Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) has hailed the Malawi Research and Education Network (MAREN) for its contribution to improving access to quality education, research and innovation through internet connectivity in higher education institutions across Malawi.

Between 2018 and 2024, PPPC, through the World Bank-funded Digital Malawi Foundations Project (DIGMAP), supported MAREN with internet bandwidth and financial resources to establish and strengthen its operations.

Speaking at the 2026 UbuntuNet-Connect Conference in Lilongwe, Digital Malawi Acceleration Project (DMAP) Manager, Chimwemwe Matemba, reflected on the partnership and how it helped turn MAREN from an idea into an operational institution.

Matemba: we will connect 2000 schools

“Initially, MAREN existed only on paper. We came in to support its operationalisation, helping establish a shared network that would connect higher education institutions and make internet access more affordable,” said Matemba.

He explained that before the intervention, universities and other higher education institutions faced high internet costs, limited campus network coverage, difficulties accessing scholarly materials and inadequate technical capacity to manage their networks.

With the support, institutions were able to benefit from shared connectivity, making it easier for students, lecturers and researchers to access online learning materials,

MAREN hosted the Conference in Lilongwe

The results have been encouraging. MAREN reached 85,965 students, academics and researchers against an initial target of 15,000, with women accounting for 40 per cent of the beneficiaries.

The cost of internet bandwidth also dropped significantly from US$466 to US$14 per megabit per second per month. At the same time, available bandwidth per student increased from 7 kilobits per second to 128 kilobits per second.

Beyond connectivity, MAREN has introduced services that make academic life easier and encourage collaboration.

Through eduroam, students and researchers can access secure Wi-Fi when visiting participating institutions, while eduGAIN helps them access scholarly resources using trusted digital identities.

These developments have opened up opportunities for students and researchers to share knowledge, access international academic resources and work with colleagues beyond Malawi's borders.

As Malawi continues to expand digital access, the MAREN experience shows what partnerships can achieve when investments in technology respond to the real needs of learners and educators.