UMC 2025

Unicaf Master’s Conference 2025: Research That Transforms Lives and Communities

UMC 2025 once again highlighted the significant, practice-oriented research carried out by Unicaf Master’s students, reflecting global priorities such as sustainable development, digital transformation, public health, and educational innovation. As Unicaf continues to strengthen its research infrastructure through conferences, journals, and academic partnerships, the Master’s Conference remains a flagship event, providing emerging scholars with a global platform to present their work, develop their academic identity, and contribute meaningfully to societal and professional advancement.

Vice Chancellor’s Opening Address

Opening the Third Annual Unicaf Master’s Conference, Dr Kevin Andrews, Vice Chancellor of Unicaf University and Chief Academic Officer of Unicaf, welcomed participants to what he described as “a celebration of innovation, research excellence, and global collaboration.” Emphasising Unicaf’s global reach, he noted that “as we connect across continents and cultures, we embody the essence of Unicaf: accessible, high-quality education that transcends borders.”

Dr Andrews highlighted the purpose of the conference as creating a space “where postgraduate students could showcase their research, build confidence as emerging scholars, and engage with an international academic community.” Reflecting on the evolution of the event, he reaffirmed that the conference continues to strengthen Master’s research culture while expanding its global impact.

Central to the Vice Chancellor’s message was the transformative role of postgraduate research. He posed the guiding question of UMC 2025: “How can postgraduate research transform lives, communities, and global futures?” He further stressed that “research does not remain theoretical, but informs solutions to real-world challenges in health, business, education, technology, and beyond.”

Addressing the broader mission of Unicaf, Dr Andrews underlined that the conference aligns fully with institutional priorities, including “strengthening academic excellence, growing research capacity, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through higher education.” He also emphasised that Master’s research represents “the bridge between theory and practice,” where “curiosity becomes contribution.”

Conference Overview

Across five days, UMC 2025 welcomed 2,368 delegates from 125 countries, creating a highly diverse academic space. Participation included 2,283 attendees and 85 panellists, reflecting strong engagement from Unicaf’s global academic community.

Academic Contributions

A total of 57 presentations, from 3 different Schools, were delivered across 27 Master’s (MAs, MScs) programmes, demonstrating the breadth and depth of Master’s-level research at Unicaf:

School of Business: 20 presentations
School of Sciences, Health Sciences, Technology & Engineering: 19 presentations
School of Education, Humanities & Social Sciences: 18 presentations

Global Participation and Academic Partnerships

UMC 2025 showcased Unicaf’s extensive academic partnerships, with presenters representing:

23 students from Unicaf in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University
23 students from Unicaf in partnership with University of East London
2 students from Unicaf in partnership with University of Suffolk
4 students from Unicaf University Zambia
2 students from Unicaf University Malawi
3 students from Unicaf Université

This year’s programme also featured the first-ever French-language session, delivered by the School of Business, reflecting Unicaf’s commitment to inclusivity and global accessibility.

Programme Highlights

The conference programme included plenary presentations, an interactive session, and an invited industry speaker.

Plenary Presentations

Dr David James (University of Suffolk)
Screentoria: Rethinking learning in screen-saturated classrooms
Dr Reginald Denis Gwisai (School of Sciences, Health Sciences, Technology & Engineering, Unicaf Federal)
Accelerating the transition to net zero alignment, energy and carbon management, standards development and circularity in developing economies
Mrs Diana Abwooli Kobumanzi (School of Business, Unicaf University Zambia)
Investor behaviour in the age of instant news
Dr Ioanna Koliandri (School of Education, Humanities & Social Sciences, Unicaf Federal)
Perinatal mental health: A public health approach

Interactive Session

Dr Nathan Musonda and Dr Clement Ndidah (School of Doctoral Studies)
How to become a Unicaf Doctoral Student – An introduction to the School of Doctoral Studies and Faculty

Invited Speaker

Mrs Barbara Maluszynska (Merito Universities, Poland)
Embracing AI for an effective workplace – a case study based on the Merito Universities Group

Award Nominees and Winners

Outstanding Master’s research was recognised across all Schools, celebrating academic excellence, originality, and real-world impact. In addition to the school-based awards, a Best Presentation Award was conferred during a separate awards event held on December 4th, recognising exceptional presentation skills and effective communication of research to a diverse academic audience.

Each award winner received a 150 USD voucher.

School of Business – Winner and Nominees

Omotola Akande (Winner), Unicaf University Zambia: Use of sustainable materials in the construction of healthcare facilities
Anisha Alinda (UEL): Post-harvest practices and value realisation in Uganda’s coffee sector
Edla Kaumbi (University of Suffolk): The role of spiritual intelligence in ethical and effective decision-making

School of Sciences – Winner and Nominees

Irene Wangechi Munene (Winner), Liverpool John Moores University: Attainment of SDG 6 in Kenya
Lawrence Ifeanyi Eze (UEL): CNN model for malaria diagnosis
Collins Owuor Alando (UEL): Board role in cyber resilience of national infrastructure

School of Education – Winner and Nominees

Rania Ayman Zein Hala Khaled (Winner), Liverpool John Moores University: Impact of quality teaching and teacher training on student performance
Lars Arvid Archer Lorimer Olsson (LJMU): Brain monitoring technologies in educational leadership
Jacqueline Cochrane (LJMU): Post-2020 coups and global actor influence on democracy in Africa

UMC 2025 reaffirmed Unicaf’s commitment to empowering Master’s students as agents of knowledge and innovation, showcasing the rigour and real-world impact of their research in transforming lives, communities, and global futures.