Modeled after MUST Silicon Valley of the US
* MUST Silicon Valley program seeks to develop a well-designed and structured initiative
* That utilizes existing innovative ideas to industrialize and contribute to Malawi’s GDP
* This will subsequently foresee MUST building a tech city that will be the hub of innovations
* The partnership with eCast aims to spur digital advancement and to digitize information sharing and availability
By Duncan Mlanjira
To support the realization of the MW2063, Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) is advancing its Industrial & Research Park initiative where its faculty, students and the community sorrounding the institution will be supported for starter up companies.
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MUST has since partnered with eCast — which is Malawi’s first-ever subscription-based audio hosting, distribution and streaming platform — that has been developed by MUST graduates themselves and their partners.
At a virtual pre-launch on Tuesday, Director of MUST Institute of Industrial Research and Innovation (MIIRI), Dr. David Mkwambisi said this has been built based on the US Silicon Valley concept.
Mkwambisi said Silicon Valley is a global center of technological innovation located in the South San Francisco Bay Area of California. It is home to dozens of major technology, software, and internet companies. The area was named after the primary material found in computer microprocessors.
Prof. Mkwambisi
He added that the MUST Silicon Valley program seeks to develop a well-designed and structured initiative that utilizes existing innovative ideas to industrialize and contribute to Malawi’s GDP.
It is also to develop a structured training and capacity building program that will spur innovation-led business models, build functions for job creation and increase the innovation footprint in Africa.
“This will subsequently foresee MUST building a tech city that will be the hub of innovations,” he said, adding that the partnership with eCast aims “to spur digital advancement and to digitize information sharing and availability”.
“It will also create employment, create entrepreneurial opportunities and build a platform that can be used to impact and change people’s lives for the better.
“The goal of the eCast is to build the best and biggest audio streaming service in Africa that will offer excellent services at par with the largest platforms worldwide.
“With this development, MUST will clearly establish itself as the hub of technologies, innovations, and resource capitalization in Malawi, thus fostering technology revolution and economic growth for the nation towards the fulfillment of the digitalization, industrialization, and wealth creation aspect of the MW2063.
Magnificent MUST campus at Goliati
MUST is a public university established in 2012 by an Act of Parliament No. 31 of 2012 to promote the development, adaptation, transfer and application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for macro-and micro-economic development of Malawi.
The eCast is set to support quality education; promote country development, culture and tourism; create employment opportunities and promote entrepreneurial thinking.
It will also promote mindset change; close the digital gap; spur knowledge sharing for development and to add value to the GDP.
How eCast is set to support quality education
Flexible Availability – 24 Hours a Day: One of the greatest advantages of education podcasts is the portability and convenience they offer. Podcasts can be downloaded to a mobile device, allowing the student to access the learning resources anytime, anywhere, with very little effort.
Broadening the knowledge base: Podcasts present a wide range of subjects in a quick and efficient manner that is convenient for the instructors and students.
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Student Created Content: One of the most interesting and valuable uses of Podcasting in Education is the concept of student created content: You might allow students to create their own podcast, perhaps including questions, discussions, presentations or projects. These can then be made available to their classmates. This allows students to take control of an aspect of their education and, therefore, encourages engagement in the material. They can question, they can contribute and they can teach each other.
Requires minimal support for the users: Podcasts are available on almost any device introduces and supports a broad array of narrative types that can improve student learning or understanding
Affordability in knowledge sharing and access: It’s cheap to share and access knowledge via podcasts compared to other modes such as video or physical. Less equipment, resources and personnel are needed hence lowering down education cost which is key for programs such as Open Distance eLearning.
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