MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Jessie Kabwila has said she is impressed with the progress of the construction of the Entrepreneurs Training and Incubation Center (ETIC) at Mzuzu University, which took off in December 2024, and is expected to be completed by end January 2026.
Dr. Kabwila made the remarks on Tuesday, at Mzuzu University after inspecting the state-of-the-art project with a whooping budget of over MK6 billion.
The project is supported financially by the World Bank, through the International Development Association (IDA) and is being implemented under the Skills for a Vibrant Economy (SAVE) Project.
“The government is very committed to see to it that higher learning institutions thrive. No university or college will be left out in as far as infrastructural developments are concerned.The project aligns with the government’s agenda to empower the youth and boost job creation through skills development and enterprise incubation.
“The Centre which will among other things accommodate the Artificial Intelligence laboratories, Entrepreneurs and Business Incubation Centre spaces, Skills ideation rooms and the Technology Transfer Centre, is expected to foster a culture of innovation, encourage development of technologies and solutions tailored to Malawi’s socio-economic challenges,” she said.
According to Programmes Manager for SAVE, Grenard Mkwende several higher learning institutions are benefiting from the project.
So far a total of 31 institutions are participating in the SAVE project, including nine public universities – MZUNI; two campuses of the University of Malawi (UNIMA); two campuses of Kamuzu College of Health Sciences (KUHeS); Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR); Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST); Domasi College of Education (DCE); and Nalikule College of Education (NCE).
Seven national technical colleges will also take part, namely Livingstonia Technical College; Mzuzu Technical College; Lilongwe Technical College; Salima Technical College; Namitete Technical College; Nasawa Technical College; and Soche Technical College, along with 15 community technical colleges across the country.
Mzuzu University, Vice Chancellor, Professor Wales Singini hailed the SAVE project saying that, the ETIC building at MZUNI is one of such infrastructure development projects which has demonstrated government’s commitment to transform the face of public higher education in the country with an aim of improving the quality and relevance of higher education in Malawi.
“Once completed, the ETIC Centre will help in unleashing the potential of the youth, vulnerable students and women through formal and informal skills transfer, and innovations, for an improved economy and livelihood. It will help meet the MW2063,” Singini said.
The ETIC will include a 500-seat Lecture Theatre; 16 laboratories, dedicated to Artificial Machinery and Data Science, ICT for Development, Internet, Hardware and Networking, Energy, Workshop and Testing, and a Testing Centre, and each laboratory will accommodate up to 60 students.
The building will also incorporate eight offices, two workshops, four classrooms, learning and research equipment and furniture.
Launched in 2021, the SAVE scheme has allocated 33% of its funds as of October and is scheduled for completion in June 2026.
Over its lifespan, it is expected to positively impact 45,000 university students and 65,000 technical and vocational students. The project implementing agencies are the ministries of education and labour.