Management Development Centre (MDC) is a semi-autonomous arm of the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas). The centre was established in 1978 to offer solutions to challenges that managers and officers face in both public and private sectors. Our reporter JONATHAN PASUNGWI interacts with Mubas MDC manager ELLA KANGAUDE on its state of affairs.
Q: Give us a brief background of the centre
A: The purpose of establishing the centre was to ensure that it trains leaders and managers. But, now, with the rebranding from The University of Malawi Polytechnic to Mubas, the Management Development Centre has also taken another direction. Actually, now, we are trying to make sure that we focus on our mandate of paying attention to the development of leaders and managers in Malawi and beyond.
Q: What programmes does MDC offer?
A: We have developed a number of programmes under our roof as Management Development Centre. First of all, we have the Executive Management and Leadership programme, which is the foundational programme for the centre. I am referring to it as a mini-MBA [Master of Business Administration]. If it just had the research component, I’m sure this would be a complete MBA. This programme is being run for six months. Apart from the Executive Management and Leadership, we also have Effective Management and Leadership for Supervisors. This programme is targeting the first level management, and runs for three months. We also have marketing programmes targeting all management levels, the strategic level, the operational level as well as the lower level. So, we have three marketing programmes that are good in terms of achieving business success in this particular era of digital and technological development. Apart from the marketing programmes, we also have a Professional Certificate in Customs and Clearing. We developed this programme together with the Malawi Revenue Authority. We also have many short courses lined up. For example, we have short courses in commercial law, customer care, digital marketing as well as procurement and supply and other courses.
Q: How relevant are your programmes to the development of the country?
A: In the context of Malawi’s ongoing social economic development, the need for capable leaders who can manage complex and rapidly changing environment is paramount. So, the executive leadership and management programme, actually, is responding to the growing demand for advanced managerial skills. We need people with strategic vision and transformation leadership among executives in both the public and the private sector. So, we are just following up on the study that was conducted by the World Bank in 2022, which highlighted that over 60 percent of businesses in Malawi face leadership problems, which inhibit productivity and growth. So, this programme is addresses that particular gap.
QWhat are the minimum requirements to enroll at MDC?
AWe are not too academic. As long as you can demonstrate that you are a manager and a leader somewhere, and at least English proficiency is there, you are welcome to register for our programmes. What we are saying is, this is not for someone who has just done an MSCE [Malawi School Certificate of Education] and say I am looking for an academic programme, then we are not offering that. But anyone, even youth innovators who want to start their own businesses, should come and acquire management and leadership skills.
QThere were rumours that MDC was closed. What really happened?
AManagement Development Centre did not close, but the fact that the continuing programmes were being shifted from MDC to the sister centre within Mubas, people thought then Management Development Centre has closed. So, what we can say is that impliedly, MDC may have closed its doors to those that were coming for continuing education programmes. The centre is here and as long as we are having leaders and managers out there and, as long as we are having prospective leaders and managers out there, Mubas’ MDC will never close.
QAny additional information about MDC you would like to share?
AYes. What we are saying is we are actually asking for those managers and leaders out there to come and register for our programmes because they will never go wrong. We have done enough research before actually coming up with these programmes and we have involved experts even from the industry in the development of these particular programmes. As I’m saying, this executive leadership and management programme is a mini-MBA and its approach is so practical. It’s not theoretical. What will be happening is for each module they [students] will have two days where they will be introduced to the module and then the other days, they will be doing it online. They will have to complete a number of exercises as they are learning very important concepts in the modules that have been developed for this particular programme. In total there about nine powerful programmes and if people register for these programmes they will never go wrong. I am sure these programmes will lead to success of many businesses and organisations in Malawi.
