malvernmugadzikwa
Sunday Mail Reporter
HARARE POLYTECHNIC has partnered two Chinese institutions in an arrangement that will give local students in various engineering departments the opportunity to undertake part of their learning and industrial attachment in the Asian country.
It is believed the students will be selected from departments such as Science and Technology (Metallurgy); Electrical Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering.
Shanxi Engineering Vocational College (SEVC) and Xinganglian Group, a top ferrochrome producer, are the Chinese companies expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Harare Polytechnic next month. A visiting delegation from the institutions recently held meetings with officials from the polytechnic before touring the engineering departments.
The principal of Harare Polytechnic, Engineer Tafadzwa Madondo, said the agreement will positively contribute to Zimbabwe’s mining sector.
“Government has emphasised that the mining sector is among key enabling drivers of the economy. Our partnership is focused on providing the best training to students for the coal and coking coal sub-sector, and under the mechanical aspect, we are looking at design and manufacturing, which are critical areas lacking in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“The programme, which is going to be introduced under metallurgy, is important because, at the moment, in Zimbabwe, we don’t have that type of programme.”
SEVC vice principal Mr Xu Hongbo said the college attaches great importance to the Government’s heritage-based Education 5.0 programme.
“Our institution actively participates in the field of international exchanges and cooperation in vocational education and promotes international exchanges and cooperation programmes. It has laid a solid foundation for the substantial progress of the Zimbabwe-China Enterprise College Cooperation Programme,” he said.
Xinganglian Group vice principal Mr Yuan Lin said the company firmly believes in technical exchanges and personal training.
“Using joint educational initiatives, we can collectively nurture individuals endowed with a global perspective and innovative capacity to contribute significantly to the advancement of both of our nations,” he said.
Established in 2007, Xinganglian Group is a globally renowned ferrochrome producer operating in several countries, including China, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Indonesia. Harare Polytechnic is also collaborating with Ningbo Polytechnic of China, with 56 students currently benefiting from the arrangement.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu