State-funded National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) has announced the establishment of the Academy of Sciences, which is expected to play a key role in finding solutions to various challenges facing Malawi, including those related to science, technology and Innovation.
NCST Director General Gift Kadzamira made the announcement during a meeting with prominent scientists in Lilongwe on Wednesday.
Kadzamira said the Academy of Sciences will serve as a valuable resource for advising the government on policy-making decisions, particularly in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.
“This is a new baby that needs a home. So when we give it a home, they will be able to establish visibility materials like websites so that people outside there are able to know what and how the academy of sciences in Malawi is doing. This meeting has helped people to come up with a strategic plan as well as activities that the Academy will be doing and then how we can establish corporate members to their academy,” he said.
Kadzamira further mentioned that the academy will align its research activities with the goals set in Malawi’s 2063 National Research Agenda, with a focus on addressing social, economic, and climate change-related issues.
“We are doing well, we are trying to solve our problems as a country, that’s why we have a national research agenda that was developed in alignment to Malawi 2063,” she said.
Secretary General of the Academy of Sciences, Dr. Elizabeth Bandason, emphasized the importance of having a team of top scientists who can contribute significantly to addressing global technological advancements and formulating effective policies within the country.
Bandason mentioned that the meeting aimed to strategize on recruitment efforts and approve the outlined activities for the Academy over the next five years.
“We want to bring all scientists with different expertise in different areas together so that we can do research that is evidence based and be able to inform policy that is evidence based for better development of our country,” said Bandason.
The Academy of Sciences, established in 2021, comprises leading scientists from various higher education institutions in Malawi.
