Minister of Education Honourable Agnes Nyalonje has said a strategic plan which is well communicated, well monitored and evaluated provides a sense of direction to a university.

Speaking during the launch of Mzuzu University Strategic Plan (2021 -2030) at Sunbird Mzuzu Hotel on Friday, 30^th September 2022, Honourable Nyalonje said a strategic plan facilitates rational decision making, reduces risk and promotes internal coordination and cohesion.

“Critically, it aids in clarifying financial needs and helps optimise and prioritise the use of available resources, including human resources,” she said adding that she was delighted that MZUNI Strategic plan takes account of Malawi 2063 and national priorities.

“There are several aspects of Malawi 2063 that are relevant to university activities such as human capital development. We urgently need to massively increase our enrolment of youth into tertiary education so that it approaches the sub-Saharan African average of 9% and global average of 38% instead of its current low rate of around 1%. I am therefore pleased to note that MZUNI plans to continue expanding its enrolment,” she said.

Speaking earlier, Mzuzu University Council Chairperson Ambassador Hawa Ndilowe said the Council developed a 10-year Strategic Plan (2021-2030) titled Unlocking the Full Potential of MZUNI- Towards a more credible, competitive and responsive University in the 21^st Century which is aligned to national, regional and international development agenda.

“The SP has been synchronised with the end period for the SDGs and MIP-1- to ensure that our programme implementation supports national and international policy instruments and remains responsive in the higher education subsector,” she said.

She said the University Council will continue providing an oversight role in the implementation of the Strategy;consider quarterly updates on each Pillar of the Strategy and ensure that Management is accountable in the implementation of the Strategy and that strategies are timely and consistently implemented; and finalise the functional review, which is aimed at improving the functionality and delivery of core products of Mzuzu University.

“Council will also ensure that construction of Mzuzu University Library is completed within the coming 24-months; commencement of students’ hostel by Future Life before January, 2023; further consolidation of the Skills for a Vibrant Economy (SAVE) towards skills improvement in ICT and renewable energy education amongst the youth and vulnerable people,” she said.

Mzuzu University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Kalenga Saka provided the background culminating to the process of developing and approving the strategic plan.

Professor Saka said the SP Technical Team was reconstituted in March 2021. The Team reviewed the 2016-2020 SP and identified game changers to inform better implementation; ensured benchmarking against Mw2063 and international practices, and organised comprehensive consultations with internal and external stakeholders.

Mzuzu University was established in 1997 by Chapter 30:09 of the Laws of Malawi as a public institution of higher learning and research. The objects of the University are to advance knowledge and to promote wisdom and understanding by engaging in teaching, research, and training as is responsive to the needs of Malawi, Africa, and the whole world.

The vision of MZUNI is to be a premier provider of tertiary education, research, and outreach in Malawi and the World. The Mission is to provide high quality education, training, research, and complementary services in Malawi and the World through pursuit of outstanding achievements in learning, discovery and community engagement

The 2021-2030 Strategic Plan is the fourth Strategic Plan since the inception of Mzuzu University in 1997. Over the period, the University has experienced strategic growth in a number of areas. Student population has grown from 60 in 1999 to 9,962, the University is offering 79 programmes through face-to-face, ODeL, block release and weekend which are accredited by the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE).

Building on the previous strategic plans, through consultations with various internal and external stakeholders, Mzuzu University has formulated the 2021-2030 Strategic Plan which has shifted from output-based performance to outcome/impact based performance. The purpose of a Strategic Plan is to provide direction for the University in fulfilling its mission, vision, and values and motto.

The 2021-2030 Strategic Plan has five specific pillars:

Pillar 1: Optimum students’ experience: The Strategic Goal is to inspire students’ success through development of appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes and experience for professional careers and employment by 2030.

Pillar 2: Business and investment: The Strategic Goal is to strengthen institutional financial and investment stability towards becoming financially autonomous by 2030

Pillar 3: Research, and Innovation: The Strategic Goal is to generate new knowledge and innovations needed for the economic development of Malawi in line with Malawi 2063, MIP-1 2030, NESIP 2030, SDGs and AU 2063 by 2030.

Pillar 4: Internationalisation and Cooperation: The Strategic Goal is to strengthen academic and senior administrative staff with global knowledge and ability to interconnect from a global perspective by 2030.

Pillar 5: Governance and Management: Strategic Goal is to enhance the prosperity and sustainability of Mzuzu University by 2030.

In pursuit of becoming a more credible, competitive, and responsive university in the 21^st century, the aspirations of MZUNI are:

• To be ranked in the top universities in the world and in Africa by 2030.
• MZUNI graduates are demanded by industry and are self-entrepreneurs with appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experience.
• MZUNI financial and investments status is stable and more financially autonomous.
• MZUNI staff and students are generating new knowledge and innovations needed for economic development in line with Malawi 2063, MIP-1 2030, NESIP 2030, SDGs and AU 2063 by 2030.
• MZUNI Academic, Senior Administrative and Non-Academic Staff have global knowledge and are actively interconnecting externally.
• MZUNI is prosperous and is characterised by good corporate governance, accountability, efficient management, and improved performance.

The University will require MK500.67 billion to effectively and efficiently implement the plan over the 10-year period against the expected income of MK487.14 billion in the period. The University is expected to generate the additional MK13.52 billion in the period of Strategic Plan implementation.