CRITERIA, GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR BEST UNIVERSITY SCIENCE PROJECT AWARDS (BUSPA)
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Malawi recognises the importance and role of science
and technology (S&T)
in socio-economic development. This recognition led to the establishment of
the National Research Council of Malawi in the Office of the President and
Cabinet in 1974 to provide policy direction on research and development (R&D)
activities in general, and, specifically to promote and co-ordinate the development
and application of S&T for maximum social and economic benefit of the country.
To effectively provide this policy direction, Malawi developed and launched
her S&T policy in 1991. This policy is, however, undergoing a review process
to include social and economic shifts that have come with the new political
dispensation. More recently, Government has placed S&T among the nine
priority areas where efforts would be directed in this millenium as espoused
in the
Vision 20:20.
The National Research Council of Malawi (NRCM) in its endeavours to popularise and promote the development of S&T runs a number of Schemes of Awards, namely: Malawi Award for Scientific and Technological Achievement (MASTA), Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Prize for Young Scientists in Malawi and the Secondary School Science Awards. The MASTA is a national award scheme for every scientist/technologist while the TWAS Prize scheme is meant for only young scientists in basic sciences who have attained at least a master's degree and are not more than forty years of age. The Secondary School Science Awards Scheme targets secondary school students to develop an interest in science subjects.
The NRCM strives to establish such schemes of
awards at all levels of education. Due to some constraints, it has not been
possible to
organise such awards at
primary and undergraduate levels of education. Following and encouraged by
the outcome of a series of cross-sectional consultations with various stakeholders
and members of the general public, the NRCM has established a new scheme of
awards to cater for undergraduate science students. This scheme is called "Best
University Science Project Awards (BUSPA). The BUSPA scheme shall be managed
by the BUSPA committee which will be responsible to the Science Competitions
Committee. These guidelines and procedures have, therefore, been developed
to govern this scheme so that there is transparency and objectivity in the
selection of the rightful awardees.
2.0 OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF BUSPA
3.0 ELIGIBILITY
4.0 FIELDS OF CONSIDERATION
5.0 CATEGORIES OF AWARDS
The awards to be offered on annual basis are based on the following three categories:
7.0 CRITERIA FOR SHORT-LISTING
The short-listing criteria are as follows:
X = 20% 7 (a) + 30% 7 (b) + 50% 7 (c) where X is a percentage score
8.0 FINAL ASSESSMENT
The final assessment of the candidates will be based on the following:
50% 8 (a) + 50% 8 (b) (= 7 (c))
9.0 SELECTION OF BEST SCIENCE STUDENT
The top five students based on 8(c) will constitute the Best Science Students.
10.0 SELECTION OF BEST SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
11.0 SELECTION OF BEST FACULTY
12.0 Click Here for Appendices for guidelines for assesment of reports and oral presentations and procedures for submitting applications and processing