National Council for Higher Education (Nche) has challenged institutions of higher learning to strive to operate beyond minimum set standards and embrace research that would provide solutions to the society’s needs.

Nche officials made the call during the meeting with vice chancellors and registrars of higher education institutions held in Blantyre on Tuesday.

The council’s member Harry Gombachika said: “Normally, Nche talks of minimum standards, we expect you to go beyond minimum standards.

“As we discuss minimum standards and quality assurance, we are challenged to work together to see to it that the curricula offered in our institutions are responsive to the changing world.”

He then said the institutions should empower students with the necessary skills that would prepare them for the future as well as invest in research and community engagement to solve the challenges.

Gombachika added that the council is committed to working with universities to enhance the quality of education so as to make sure that graduates are well prepared for the challenges ahead.

Nche chief executive officer Ambumulire Phiri said the council was more interested in the output of “quality graduates” and ready to support curriculum development and the quality assurance units in the respective institutions

Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences vice-chancellor Nancy Chitera said she understood that universities were there to respond to the needs of the society.

“As a university, our mandate is to train human capital for the nation. If our programmes do not meet the standards and the expectations of the industry, then it means that human capital that we have developed is a waste,” she said.

Nche was established by the 2010 Nche Act with a primary purpose of regulating higher education in Malawi. It has the mandate to regulate both public and private higher learning institutions.

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