Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences
Former names | The Malawi Polytechnic |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 2019 |
| Vice-Chancellor | Nancy Chitera[1] |
| Location | , 15°48′18″S 35°2′19″E / 15.80500°S 35.03861°E |
| Website | www |
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The Malawi University of Business and Applied Science (MUBAS) is a public university based in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. In 2025, 320 students graduated.
History
[edit]The facility was originally named the Malawi Polytechnic when it was part of the University of Malawi, which was founded in 1965. The new MUBAS university was established in 2019[2] by Malawi's president through the University of Business and Applied Sciences Act.[3]
In 2021, associate professor Nancy Chitera was appointed as the acting vice-chancellor.[4]

In 2022, the university created a 'UniPod', a workstation area housing several machines that allow students to rapidly experiment and create new prototypes.[5] It was opened by the president in 2024. The Pod project was funded by the United Nations Development Programme, which asked universities to demonstrate their contemporary impact.[6] The UniPod was involved in the development of devices that allow a computer to be controlled by someone's eye movements. The development was developed by MUBAS graduate Chimwemwe Liwonde, who won a national social impact competition organised by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority in 2026.[7]
Organisation
[edit]MUBAS has five schools, consisting of Science and Technology, Engineering, the Built Environment, Business and Economics, Education, and the Communication and Media School.[2]
In 2025, the school's seventh graduation ceremony concluded with the graduation of 320 students.[8]
In 2026, a new Open and Distance e-Learning campus was being built. The minister of education, Bright Msaka, saw this as essential for Malawi, with plans to triple enrollment to 30,000 students by 2030.[9][1] Associate Professor Nancy Chitera, the vice chancellor of the university, announced in 2026 that MUBAS would manufacture and assemble tractors, maize shellers, crop planters and maize harvesters. MUBAS had made a substantial investment and planned to create new tractors within three years.[10]
Alumni
[edit]Rachel Kachaje, who became Malawi's Minister for Disabilities, attended evening courses at the university.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "MUBAS on course to achieve 30,000 student population by 2030 | Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences". www.mubas.ac.mw. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS)". Times Higher Education (THE). 9 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "MUBAS Logo and Tagline/Motto design competition | Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences". www.mubas.ac.mw. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ Ngwira, Robert (7 September 2021). "Nancy Chitera appointed as MUBAS Acting Chancellor". Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "From Law to Labs: A Story of Hope and Passion for Electronics and Impact". UNDP. 14 March 2025.
- ^ AfricaBrief (6 August 2022). "UNDP encourages public universities to demonstrate relevance". AfricaBrief. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
- ^ "Malawian Innovator wins National ICT Award for AI-powered assistive technology". techreviewafrica.com. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ "About 320 students from the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas)..." The Nation (on Facebook). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) have said..." Times 360 via Facebook. 19 January 2026.
- ^ Pasungwi, Jonathon (11 February 2026). "Mubas powers agro technology". Nation Online. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ "Rachael Kachaje conquering disability with faith: Malawi ex-minister". www.nyasatimes.com. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
