UMC 2023
Unicaf Master’s Conference 2023
The first Unicaf Master’s Conference was held in 2023 and was an outstanding success, being Unicaf’s largest conference to date with a total of 1360 delegates, and 1298 attendees from 105 countries.
Over the course of 5 days the conference featured 32 oral presentations from Unicaf Master’s students, 4 plenary presentations, 1 keynote speaker, 1 interactive session, and 3 presentations by doctoral graduates.
Dr Ivan Olier-Caparosso, the Head of the Data Science Research Centre at Liverpool John Moores University, delivered the keynote address, centring his discussion on ‘Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.’
Besides the keynote speech, the conference was further enriched by several impactful plenary presentations. Dr Masebo Wilfred, Associate Professor and Acting Dean of the School of Business and Management at Unicaf University in Malawi, gave the first the plenary presentations with his talk titled ‘Kayelekera Uranium Mining and Economic Development in Malawi – Missed Opportunity.’
Dr Mary Mandiringana, Dean of the School of Business Management and Law at Unicaf University in Zambia, provided insights into ‘Copreneurship (Couples in Business) on Business Performance’ during her plenary presentation.
The third plenary presentation was delivered by Dr Daphne Kleopa, the Programme Leader of the School of Sciences, Health Sciences, Technology, and Engineering at Unicaf University Federal. Her presentation delved into the ‘Assessment of the Physical, Built, and Social Community Environment using Systemic Social Observation Development of the “Cyprus Neighbourhood Observational Tool for Urban Community Environments” – CyNoTes.’
Finally, Dr Daniel Mpolomoka, Dean of the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Unicaf University in Zambia, offered a thought-provoking presentation on ‘Variability in Research rigor: Insights from Theses Examiners Reports.’
This year’s conference also featured three impactful presentations by Unicaf University doctoral graduates, namely Dr Edward Kalisa, Dr Oliver Ombeva Malande, and Dr Mohammed Jamil Mohammed Amin. Their presentations not only showcased their individual achievements but also served as a source of inspiration for current Master’s students, providing a glimpse into the transformative power of a doctoral degree.
Throughout the conference a vibrant atmosphere of academic inquiry prevailed, with a staggering 978 questions posed during the conference, reflecting the active engagement and curiosity of our global academic community.
Following the conference, an Award Ceremony honoured the best presentation from each of the three schools. Bright Odion Okunkpolor received the award for the School of Business with his presentation ‘Positive psychology interventions in the workplace: a systematic review of post-effectiveness and sustainability using the Diem framework.’
The award for the School of Sciences, Health Sciences, Technology, and Engineering was presented to Masego Mabotho for her presentation ‘Socioeconomic factors contributing to the high prevalence of HIV in Botswana: A systematic review.’
Ashwell Barrett Glasson was the recipient of the award from the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences, recognized for his presentation ‘Security sector reform, the case of the post-apartheid South African National Defence Force.’
Video recordings of the conference, along with the abstract booklet which contains the full programme, can be accessed via the links below.
Abstract Booklet & Programme
Unicaf Master’s Conference 2023 Programme
