The Government of the United States of America (USA) has made an additional investment of US$17 million (approximately MK17.5) to bolster higher education in Malawi in the next five years.
The funds have been provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
A presss statement from the US Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi, says USAID’s Transforming Higher Education Systems project, implemented by Michigan State University, will help more students enroll in and complete higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
It adds that USAID and partners, through the project, will expand high-quality, market relevant university programs for students, and boost the ability of Malawian universities to advance innovation, productivity, and competitiveness of Malawian industry.
“The new USAID project will partner with the Ministry of Education, three anchor universities (MZUNI, MUST, and LUANAR), and several other Malawian public and private colleges and universities. It will also engage the National Council for Higher Education and the Higher Education Students’ Grants and Loans Board to expand pathways to access higher education,” reads the statement.
It further states that USAID’s Transforming Higher Education Systems project will strengthen student support systems, increase experiential learning opportunities, and engage private sector actors through increased internship opportunities and research innovation. Students from marginalized and vulnerable backgrounds throughout Malawi will benefit from the project, and universities’ research capacities and outputs will increase to match the ambitions of Malawi 2063.
In his remarks, the US Ambassador to Malawi, David Young said this latest partnership with the Ministry of Education is a systems-wide approach that will remove barriers for marginalized and vulnerable youth and support students to thrive in the higher education system.
“Our investments will foster an enabling environment that helps youth build their own successful futures,” said Young.
USAID forges partnerships between U.S. and Malawian universities to advance market-relevant areas of study for economic growth, especially in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For more information about USAID’s progress and partnerships with Malawi in the education sector, visit https://www.usaid.gov/malawi/education.
