Malawi (Malawi University of Science & Technology) Ambassador young inspires must students
American Ambassador to Malawi, His Excellency David Young on November 16, 2022 met and feted a team of 12 students from the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST).
This is the team of students that recently won the African region Cyber 9/12 strategy challenge where the university’s three teams scooped first, second and fourth positions of the eight available spots.
Addressing the students in Blantyre, Ambassador Young said they might have been champions on cyber security as students but they needed to work harder so that they can also conquer the region as professionals.
“Have your dreams, pursue them, be open minded and never give up. There are many opportunities in this world for those who are focused,” he said.
One of the students, Jimmy Phiri, asked the American envoy to help them with information that would lead to scholarships or any other opportunities for knowledge exchange with cyber security experts in America.
“We might have been champions in the region but generally speaking, Malawi and the region are way behind when it comes to issues of cyber security and technology. As such, exposure to advanced technologies and experts would help us gain more insights,” said Phiri.
Cyber 9/132 is annual competition involving cyber security university students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and this year it was held Cape Town, South Africa, between September 28 and 29, 2022.
The three MUST teams, named Cyber Technophiles, Cyber Warriors and Cyber Elites, dominated proceedings by scooping three positions in the top five.
Cyber Technophiles emerged champions by taking first position followed by another MUST team on position two, Cyber Warriors with Cyber Elites taking position four.
A University of Cape Town team, Cyber Wizards, took position three; Cyber Monarchs of Botswana International University of Science and Technology came fifth; DSS05 of University of Western Cape claimed position six; Techno Team of Tshwane University of Technology scooped seventh position and on position eight was D3COD1NG Army of Tshwane University of Technology.
Apart from the rankings, outstanding teams also won some awards and here too MUST was the dominant force.
Best Decision Document award went to Cyber Technophiles of MUST; Most Creative Policy Response went to Cyber Elites of MUST; Best Oral Presentation went to Cyber Warriors of MUST and Most Improved Team went to DSSo5 of Tshwane University of Technology. Here, of the four awards up for grabs, MUST scooped three.
MUST also dominated proceedings last year during their maiden participation in the competition which was held virtually
While the Africa region cyber strategy challenge took place in Cape Town, , there was another one in Dundee, Scotland on October 18-19, 2022; New York, USA on November 4-5, 2022; and Paris, France will hold its version on December 5-7, 2022; Austin, Texas in January 2023; London, UK, in February 2023; Washington, DC, in March 2023; and Geneva, Switzerland in April 2023.