The Centre for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS), in partnership with the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) Centre of Excellence in Transformative Agriculture Commercialisation (TACE) and Mzuzu University’s African Centre of Excellence in Neglected and Underutilized Biodiversity (ACENUB), with support from the World Bank African Centre of Excellence II Additional Financing project, organized a five-day short course on Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for Optimal Experimental Designs. The workshop was held at the Brown Chimphamba Science Laboratory at the University of Malawi from 31st March to 4th April 2025.

The workshop brought together up to 30 postgraduate students pursuing various experiment-based research projects from public universities across Malawi to enhance their capacity in experimental research.

The course aimed to equip participants with practical knowledge in using Design Expert and TIBCO Statistica® software to plan, analyse, and interpret experiments effectively. Through the application of RSM, participants learned how to reduce guesswork, minimise trial-and-error approaches, and generate high-quality data while saving time and resources.

The objectives of the course included providing a comprehensive understanding of the principles and applications of Response Surface Methodology in experimental design. It also focused on enhancing experimental design skills through optimal planning using modern statistical tools. Participants received hands-on training in real-time data analysis using Design Expert and TIBCO Statistica®. The course further demonstrated how RSM techniques can significantly improve research efficiency. Additionally, the training fostered networking and collaboration among postgraduate researchers from institutions such as UNIMA, LUANAR, the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), and the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS).