By Jimmy Chazama
Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) has partnered Kweza Arts.
Speaking during the official signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Lilongwe on Thursday, Kweza Arts founder Q Malewezi said the agreement between the two parties would help them uplift the arts sector.
The celebrated poet, who is also President Lazarus Chakwera’s special adviser on creative industries, said, through the partnership, they want to create opportunities for young people.
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“We will put up training programmes and short courses that focus on both theory and practical aspects of things. The idea is to upgrade the skills of young people,” Malewezi said.
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He said the academia was key to the development of the creative sector.
Must Vice Chancellor Professor Address Malata said the university was committed to helping enrich the creative industry in the country.
“Our partnership with Kweza Arts is about collaboration. By combining our strengths, we aim to drive innovation and creativity for Malawi’s benefit. We can push the cultural economy of this country through the creative industry,” Malata said.
“This initiative will give students hands-on experience that connects their studies with real-world industry demands, and we will also be doing some arts research on how we can improve our arts industry as a school together with Kweza,” she added.
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Malata said through collaboration, they would be documenting artists’ stories “so that we can appreciate our colleagues’ work, both past and present, for historical purposes”.
Bingu School of Culture and Heritage Executive Dean Atikonda Mtenje Mkochi commended the collaboration, saying it had come at the right time.
“This agreement will give our students more chances to gain industrial experience before they graduate,” Mtenje Mkochi said.
Must also has pacts with Musicians Union of Malawi and Mibawa Television.
