President opens research symposium today

Mukudzei Chingwere, Herald Reporter

President Mnangagwa today opens the three-day 13th Zimbabwe International Research Symposium, which brings international guests and researchers to Harare.

The symposium, which started in Harare yesterday and ends tomorrow, is being hosted by the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) and its partner, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera).

It runs under the theme: “Embracing research and innovation for sustainable industrialisation.”

The theme is in sync with the Government’s goal of driving industrialisation through innovation.

Zimbabwe’s education system has since been configured to drive the country towards an empowered upper-middle income society by 2030 through the heritage-based curriculum inclined to research and  innovation.

RCZ executive secretary Dr Partson Chikudza yesterday said all was set for the  official opening of the symposium today.

“Basically, it’s the 13th Zimbabwe International Research Symposium coming, which will be officiated by the President,” said Dr Chikudza.

“It will attract more than 4 000 delegates including young scientists from secondary and primary (school) level, and we would like to catch them young, plus college students, university students, the academia, captains of industry, policymakers, diplomats and researchers will  participate.

“The RCZ has a mandate to promote, direct, supervise and coordinate research in the country and this is one way of promoting research as various players will be involved.”

The programme started yesterday with registration and adjudication of young scientists’ projects and that process will continue after the official opening  ceremony.

A total of 80 papers are expected to be presented while research institutions including the science granting councils from Zimbabwe and other countries such as China, Ghana and South Africa are expected to attend and present research projects physically and virtually.

The symposium is aimed at helping the country to showcase its Education 5.0 outputs and create a platform for local and international researchers to exchange information, research findings and ideas for innovations.