MUBAS Vice-Chancellor Associate Professor Nancy Chitera gave the assurance during the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding with Central East African Railways (CEAR) on 18 February, 2026 at MUBAS offices in Blantyre. She said as the university moves towards more industrial research, partnering with industry players will enhance quality research output.

‘’ The industry is eager to see the university responding to its needs and for us to provide and share relevant knowledge, we need to establish a good working relationship with industry,’’ said Chitera.

Initially signed in 2024, the Vice-Chancellor described the MUBAS/CEAR MOU as one of the most strategic partnerships for the university. She said the partnership has helped to stimulate relevant teaching, research and industry productivity and she hailed CEAR for its commitment to the full implementation of the MOU.

‘’ When CEAR indicated its intention to renew this MOU, the university did not hesitate because throughout the lifespan of the previous MOU, CEAR proved to be a reliable and trustworthy partner in the implementation of our strategic agreement,’’ she added.

Among other notable successes, the Vice-Chancellor said under the previous agreement, the university benefited from technical expertise provided by CEAR, especially in railway engineering.

She added that MUBAS also managed to send 36 students to CEAR for internship out of the 40 spaces that CEAR provided.

In his remarks, CEAR Executive Manager General Cargo Chandra Mohan Singh Yadav said the partnership will contribute to knowledge and skills development for the railway engineering in the country.

He emphasized that the staff exchange programme will provide a hands-on practical experience for MUBAS staff and will allow CEAR staff to also share real life experiences of railway engineering, which will significantly contribute to the development of railway transportation in the country.