Last week, MUST marked a significant academic achievement with the successful completion of thesis defences by its postgraduate students. 

The event, which brought together students, supervisors, examiners, and peers, was a powerful reflection of the university’s commitment to academic excellence and research that responds to real-world challenges. 

Dr Jabulani Nyengere, the university’s Postgraduate Coordinator, described the milestone as a profound indicator of institutional health and academic maturity, emphasizing that these defences are not merely academic rituals, but proof that MUST is steadily growing into a centre of advanced research and knowledge creation. 

The postgraduate research projects covered a wide range of pressing national issues ranging from climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy, and biomedical innovations to data science and industrial technology, demonstrating the university’s focus on relevance and impact. 

Dr Nyengere said this success is made possible through a vibrant support system that includes expert supervision, access to modern laboratories, research grants, and academic writing workshops. 

He further noted that what makes MUST’s postgraduate programmes unique is their strong orientation towards innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as the deliberate effort to craft home-grown solutions to Malawi’s challenges.

“We don’t just train students to write theses, but we prepare them to transform their knowledge into practical solutions and policy recommendations,” he said.

MUST also supports students in publishing their findings, engaging with communities, and translating their work into innovations through its innovation hub, MUST Institute of Industrial Research and Innovation (MIIRI). 

As for students preparing for their own defences, Dr Nyengere advises them to know their work inside and out, practise their presentations, anticipate questions, and embrace the defence as a scholarly conversation.