UNICEF Malawi has been working with the University of Malawi for a very long time: it supported the establishment of the Centre for Social Research of the Faculty of Social Science in 1979 and continues working with the Centre up to now. Other departments within the UNIMA as well as other HEIs have also been working with UNICEF. On 17th December 2021 UNICEF and the UNIMA organized a one-day workshop to share the learning and knowledge collected through key research and studies conducted jointly over the past two years. At this workshop 4 key research results were presented, and these were:

    1. Traditional practices study (NSO & CSR);
    2. KAP on COVID-19 (CSR);
    3. Impact of social cash transfer program on children (CSR); and 
    4. Situation analysis of children with disabilities in Malawi (CSR).  

This workshop used a pioneering approach toward knowledge sharing by using art-forms led by the students of UNIMA. This was a unique and first of its kind workshop because it blended the traditional PowerPoint presentations with evidence theatre where research was disseminated through art forms such as drama, comedy, music and dance. This new model of evidence dissemination was meant to promote youth engagement, enhance easiness of understanding research evidence and increase interaction with policy makers. In addition, the performances were a source of entertainment to the research workshop audience.

The UNIMA has never had annual research dissemination conferences. Management of UNIMA was of the view that the 2021 UNIMA/UNICEF dissemination workshop held in the Great Hall at its campus should mark a new era in the University as the beginning of the annual dissemination conferences for the University. In October 2022 the UNIMA will organize a 2-day annual research dissemination conference at its campus in Zomba with support from UNICEF. This workshop will be officially opened by the Director General of the National Commission for Science and Technology, the UNICEF Country Representative, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Malawi. The National Commission for Science and Technology coordinates research in Malawi and it organizes dissemination conferences from time to time and will be invited to jointly organize the workshop.