NCHE accredits Catholic University’s Bachelor of Law programme

After satisfying all requirements through assessments that took place from May 2021, the National Council for Higher Learning (NCHE) has finally accredited Catholic University of Malawi’s Bachelor of Laws (Hons) programme.

A circular issued on October 6 signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Rev George Buleya says through their quest to offer quality, holistic and relevant education, the University started a Bachelor of Laws programme in 2013.

And ever since its introduction, they were working with relevant stakeholders, both public and private, lobbying for legal provisions and instruments that was to widen the provision of the legal education in Malawi.

With the passing of the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Bill on 29th June, 2018 and the subsequent institution of the Council for Legal Education in Malawi, the ground was set for the assessment of Catholic University’s law programme in view of accreditation.

The University further invited NCHE, in conjunction with Council for Legal Education to assess their application for accreditation which was first done on May 24-25 and from its result made in July, the University “subsequently implemented the improvements” as suggested by NCHE.

Subsequent to NCHE’s verification exercise done on August 19, the University received the accreditation confirmation on October 5 and As per indications from the University Council and Senate, they will now, within the next 30 days, “proceed to conduct graduation of all law students who have satisfied and completed all the rigorous studies that this accredited programme entails”.

“Given the importance we subscribe to standards and independent assessment of our programmes and the long wait we have endured to have our law programme accredited, we regard this development as a milestone in the history of our University and indeed the history of legal education in Malawi.”

On the University’s website, the law students are reported to be elated with the good news of being accredited, saying the development has challenged the students to work hard and become professional legal practitioners in Malawi.

Quoting 4th-year student Haswell Banda, he said: “The accreditation is a triumph not just for the University, but for Malawi at large” while another finale Lindana Kandaya Mgomezulu said this “signifies a movement toward improving legal education in the country”.

“This accreditation of this programme means that we are to have a competition of improvising quality lawyers in the country unlike in the past when law programme was only offered by one institution of higher learning” Mgomezulu is quoted as saying.

Formerly, only the government, through the University of Malawi — then known as Chancellor College — offered a nationally recognised Bachelor of Law (Hons) degree.

The Catholic University is an accredited institution of higher learning established by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi on October 16, 2004 and started admitting students in 2006.

It was officially opened on October 28, 2006 by former President, late Bingu wa Mutharika and has seven faculties — Commerce, Education, Law, Nursing and Midwifery, Science, Social Sciences and Theology.

Since its establishment, the University has grown its student body from 129 in 2006 to 4,000-plus in 2020 and has held 19 congregations, with over 2,000 graduates joining the industry in Malawi and beyond.

The University of Malawi has an affiliation agreement with the Inter Congregational Institute (Balaka), St. Anthony Major Seminary, and St Peter’s Major Seminary (Zomba).

Its Vision is to be a centre for quality holistic education in every field of knowledge for the good of the people of Malawi and beyond while the Mission is to contribute to the integral development of the nation through vocational training, academic courses and research activities that are tailored to most critical needs of the nation and the church.

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