The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) on 22nd March 2023 launched the National Research Agenda (NRA) at Cross-roads Hotel in Lilongwe from 9:00am with the Minister of Education, Honourable Madalitso Kambauwa-Wirima, MP presiding over the launch ceremony as the Guest of Honour.
The National Research Agenda is the first of its kind since NCST has been supporting sector-specific research agendas in the past. The NRA is expected to operationalise research, science, technology and innovations needs of the country, in the ambit of the Malawi 2063 First 10-year Implementation Plan (MIP-1), towards graduating the country into a lower-middle income economy and meeting most of the sustainable development goals by 2030.
The main objective of the NRA is to guide researchers, academic institutions, think-tanks, Centres of Excellence (CoE), local and international research and development stakeholders in generating knowledge, technologies and innovations that will build a knowledge-based economy for Malawi, towards inclusive wealth creation and self-reliance. The development of the NRA signals Malawi’s unwavering commitment and effort to develop and promote the attainment of a knowledge-based economy.
For more details, please click here to download the national research agenda document.
Call for Expression of Interest
Application fees grant: Registered Technology Transfer Professional designation
Application Deadline: 28 February 2023
Technology Transfer Practitioners are invited to put themselves forward as candidates for professional recognition. The professional recognition application fees will be sponsored for the selected candidates- SADC only (excluding South Africa).
Supported by the Department of Science and Innovation and SADC Secretariat, Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) invites Technology Transfer practitioners from the SADC members states to put themselves forward as candidates for professional recognition. Technology transfer practitioners will be supported to obtain candidate Registered Technology Transfer Professional designation (RTTP) designation through the internationally recognised Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals (ATTP).
RTTP is the international professional standard for knowledge transfer and commercialization practitioners working in higher education institutions, industry and government labs. The RTTP framework recognizes demonstrated competence and experience across the breadth of technology transfer, from IP commercialization through to university-business collaboration and start-up company creation.
‘Candidate RTTP’ is a designation that allows entrants to the profession to signal that they are committed to a pathway of training and development and are working towards earning RTTP. It indicates to employers that they are serious about their career and aspire to meet the highest standards. Read more on ATTP https://attp.global/
Details on the RTTP application fees grant: Grant will only cover application fees for the Candidate RTTP application.
Qualifying criteria, applicant is:
How to apply: Complete the online expression of interest accompanied by supporting documents Submit the 4 supporting documents listed below to zimasa@sarima.co.za with Subject Line: Candidate RTTP Grant- (Applicants first name and surname) List of supporting documents:
1. Brief Curriculum Vitae (CV)
2. Brief motivation of how your current role is aligned to Technology Transfer and Innovation Management and you would use this opportunity to advance your career in Innovation Management and Technology Transfer (ITT) and contribute to the development and advancement of the ITT management structures and processes within your institution
3. Career Aspiration Plan indicating commitment to skills development through training and working with a mentor. Guideline on preparing Career Aspiration plan
4. Brief, signed statement by your line Manager or Director attesting that the documents attached accurately reflect current role in Knowledge Exchange (KE)/Knowledge Transfer (KT)/Technology Transfer (TT).
5. Letter of Employment
Online expression of interest application to be completed and supporting documents to be submitted by 28 February 2023
Process to be expected by applicant:
• Expressions of interests will be reviewed by a SARIMA-selected panel
• Candidates will be selected by the review panel based on the perceived strength of their expression of interest application for subsequent Candidate RTTP online application
• Selected candidates will be requested to complete candidate RTTP application through the the ATTP online application system
• SARIMA will process application fee directly to ATTP on behalf of selected candidate
Enquiries Please direct enquiries to Ms Zimasa Sobuza @ zimasa@sarima.co.za
The International Professional Recognition Council (IPRC) is excited to announce the next call for applications for the Professional Recognition Programme for Research Management and Administration (RMA).
The IPRC is an outcome of ongoing efforts by the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) in partnership with the other research management associations in Africa to elevate the profession of RMA. The IPRC is an autonomous body that awards professional designations to research managers and administrators (RMAs) who meet the requirements. The IPRC members are experienced RMAs representing the African and international research management community (click here to read more about the IPRC).
Professional recognition constitutes an award of professional status, which acknowledges the expertise and accomplishment of RMAs through the review of their portfolios of evidence by peers on the Technical Review Committee of the IPRC. The portfolio of evidence provides documented proof of prior learning, competencies, experience, contributions, and achievements.
Once awarded, the professional status is valid for five years, after which the status can be renewed or upgraded.
Why apply for professional recognition?
Professional recognition confirms to employers, colleagues and others in the RMA space that the individual has demonstrated core and transferable (cross-cutting) competencies and that s/he has made significant contributions to research management. It affirms standing in a global context and it provides an impetus for further professional development.
Who can apply?
RMAs from anywhere in Africa who meet the requirements can apply in one of the following categories:
Research Administration Professional (RAP)
This designation recognises individuals with one to three years’ experience and those who have been in the profession for some time but who have not yet advanced professionally. The purpose is to instil a professional identity, and to establish a professional development trajectory towards becoming an RMP, or to maintain recognition as a RAP.
Research Management Professional (RMP)
The aim of this designation is to recognise mid-to advanced career research managers with an undergraduate qualification and a minimum of three years’ relevant work experience, OR a minimum of five years’ relevant work experience without a qualification.
Senior Research Management Professional (SRMP)
This designation recognises senior research managers who serve in leadership or strategic roles. They are required to hold a postgraduate qualification at a master’s level or beyond, and have five years of relevant work experience.
For all categories, applicants must be a current member of a professional research management association.
Application and review process
1. Visit the IPRC website (https://iprcouncil.com/) and review the requirements for the professional category of interest.
2. Select ‘Complete the online application’ for the relevant professional category. You will be required to create an account to log into the application system. On the website, please consult FAQ’s ‘How do I apply’ for further guidance.
3. Complete and submit the online application and pay the application fee by the deadline. Fees can be paid online with a credit card or applicants can request an invoice upon submission of the application.
4. Application is screened for completeness and to confirm that the requirements are met.
5. Peers serving on the IPRC Technical Review Committee reviews the application.
6. Outcome communicated to the applicant within three months of submission depending on the number of applications to be reviewed.
7. Successful applicants add the awarded designation to their credentials.
The application form is available in English and French. The French version can be accessed from 15 December.
Submission dates
You can start your application at any point in time. There will be two closing submission dates. Applications submitted, and fees paid by the deadline will be processed for review. Late or incomplete applications will stand over to a next submission date.
Deadline for submission of the online application 31 March 2023 (Round 1), 31 July 2023 (Round 2)
Deadline for payment of fees 30 April 2023 (Round 1), 31 August 2023 (Round 2)
It is strongly advised that applicants start as early as possible with the application. It will be time-consuming to prepare the portfolio and to collect the evidence to support the activities, contributions and achievements.
Resources and support
• Visit the IPRC website at https://iprcouncil.com/
• Attend the guidance webinar on 14 December 2022 at 13:00 – 14:30 CAT (UTC +02:00) during which the programme and the application process will be explained to prospective applicants. The webinar will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation to French. Please click here to register for the webinar.
• Contact the IPRC Secretariat:
o Technical support – Armand Barnard at armand@sarima.co.za
o Programme related enquiries and support – Dr Karin Dyason at karin@sarima.ac.za
Fit-for-purpose research contracts create an enabling framework to ensure that projects and collaborations proceed smoothly in order to deliver the desired outcomes, while protecting the interests of all parties. On the other hand, unsuitable agreements or contract terms can impact negatively on internal and external relationships, delay or hinder projects and lead to disputes. This course is designed to equip attendees with the necessary skills and knowledge to facilitate successful contracts for their institutions and clients. Attendees will learn how to:
• Understand the key roles of and relationships between various stakeholders
• Understand contract structure
• Understand and interpret key clauses
• Simple drafting (eg from precedents, amendments)
• Manage contract negotiations
• Critically assess acceptability of contract terms and amendments
• Manage contracts post-execution
Date: 29-30 November 2022. Please register by Thursday, 24 November (15:00 SAST)
Cost: R3630 (member) and R4719 (non-member)
Please note: This course is Virtual. The joining instructions to the workshop will be sent a day before the event. Prices are listed excl. VAT.
The National Commission for Science and Technology organized the 11 th National Secondary Schools Science Fair on 24 th -26 th October, 2022 hosted at Kamuzu Academy under the theme, “Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovations in Students-a Basis of Social Economic Development in Malawi.” The fair is organized to create a platform for secondary school students to display scientific innovations of their schools.
A total of 44 secondary schools including National secondary schools, Open secondary schools and community day secondary schools across the country, participated by displaying their different projects at the fair. The participants competed in different categories that aimed at bringing solutions to the communities namely, Environment and climate change, Energy sources, Health and Technological innovations.
Lilongwe Girls Secondary School, won this year’s science fair with a cash prize of K250,000 for developing a smart incubator project under the Technological Innovations category, followed by Blantyre Secondary School on second position with K220,000 for displaying a project that converts carbon dioxide to oxygen. Both schools were also given trophies.
The Guest of honor, Deputy Minister of education, Hon. Monica Chang’anamuno, MP, was impressed with what the young students displayed in alignment with the Malawi 2063 vision. She said, it is what we need as a country to discover those innovations and bring them to light and not just letting them die.
She was happy to see students, not only from national secondary schools but also from Community Day secondary schools which she said it is a motivation to them to see their projects being recognized. She encouraged the young students to continue to be innovative because as the country struggles with un-employment, it is the innovations that will create
more employment for them and friends.
In her remarks, Acting Director General of National Commission for Science and Technology Gift Kadzamira, said this years Science Fair has improved to compare with the previous ones in terms of the ideas of the different innovations. She said as the organizers they want to add more value to the coming science fairs for example adding more days to bring all partners together and plan as early as possible.
In addition, she said the science fair shouldn’t just be about exhibiting the innovations but to include mentoring sessions and career talks to the secondary school students to enlighten them so that they can be able to know and enroll into different universities.
She also said that the commission is aiming at putting more resources to improve the
innovations so that at the end of the fair, the recognized innovations can be improved and help
in commercialization so that at the end of the day the outcome should contribute towards
national transformation of vision Malawi 2063.
Keynote Speaker Mr. Corled Nkosi, appreciated and thanked all the institutions that helped him
to get where he is now. He encouraged his fellow students to work hard and make use of time
wisely. He said since we live in a world of internet and social media, it is better to use the
internet to learn something than just playing on social media platforms.
Some of the partners that made the event a success at the 2022 national school science fair were, NCST, Press Trust, MUST, MUBAS, Lab enterprise, MBS, Ethco, and mHub.
4TH NATIONAL RESEARCH DISSEMINATION CONFERENCE, 23RD -25TH NOVEMBER 2022 CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
1. Introduction
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) was established by the Science and Technology Act Number 16 of 2003 to advise the Government and other stakeholders on all science and technology matters in order to achieve a science and technology led development. The mission of the NCST is to promote, support, coordinate and regulate the development and application of science, technology and innovation in order to create wealth and improve the quality of life. In pursuit of this mission NCST in collaboration with its partners, is organizing the 4th National Research and Dissemination Conference, whose theme is ‘Research, innovation and entrepreneurship the key drivers to an inclusively wealthy and industrialized nation.” to be held as follows:
DATES: 23RD -25TH NOVEMBER 2022 VENUE: LILONGWE
The objectives of the conference are:
The conference will comprise, key note addresses, paper presentations, poster presentations, technology/innovation exhibits.
NCST is therefore calling on all interested researchers and innovators to submit abstracts for paper or poster presentations at the conference. Note that the abstracts will undergo technical review and only successful applicants will be asked to prepare full papers.
The abstract should contain Title, Author and contacts (include Affiliation, Sub-theme, Introduction, Purpose/Objectives, Methodology, Results, Conclusion and Keywords. The abstracts should in Ms Word not exceed 300 words, Single spacing, Times New Roman font 12.
Abstracts should be submitted by close of business on 12th August 2022 Friday. All successful applications will be required to submit full papers of their presentations by 30th September 2022.
The Abstracts should fall under any of the following thematic areas:
Researchers and other participants shall be required to pay a registration fee of MK80,000.00 while students shall pay MK40,000.00 each to cover the cost of lunch, refreshments, and venue. Successful applicants will however be required to finance own accommodation, transport and subsistence allowances.
Submission of abstracts and all other enquiries should be made by email or post to the following address:
The Director General
National Commission for Science and Technology
Lingadzi House, City Centre
P/Bag B303
Lilongwe3
Tel: +265 1 771550
Fax: +265 1 772431
Email: nrdc@ncst.mw, cc: ichingota@ncst.mw
We are reaching out to you as volunteers for the Parvati Foundation, a nonprofit that urges people around the world pay attention to the crisis in the Arctic Ocean that affects all life on Earth.
As the Arctic ice vanishes and the global consequences multiply, there is still a window of opportunity to avert total catastrophe. However, an immediate response is required, measured in weeks and months rather than years. We believe this can be achieved through the Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary (MAPS).
MAPS will safeguard the entire area north of the Arctic Circle as the world’s largest marine sanctuary. It prohibits commercial tourism, fishing, oil and gas activity, shipping, militarization and dumping of waste that destroys the sea ice, makes the permafrost disappear, reviving buried pathogens, and threatens to cause large scale methane eruptions. MAPS is the only initiative to include protection of the coastal waters where the majority of exploitation takes place.
The science is clear that protecting the Arctic High Seas is not enough to protect life on Earth. As Yvo de Boer, Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, says, “MAPS is the only sane choice for the critically vulnerable Arctic ecosystem, for the sake of our seas, our atmosphere and all life.”
We urgently need scientists from all disciplines including students to join us in educating the public about this emergency, so we can mobilize world leaders and the public to protect the Arctic Ocean and our shared future.
We must help shine a light on the irrefutable scientific evidence showing that MAPS is essential. With this in mind, we are now circulating an Open Letter to be endorsed by scientists and students to voice their support of MAPS.
https://signmaps.org/scientists-letter-for-maps/
We hope that you add your name to the letter and join the growing number of influential scientists, including 20 Nobel Laureates that have recently signed it.
Please share the Open Letter within your network.
Thank you for supporting a health world!
Sincerely,
Kaya Agu – MAPS Ambassador
The dialogue was opened by the Director of Documentation and Information Services Mrs. Kadzamira, on behalf of the director general for NCST Prof E. Wanda. In attendance were various people from different notable institutions such as; Imosys, LUANAR, UNDP, MERA, Registrar General, NCST, just to mention a few and not forgetting renowned innovators.
In his presentation, Mr I. Chingota, the Chief Technological Transfer Officer at NCST, gave a background of the workshop. He then hinted on the intentions the commission has in building a platform which is aimed at addressing challenges that frustrates knowledge and intellectual transfer from researchers to consumers, he also described the challenges that exist between Innovators-researchers and industries, Government, and other stakeholders hence the need to bridge the gap that exist so that whatever has been innovated should be picked up to the other end and be commercialised so that we developed Malawi through Science, Technology and Innovation.
The CEO for Imosys Mr. Mayamiko Nkoloma, challenged the media in his presentation for doing too little in terms of presenting Innovations through the media to the general public. Unlike other countries where the media is on the fore front in promoting Innovations, here in Malawi the media is passive and he urged them to actively promote innovations.
National Commission for Science and Technology faces challenges in the technological transfer spaces, as it is allocated with inadequate funding for science and technology fund. The approved K 291, 000,000 is not enough to effectively support the advancement of STI in Malawi in relation with the Reforms Agenda of promoting Research Initiative for Malawian Research platforms and supporting Innovations. This was revealed when Mr. K. Gondwe, Chief planning services officer at NCST, who gave an overview of the environment for innovation and commercialisation in Malawi during the dialogue. He also made an emphasis on the need to design an infrastructure to support tech-incubation services.
During deliberations; stakeholders encouraged NCST to create a platform where researchers, innovators and all stakeholders would be able to interact and collaborate on various researches and innovations taking place around the country. NCST was also urged to find means of exposing students to science technology and innovation right away from primary schools to instil positive attitude towards science technology and innovation in them as it is a key in developing Malawi.
Finally, as a country we should try to advocate in passing legislations that are not frustrating innovators which results in information asymmetry and uncertainty problems where by innovators fails to give enough information about their innovation in fear of their ideas being stolen, in the same vein banks or financial institutions fail to offer loans to innovators due to being furnished with little information.
1.0 Introduction
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) was established by the Government of Malawi under section 5 of the Science and Technology Act No.16 of 2003. Its mission is to promote, support, co-ordinate and regulate the development and application of research, science, technology and innovation so as to create wealth in order to improve the quality of life. To execute its mission, the NCST runs a number of programmes and schemes through its established structure. These programmes and schemes are derived from its legal functions as stipulated in the said Act. One such scheme is the Small Grant Scheme which seeks to provide support either in part or in full in order to promote capacity building and information sharing endeavours related to research, science, technology and innovation for wealth creation, in line with the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (III) and new vision, Malawi 2063. This scheme is demand-driven whose design is informed by stakeholders’ needs. The grant scheme provides funding support in the following areas;
(a) Dissertation Grant: aims to support research undertaken as part of an academic programme to qualify for a Master’s or a Doctorate Degree, provided that the topic of research is addressing any of the identified national research priorities as issued by NCST. The grant is primarily to support research. Funds will not be used to support course work.
(b) Travel Grant: aims to support applicants with travel grants to facilitate their participation in conferences/workshops/seminars, short courses, study tours and exchange visits within or outside Malawi so as to facilitate information sharing and capacity building. The support could cover travel costs including the cost of visas, registration and other applicable costs.
(c) Research Dissemination Grant: aims at supporting the organising of a research dissemination conference. The support shall be towards meeting the cost of conference advertisement, venue, refreshments/lunches, review of abstracts, and production of books of abstracts and conference proceedings.
(d) General Event Grant: aims at supporting institutions to organise events/activities related to other areas of research, science, technology and innovation, provided that such events are not of the same nature as the research dissemination conference.
(e) Production of Journals Grant: This grant aims at supporting the production of journals.
(f) ICT Equipment Grant: This grant supports towards the cost of the ICT equipment where a research related institution has indicated the need for such equipment assistance and upon establishment of NCST that an institution would function effectively with such an equipment.
(g) Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Grant: This grant supports the technology transfer and commercialisation efforts. It is provided to institutions or individuals that have developed technologies and would like to be facilitated for popularisation, transfer, replication and spinoffs
2.0 Grant Application Proposals
NCST has secured funding from the Government of Malawi towards the Science and Technology Fund. Part of the funding will be used to administer grants under this Small Grant Scheme. NCST is, therefore, calling for applications for project proposals in any of the areas under this Scheme.
3.0 Grant Amount
The grant offered through this scheme shall not exceed the value of MK3, 000,000.00. Therefore, the budget limit for project activities in each project proposal shall not be more than this amount.
4.0 Deadline for Receipt of Applications
The small grant scheme is designed to be administered throughout a given government fiscal year on competitive terms and on first-come and first-served basis. While applications can be submitted, received and reviewed any time in a given fiscal year, closure date for submissions and receipt of applications in the 2020/21 fiscal year is 30th May 2021. Applications received after this date shall not be considered.
5.0 Application Procedures and Guidelines
The application procedures and guidelines for each specified grant are contained in the Small Grant Scheme Procedures and Guidelines which are available on the NCST website (www.ncst.mw). Applicants are advised to access them on this website. Alternatively applicants may request them from the Office of the Director General using the address below.
6.0 Submission of the Application
Submission of complete application package containing the required documentation for the specified grant shall be made as both a hard and a soft copy to the following address;
Director General
National Commission for Science and Technology
Lingadzi House
First Floor
City Centre
Private Bag B303
Capital City
LILONGWE 3
Malawi
E-mail address: directorgeneral@ncst.mw
