President Mutharika launched Diploma, Degree and Master of Science in Gender and Development offered at LUANAR and two regional PhD programmes; PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics as well as PhD in Aquaculture and Resource Science offered at LUANAR as well.

Written By: Patricia Nkhoma Ngwale