VP Chiwenga urges industry to lead in research and academia collaboration

Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub

Vice President Chiwenga has challenged Zimbabwe’s industrial sector to invest in research and forge stronger partnerships with academia to drive sustained economic growth.

Delivering the keynote address at the International Business Conference (IBC) in Bulawayo, VP Chiwenga emphasised that the responsibility to initiate collaboration should lie with industry, not academia.

“I have heard during the first panel discussion, it is not the academia that is the most important sector that must go to industry, actually, it is vice versa.

“Industry, the manufacturing sector, must go to our researchers, to our institutions of higher and tertiary education, and say, we are producing ten pieces of equipment, we want to accelerate them to produce 100 pieces of equipment, can you give us a solution and then fund those researchers as the private sector because you are the beneficiaries.

“This is how we should go. Because the researchers, those young boys and girls who have been gifted, cannot dream of what they need. But if you go to them and you tell them what you need, they will crack their minds and you will have solutions,” he said to a round of applause.

The Vice President stressed that as the nation transitions from National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), there must be a deliberate and accelerated shift to enhance productivity, remove bottlenecks, and enable full private sector participation.

He further noted that Zimbabwe’s push toward industrialisation must be reinvigorated with targeted efforts that will position the country as a competitive player in regional and continental trade.

Running under the theme “Revitalising Industrialisation for Zimbabwe’s Economic Resurgence”, the IBC stands as the country’s premier business forum, drawing together government leaders, policymakers, and industry experts.

The conference provides a vital platform for engaging on key economic issues, such as integrated industrialisation, sustainable growth, and unlocking global business opportunities.

Attended by top business leaders and decision-makers, the IBC continues to serve as a critical space for shaping Zimbabwe’s economic trajectory.