LUANAR on Wednesday 16th November 2016 graduated 889 graduates from its Bunda Campus as well as NRC campus. The graduation took place at Bungu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
As part of this, the State President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika was inaugurated as the Chancellor of the University.
LUANAR Act 2011 states that there shall be a chancellor of the University who shall be the head of the University. And that the chancellor whenever present shall preside at all ceremonial and other congregations of the University and shall in the name of the University, confer all degrees, diplomas and certificates of the University.
In his speech, the State President and Chancellor of the University argued students to focus on entrepreneurship saying the country needs graduates who can create jobs as well as occupy jobs.
“I would like therefore to challenge the University to develop students who can become entrepreneurs and future business leaders. We need graduates who can aggressively participate in our direct investment program,” said Professor Mutharika.
The President challenged universities to be the first place for championing and accepting change saying university education will never change unless we change our culture of thinking.
“We cannot improve the quality of education by financing it the same way we have financed it for the last fifty years,” he said.
The President further emphasized on the need for good management and governance in universities saying the government empowered council and management to govern the universities on its behalf.
“To every Chairperson of Council and Vice Chancellor, let me say this. Malawians expect you to be visibly active in managing your university on behalf of Government,” he said.
In his remarks, LUANAR Vice Chancellor, Professor George Kanyama Phiri said in keeping with the spirit of being an entrepreneur University, the University is involved in various resource mobilization initiatives aimed at increasing the financial resource base.
“For example the University has revitalized the Bunda Farm and has to this effect opened an outlet in the city of Lilongwe. Others are the business centre and filling station,” said Professor Kanyama Phiri.
He said the University is also undertaking a business process reengineering of the Centre for Agricultural Research and Development as one of the reform areas.
“The University will soon launch a seed company to assist smallholder farmers to access quality seeds and improve their incomes. The above represent an investment of approximately MK21 billion. It’s the University’s wish that after realization of these projects the University will reduce dependency on government coffers,” he said.
LUANAR was established as a fully-fledged University through an Act of Parliament No. 22 of 2011 and was operationalized on 1st July 2012.
Written By: Patricia Nkhoma