Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
ZIMBABWE is well positioned to help drive the transformation of higher education in the SADC region through its Education 5.0 philosophy, but must deepen regional integration in areas such as digital learning, qualifications, research and innovation, Chinhoyi University of Technology Vice Chancellor Professor Irven Mpofu has said.
Prof Mpofu said Zimbabwe did not need to overhaul its Education 5.0 policy to align with emerging SADC higher education frameworks, but should actively participate in regional mechanisms for harmonising qualifications, data systems, innovation, and science and technology.
He was responding to The Herald after attending the SADC Vice-Chancellors Strategic Meeting held from August 31 to September 1, which brought together regional higher education leaders to deliberate on the transformation of universities through digital innovation, regional integration and stronger university-industry linkages.
The meeting was held in South Africa and was officiated by South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, who said the region could not achieve meaningful industrialisation while continuing to rely on knowledge and technologies developed outside Africa.
The meeting proposed the operationalisation of the SADC University of Transformation (SUT) through a network linking universities, industry and centres of excellence across the region.
It also considered the development of a SADC Higher Education Data and Information System, flexible learning pathways through micro-credentials and stackable qualifications, as well as the implementation of regional strategies on science, technology and innovation (STI) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Prof Mpofu said Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 philosophy was already closely aligned with these regional priorities.
“Zimbabwe largely does not need to change its Education 5.0 policy but should merely interact with SADC and participate in the region’s formal integration of micro-credentials, stackable credits and digital badging into national accreditation to enable cross-border credit transfer and mobility of students as provided for under the SADC Qualifications Framework,” he said.
Education 5.0, which builds on teaching, research and community service by adding innovation and industrialisation, seeks to position universities as key drivers of economic development through the production and commercialisation of knowledge.
Prof Mpofu said the philosophy provided Zimbabwe with a strong foundation to contribute to the proposed SADC University of Transformation and regional innovation ecosystem.
“Zimbabwe needs to assist member states in creating a collaborative innovation ecosystem by linking its national university innovation hubs and industrial parks with regional SADC centres of excellence that already exist, or will be established in countries that are lagging behind, as well as the proposed SADC University of Transformation,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe could also take a leading role in integrating higher education data systems across the region.
“Zimbabwe, through ZIMCHE, has established the data collection platform Dura/Isiphala and merely needs to lead the way in regional data systems integration by sharing experiences in standardising national university data collection to feed directly into SADC data ecosystems for synchronised quality assurance and graduate tracking, as proposed under the SADC Higher Education Data System and HAQAA3,” said Prof Mpofu.
The regional harmonisation of data is expected to strengthen quality assurance, institutional benchmarking and graduate tracking, while supporting evidence-based planning across SADC universities.
Prof Mpofu said Zimbabwe should also use its experience in science, technology and innovation to strengthen regional research collaboration.
“Zimbabwe should lead the way in STI and R&D commitments by aligning national R&D policies and funding mechanisms with regional STI targets, prioritising joint cross-border research, gender parity in SET, and 4IR readiness in line with the SADC Protocol on STI and 4IR Strategy,” he said.
The SADC meeting further placed emphasis on flexible and industry-responsive learning, including micro-credentials, stackable learning pathways and digital badges, which allow students to acquire specialised competencies without necessarily following conventional degree pathways.
Prof Mpofu said such initiatives were complementary to Education 5.0’s focus on producing graduates equipped to create employment and contribute directly to industrial development.
The regional agenda also seeks to strengthen collaboration between universities and industry, with centres of excellence expected to provide platforms for research, innovation and commercialisation.
Prof Mpofu said Zimbabwe’s university innovation hubs and industrial parks could therefore become part of a wider regional ecosystem for turning research into products, services and enterprises.
