SERC Works With Partners in Malawi to Promote Female Leadership in Education

South Eastern Regional College (SERC) has been strengthening our international partnerships through a British Council-funded project in Malawi.  The activity, engaging with partners in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) field in Malawi and developing women’s leadership in the sector, was supported by the British Council Going Global Partnerships programme. This is designed to build stronger, more inclusive, internationally-connected higher education and TVET systems by supporting partnerships between universities, colleges, education policy makers, civil society organisations and industry partners around the world.

SERC worked collaboratively with both policy makers and practitioners in Malawi, from the Ministry of Labour and five technical colleges.  Ten female leaders successfully completed the programme, which ran over 12 months and which included carrying out innovative and challenging projects in their own respective institutions, as well as online learning delivered by SERC.  

The partners from Malawi visited SERC in spring, and SERC staff returned the visit to assess the projects which had been implemented as part of the training.   The achievement of the class was celebrated with a graduation ceremony, attended by the visiting SERC representatives.   

SERC was delighted with the success of the project and looks forward to developing the leadership skills in women and strengthening their capacity to drive positive change in their institutions and the TVET sector across Malawi. SERC is looking forward to building on what the women’s projects have already achieved in their institutions through further mentoring and guidance in the coming months.  

Jenny McConnell, SERC Deputy Head of School and British Council mentor comments, “It was a privilege to work with such inspiring women in the TVET sector in Malawi; their commitment to change and gender equality was highly motivating.  Our work will continue to support the drive for equality in leadership positions, which will enable a stronger female voice to emerge.”   

Feedback from the partners has been excellent, with participants stating that the project will have a positive long-term impact on them and the future of female leadership in the TVET sector in Malawi. They also said that they had improved their leaderships skills and felt more confident, motivated and determined to promote female leadership with their peers, empowering them to speak with one voice in their efforts to shape government policy.