2nd RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AWARDS

12-14 AUGUST 2024

THEME: Research and Innovation for Wealth Creation

Introduction

The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) is pleased to announce that the second Research and Innovation Awards will be held from the 12th – 14th August 2024, at its main Campus in Blantyre, Malawi. This is an annual event during which MUBAS recognises staff, students, departments, schools, and other arms of the University for their cutting-edge scholarly and innovative outputs through a series of discussion fora, lecture seminars, writeshops, workshops, research conference and award presentation ceremony. Under this year’s theme: Research and Innovation for Wealth Creation, the event will promote research and innovation through dissemination conference and awards. This call, therefore, is anticipated to target four main categories, namely, 

1. Research papers for the dissemination conference
2. Researchers for the awards
3. Brief presentations by Senior Lecturers, Associate Professors and Professors 
4. Innovators for the awards

Call for abstracts – for the dissemination conference

We are inviting prospective presenters to submit abstracts in any area of interest. Specific themes for dissemination will be generated from the submitted abstracts. 

To submit an abstract: presenters are required to use a template of the abstract that can be downloaded below.

Abstracts should not be more than 250 words in length and should include the following sections: 

1. Title
2. Award category
3. List of authors and their affiliations
4. Introduction
5. Methods
6. Results
7. Conclusion
8. Key words

Please do not include citations, tables or figures in the abstract. If your paper is co-authored, please indicate who will present and provide the contact details of the presenting author including telephone number and email address. Send your abstract with the words: “Abstract submission for dissemination conference” to the following email address: researchandinnovation@mubas.ac.mw by 17.00 hours, 24 July, 2024.

Call for abstracts – for research awards

We are inviting MUBAS staff members and students to self-nominate or nominate potential candidates for the research awards in the following categories:

1. Researcher of the Year 
2. Early Career Researcher 
3. Research through Collaboration 
4. Excellence in Research Funds Attraction 
5. Best student researcher (3 sub-categories)

To submit an abstract or multiple abstracts, prospective awardees must refer to the detailed criteria for each award in the provided documents below. Additionally, they are obliged to utilize the given abstract template. Furthermore, prospective awardees must complete and submit the attached nomination form with a signature. For the abstract format, check under Call for abstracts – for the dissemination conference. Send your abstract with the words: “Abstract submission for research awards” to the following email address: researchandinnovation@mubas.ac.mw by 17.00 hours, 24 July, 2024.

Researcher of the year: send references of all your papers published in peer-reviewed journals in the years 2022 and 2023

Early Career Researcher: send your CV with references of all your papers published in peer-reviewed journals

Research through Collaboration: send evidence of the partnership or collaboration, the benefits, and the impact that it brings to the University, ie. funds, number of students trained, etc.

Excellence in Research Funds Attraction: send evidence of funds transferred into the University system for the research projects

Best student researcher: undergraduate students, send a 6-paged concept of your research proposal including references; postgraduate students, send abstracts of your completed dissertation. For the abstract format, check under call for abstracts - for the dissemination conference

Call for abstracts: Senior Lecturers’, Associate Professors’ and Professors’ presentations 

We are inviting MUBAS Senior Lecturers, Associate Professors, and Professors to submit abstracts in their areas of expertise. They will be required to briefly present what they are currently working on, in as far as research is concerned. For the abstract format, check under Call for abstracts – for the dissemination conference. Send your abstract with the words: “Abstract submission for Senior lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor” to the following email address: researchandinnovation@mubas.ac.mw by 17.00 hours, 24 July, 2024.

Call for innovation prompt – for innovation awards

We are inviting MUBAS staff members and students to self-nominate or nominate potential candidates for the innovation awards in the following categories:

1. Innovator of the Year 
2. Early Career Innovator 
3. Best Student Innovator 

To submit an innovation brief, prospective awardees are required to find more details about the criteria for each award from the provided documents below. Additionally, they must use the innovation brief template provided and submit a signed nomination form, which is also available below. Following these steps will ensure that their submissions are eligible for consideration.

Briefs should be not more than 250-300 words in length (one page) and should include the following sections: 

1. Title
2. Award category
3. Problem description
4. Solution description
5. Solution features (i.e. device/system design features)
6. Principle of operation
7. Testing data (if innovation is under development) or
8. Socioeconomic impact (if innovation is in use)

If your innovation is done by more than one person, please indicate who will get the awards and provide the contact details of the innovator including telephone number and email address.

Send your brief with the words: “Brief submission for innovation award” to the following email address: researchandinnovation@mubas.ac.mw by 17.00 hours, 24 July, 2024.