Faculty of Engineering

Contacts

01871637 ggamula@poly.ac.mw

“The Polytechnic offers engineering and other courses,” so the saying goes. It is just a tongue-in-cheek way of acknowledging the indelible prominence of the Faculty of Engineering among the faculties at the Polytechnic. Offering a total of 41 diplomate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate courses, the faculty has by far the largest number of programs—it’s not even close! Currently, these programs are designed to offer student the opportunity to really specialize in the branch of engineering that they feel passionate about, including, for instance, mining, electronics and computer engineering, etc. Conveniently, the faculty is organized into four departments: civil, electrical, mechanical and mining. The faculty has entered mutually beneficial relationships with other universities such as Rice University in Houston, Texas, United States.

Academic Members of Staff

Some of the more prolific researchers at the Polytechnic are in the Faculty of Engineering. They are engaged in collaborative research, research that is not only academic but also practical. Indeed, some of their research has won awards for innovation; some has been published in renown international academic journals. Besides, they are also, at heart, teachers. The academic members of staff in the faculty have made great efforts to ensure that their faculty keeps up with socio-economic developments within Malawi, giving students the opportunity to enroll in programs that are relevant. So, for instance, the relatively recent establishment of the Department of Mining Engineering is an acknowledgement that Malawi needs professionals with such expertise if it is to grow its fledgling mining sector. Going into the future, it is the young professionals trained in this faculty that will ensure that Malawi’s infrastructural and other engineering needs are met.

Centres

Again, it speaks to the prominence of the Faculty of Engineering at the Polytechnic that it officially has no less than three centres at the Polytechnic—Water, Sanitation, Health and Appropriate Technology Development (WASHTED), Transport and Technology Transfer (T2) Centre, and the Polytechnic Commercial and Technical Services Centre (PCTS). WASHTED is a co-ownership arrangement with the Faculty of Applied Sciences, and the centre is engaged in research in areas such as solar energy, among many others. The T2 Centre is involved in the area of logistics, broadly defined. It focuses on practical research to solve real-world logistical challenges, focussing on durable and safe logistical infrastructure. Last but not least is the PCTS. Primarily an automotive engineering workshop, it is open to the public, and it offers various technical services at a fee.