MUST will graduate its first PhD graduates during the upcoming 7th Congregation slated for August 6, 2026.

This was confirmed on July 14, when two candidates, Mayamiko Nkoloma and Wongani Langa, successfully defended their theses before a panel of examiners and other participants at the university’s City campus in Chichiri, Blantyre.

Examination panel chairperson, Professor James Kamwachale Khomba, described the event as unique and historic.

“We are here to assess the candidates, so this is not a public debate but an academic and scholarly exercise and as such, the candidates, exam panelists and participants need to avoid emotions by being fair, impartial and professional in line with the university’s postgraduate regulations,” he said before introducing his panel that also had Associate Professor Bernet Kankuzi, Associate Professor Andrew Mtewa, Dr Joyce Chivunga, Professor Alfred Maluwa, Associate Professor Chikondi Chisenga and Dr Bonnet Kamwana.

In addition, the public thesis defence was also attended by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Address Malata, incoming Vice Chancellor Associate Professor Mwapatsa Mipando, Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Wilson Mandala, executive deans of schools, directors and senior academics and the candidates’ supervisors.

Nkoloma, who is Director General of Malawi Communications Authority (Macra) and was studying a PhD in Innovation and Development, presented a thesis titled “Developing an Innovation Adoption Framework for Digital Health Systems in Low-Income Developing Countries” with a focus on Malawi.

He said as an innovator himself, he was keen to establish what makes most of the country’s innovations fail.

On his part, Langa, a research fellow under MUST’s Institute of Industrial Research and Innovation (MIIRI), presented a thesis titled “Developing an Open Innovation Partnership Model for Industrialisation in Developing Countries”.

He too looked at various aspects of spurring industrialization through the innovation pathway.

After gruelling sessions with the candidates, the panel passed both candidates and will be graduating with PhDs during the university’s 7th Congregation, making history as the first PhD graduates from MUST.

The development comes 12 years after MUST’s establishment, when it started with three undergraduate programmes and two masters programmes. Today, the university has 27 undergraduate programmes and 29 postgraduate programmes, including seven PhD programmes.