Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke-Herald Correspondent
Higher and tertiary education agencies have been challenged to anchor Zimbabwe’s innovation drive through effective testing, verification, deployment and technology transfer, all key pillars for achieving Vision 2030.
This was said by Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister, Dr Frederick Shava, at a meeting with higher and tertiary education agencies last Friday.
“Government, therefore, expects agencies to support testing, verification, deployment and technology transfer as well as strengthen linkages across the ecosystem,” said Dr Shava.
“When systems function well, innovation succeeds.”
Some of the agencies present were the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), Tertiary Education Service Council (TESC), Centre for Education, Innovation, Research and Development (CEIRD) and the National Biotechnology Authority (NBA).
Dr Shava said these agencies were critical in ensuring that outputs from universities and colleges were absorbed into national systems and translated into tangible economic and social outcomes.
He added that the Government’s emphasis this year is firmly on delivery, results and impact.
“Agencies exist to make the system work. You ensure that outputs from universities and colleges are translated into real outcomes for the economy and society,” he said.
Science and technology executing agencies are expected to implement quality, scalable and impactful projects that support priority sectors including energy, health, agriculture, manufacturing and environmental management.
“Public investment must be visible in tangible national outcomes,” he said.
Dr Shava said regulation in 2026 must remain firm, but facilitative, safeguarding standards and system integrity while enabling innovation and skills development.
“As publicly funded institutions, agencies are expected to implement approved programmes with discipline and professionalism, use public resources efficiently, and uphold strong governance and accountability standards,” he said.
Dr Shava added that agencies are also expected to commercialise their operations and improve third-stream revenue, while maintaining transparency.
All operations must align with National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and the Vision 2030.
“Together, under NDS2, we will transform Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education, innovation, science and technology sector into the engine of industrialisation, job creation and inclusive growth,” he said.
President Mnangagwa has declared education an important pillar in the country’s quest for development.
He added that education is critically important and its impact extends beyond the success of individuals.
Since the coming of the Second Republic on November 24, 2017, deliberate investments have been made to ensure that the higher and tertiary education sector becomes a centre for solutions to national challenges through research.
In that regard, almost all tertiary institutions now have innovation hubs where a lot of things are produced, in an effort to make sure that when students graduate, they don’t go in the world with a job-seeking mindset as they would have been taught to produce goods, under the Heritage-Based Education 5.0.
