NEWS:

13 Jun, 2016


MSU team, LUANAR staff pose for a group photo during the training
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) in collaboration with Michigan State University’s Global Centre for Food Innovation Systems (GCFSI) organized a one day workshop on academic leadership for LUANAR management, heads of departments and sections.


The workshop that took place last week at LUANAR Bunda campus, saw staff from all campuses attending it.


The Innovation Hub Coordinator who is an Associate Professor in Animal Nutrition, Dr. Andy Safalaoh said LUANAR and GCFSI will implement an Innovation Scholar Programme (ISP) covering two trajectories: the faculty track and academic leadership track.
“The objective of the LUANAR ISP is to equip LUANAR academic and academic leadership and administrative personnel with the knowledge, skills, and qualities required to advance LUANAR towards LUANAR’s vision, mission and strategic goals,” he said.



Speaking during the opening of the training, LUANAR Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda hailed GCFSI for coming up with initiatives that can improve food systems in the country as well as improve quality of education and research at LUANAR.


“The ISP which will be officially launched this month is primarily meant to promote scholarly innovation, hereby defined as ‘juxtaposition or remixing of old and new academic methods, philosophies, personnel, and contexts to create better ways of teaching, learning, researching, and serving that result in better processes, products, services, or situations’,” he said.



He said the faculty track will enable academic members of staff to implement new and innovative processes for facilitating student learning; to design, develop and conduct high quality innovative research that can address current food system challenges; to improve engagement with relevant stakeholders including the private and public sector and to communicate the nature and importance of scientific work to diverse audiences.



“On the other hand, the academic leadership track which includes the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Deans and Heads of Departments and their deputies and Directors is largely meant to develop innovative academic leaders at LUANAR and beyond hence they are expected to better: understand the nature of innovation and the research around institutionally conducive practices for innovation; identify institutional barriers to innovation in teaching, research, and outreach; describe the gaps in leadership development that contribute to these barriers; define the leadership qualities, knowledge, and skills needed to promote an institutional innovation culture,” he added.


According to Dr Safalaoh, for both tracks, the participants to the ISP will be expected to attend four scholarships on: Innovation Scholarship: Using Design Thinking for Innovation in African Food Systems; Innovative Engagement: Making Research Relevant; Innovative Teaching and learning: Bringing Innovation to the Classroom and Beyond and Innovative Impact: Innovation for Food System Transformation saying participants will also participate in a learning excursion to one of the successful innovative institutions in Africa.


The Innovation Hub at LUANAR was established in 2014 and the current scope of work for the innovation hub includes collaboration in the development and implementation of research through GCFSI innovation grants, including an integrated research effort in Malawi involving LUANAR and MSU faculty and students; collaboration with GCFSI faculty and students in implementing scalable innovative solutions, and assist with scaling successful innovative solutions by helping establish partnerships with the private sector, developing business plans and technology commercialization; hosting of GCFSI faculty and students, convening/hosting conferences and workshops involving multi-sector stakeholders and linking to other initiatives pertinent to the scope of GCFSI and development and delivering of educational and training programs necessary for future food systems professionals.


Written By: Patricia Nkhoma