RSE signs landmark agreement with Malawi

Scotland and Malawi signed a landmark agreement in February 2026 to promote and strengthen cooperation between researchers across a diverse field of disciplines.

The agreement was signed in Malawi’s capital of Lilongwe on Wednesday, 18 February, by Dr Christine Whyte of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Africa Working Group and Dr Elizabeth Bandason, General Secretary of The Academy of Sciences, Malawi, (TAS).

The official signing of the MOU was held at the same time as the first inauguration of Fellows to The Academy of Sciences, Malawi. It was signed by Dr Elizabeth Bandason, General Secretary and founding Fellow of TAS, with Dr Christine Whyte, chair of the Africa Working Group, signing on behalf of the RSE.

It is the first agreement between TAS and any other nation. It is also the first agreement between the RSE and any African nation. TAS was inaugurated in 2021.

Speaking at the event in Lilongwe, Dr Christine Whyte of the African Working Group said: “Our partnership has matured into a modern collaboration. A collaboration that recognises that the challenges we all face: in health, climate, food security, education or sustainable development. If there is one lesson our world continues to teach us, it is that progress is not achieved in isolation. When researchers in Scotland and Malawi work together, they bring different perspectives to the same question. They test ideas across different contexts. They challenge one another. And in doing so, they create knowledge that is not only richer, but more relevant and more robust. 

Professor James Njuguna, the RSE’s Vice President in charge of its International Programme, said: “I am immensely proud of the enduring relationship between Scotland and Malawi, and this agreement further strengthens that bond.”

“This marks the first partnership between the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an academy in any African nation – an achievement truly worth celebrating. It is especially meaningful that this milestone is shared with the Malawian academy, given the deep and historic ties between our two countries.”

“With this understanding now in place, I look forward to seeing it flourish in the years ahead. I am confident that academics across our two nations will be inspired and empowered to work together, advancing research that has real impact to our communities.”

The agreement will forge a powerful research alliance between Malawi and Scotland, driving joint workshops, deep and long-lasting collaborative projects, and active participation in major international research programmes. It also commits both academies to staging events to showcase and amplify the work and impact of their Fellows and researchers, ensuring that their findings are shared, disseminated and ultimately put to the best possible use on the global stage.

Dr Kondwani Katundu, on behalf of The Academy of Sciences, Malawi, said: “This Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Society of Edinburgh and The Academy of Sciences in Malawi is a moment of great pride and excitement for the Malawi’s scientific community. It builds on the deep and historic relationship between Malawi and Scotland and now translates that shared history into a forward-looking partnership for science, research, and innovation.

“We are particularly encouraged by the strong emphasis on collaboration that delivers real impact to our communities. This agreement creates a powerful platform for scientists and researchers in both countries to work together, share knowledge, and co-develop solutions to challenges that matter to our societies. We look forward to seeing this partnership flourish, strengthening research capacity, inspiring researchers, and ensuring that science meaningfully serves the people of Malawi and Scotland alike.”

According to the Scotland-Malawi Partnership, some 45 per cent of Scots personally know someone with a connection to Malawi, as it remains one of Scotland’s strongest bilateral links.