On Thursday, October 30, 2025, the EU-Youth Sounding Board (EU-YSB) Malawi, in partnership with the African Data and Drone Academy (ADDA), UN Women, and the Zantchito Program, hosted a Youth Innovation Exchange Visit at the 
Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST). 

Held under the themes, "Youth advancing multilateral cooperation through technology and partnerships" and "Youth localizing the SDGs: 2025 International Youth Day to spotlight local solutions," several groups of young innovators, youth leaders, and change makers, as well as students and staff from one of Malawi's top innovation universities, joined the EU-YSB exchange visit.

Speaking at the event, MUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Address Malata, urged the young innovators to take the next step by not only being recipients of development but become architects of the future, creating, constructing, and promoting sustainable solutions for their communities and the wider world.

“Places like this serve as a catalyst for fostering ideas that have the potential to alter lives, and we are witnessing an exciting transformation led by youth creativity," she said.

On his part, European Union head of cooperation to Malawi, George Dura challenged government to put in place policies that encourage cooperation and free flow of ideas within government and between public and private sectors that can lead to more creative outcomes.

“Good financial incentives, intellectual property protection, investment in education, regulatory frameworks and supportive infrastructure are among the principal drivers of innovation," Dura said.

Meanwhile, Principal Youth Officer Baldwin Kumbadzala reiterated government's commitment in unleashing youth-led innovations by developing strategies and policies that help to improve fiscal space for provision of resources for youth empowerment and economic growth.

On the same, UN Women National program specialist, Pamela Mkwamba expressed her satisfaction with the inclusion of women in innovations for transformation.

Activities lined up for the event included campus innovation tours, guided visits to university innovation hubs, laboratories, and student-led project spaces to see prototypes, demonstrations, and research in action, and peer-to-peer exchange session, among others.