The 12th international CIMPAD conference, was held on the amazing campus of Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Thyolo, Malawi. With capacity for 5,000, this Wi-Fi enabled campus with beautiful and modern facilities is currently home to 2,500 local and international students. Four schools comprise the University—Malawi Institute of Technology, Ndata School of Climate and Earth Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, and Bingu School of Culture and Heritage. MUST has undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various fields of engineering, the sciences, and the arts. Heralding the motto of “Where Excellence Reigns”, the university’s mission is “to provide a conducive environment for quality education, training, research, entrepreneurship, and outreach to facilitate economic growth in Malawi and beyond”.

In addition, the University Centres include (i) Centre for Strategic Studies, (ii) Centre for Clinical and Biomedical Sciences Research, (iii) Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management and MUST Institute for Industrial Research and Innovation (MIIRI).

As a non-partisan, non-profit association of organizations and institutions, CIMPAD convenes a biennial international conference in an African country to provide a forum for those in government, academia, private business and NGOs in achieving its mission: “To inspire and promote collaborative working relationships toward the advancement of knowledge in public administration, public management, and public policy, among practitioners and academicians, and to enhance capacity building for good governance and sustainable development with civil societies.”

The Conference provided opportunities to present cutting edge research, ideas and best practices in political good governance, health and wellness, administrative management and sustainable development, to build strong societies. Additionally, participants experienced the Malawi culture ranging from trading centers to century old mud hut homes of African villages; education, religious, and government venues; wildlife, breath-taking environmental features, Malawi culture, local crafts, welcoming hospitality, and so much more.