Transforming Higher Education Systems Malawi

08/06/2026

“Students are reading, writing, speaking and listening as part of doing science,” Gotwals said. “We saw an opportunity to support teachers with materials that bring those pieces together.” Read the full article & access OpenSciEd at the link below!

A new, free elementary science curriculum now available nationwide thanks to an MSU professor could reshape how young students learn science.

01/06/2026

Looking forward to seeing where this goes! "The Foundational Learning Initiative for Government-led Transformation is a USD 35 million Africa-designed fund that puts governments in the driver's seat. Not donors. Not international NGOs. Ministers of Education, supported by a coalition of African-led institutions."

When USAID withdrew from education programming in early 2025, the question was not what Africa would lose. It was what Africa would build instead.

The answer: FLIGHT.

The Foundational Learning Initiative for Government-led Transformation is a USD 35 million Africa-designed fund that puts governments in the driver's seat. Not donors. Not international NGOs. Ministers of Education, supported by a coalition of African-led institutions.

FLIGHT is not a workaround. It is a new model. One built for the reality faces in 2026: as donor funding declines, fiscal pressure rises, and 34 governments have a clear mandate to deliver results for children.

Here's what it means for Africa's classrooms: https://knowledgehub.adeanet.org/en/elibrary/adea2025d018



UNICEF Africa | Gates Foundation | Wuod Othim | What Works Hub for Global Education | Ministère de l'Education Nationale et de l'Alphabétisation Guinée

04/05/2026

Multi-media perspectives on Africa from Cape Verdean!

Photographer and installation artist Vadu Rodrigues found his life's mission on a 2016 backpacking trip across Africa: to challenge the world's negative perceptions through art.

14/04/2026

May be a little late in the evening for colleagues in Malawi, but sharing anyway.

Join AFRICAN TEA TIME online on Thursday, 16 April from 3:00-4:30 EST to hear panel discussion about Education Abroad in Africa: Experiences of Michigan State University Tanzania Partnership Program Students.

Dar es Salaam University College of Education Sokoine University of Agriculture

14/04/2026

May be of interest to colleagues! Roles will be posted on an ongoing basis.

The Mastercard Foundation Associates Program connects talented young people with 12-month internships across Africa.

09/04/2026

"As universities expand global partnerships, including collaborations between African institutions and U.S. universities through networks such as the Alliance for African Partnership, it becomes increasingly important to recognize how well-being is affected by cultural transition."

Reflecting on who I am and what makes me who I am, it becomes evident that my research interests parallel my lived experiences. As a Japanese American woman raised in the United States and a former student-athlete, I grew up in spaces where perseverance was praised (and often expected), and vulnerab...

30/03/2026

10/03/2026

This was a hot topic while THES was still on the ground, and I imagine that's still the case, so sharing resources: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CDmfSWDY1/

Our Town Hall, "Supporting Young Minds: Exploring Mental Health Screening, Free Skill Building Resources, and Data Trends for Advocacy," will explore mental health challenges in your local community and available resources & supports for youth. https://www.boostconference.org/boostnation-townhall Mental Health America

12/02/2026

Interesting work that highlights the importance of play!

The completion of the Tanzania Partnership Program’s (TPP) ‘Playscape’ helps advance play-based learning.

Since 2007, TPP at Michigan State University (MSU) has worked to improve community well-being AND generate knowledge about the development process. TPP began building children’s playgrounds in 2016—the same year that play-based learning was added to Tanzania’s national curriculum.

To support teachers with this new requirement, Dr. Bethany Wilinski from Michigan State University College of Education and Dr. Maregesi Machumu from partner Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) envisioned the ‘playscape project’, intended as a model for how to integrate play-based learning. TPP partners joined together in February 2025 to celebrate the completion of the Playscape.

It features zones for construction and creativity, culture and performance, and games. Visiting teachers leave with blueprints and practical ideas that enable them to set up similar spaces in their own schools using local materials.

Dr. Wilinski is an associate professor in the Dept. of Teacher Ed at MSU and education lead for TPP—the latter falls under the Office of International Studies in Education (OISE). OISE encourages the integration of cross-cultural, global perspectives in teaching, research, and outreach. Generous support from MSU Alumnus Ray Ginther helped bring the playscape to life.

Stay tuned for more posts about the education-related work in Tanzania!

24/01/2025

As we celebrate International Day of Education , we are excited to bring your way our first Newsletter edition with highlights of impactful work with Partner Institutions of Higher Learning in Malawi with funding from USAID Malawi
Click the link below to read and subscribe for more updates in future

https://mailchi.mp/0e48f306c705/updates-from-transforming-higher-education-systems-11224764

Michigan State University Universities and Colleges Association of Malawi - UCAM Ministry of Education - Malawi Michigan State University College of Education