WATCH: The National University of Science and Technology signs MoU with Latvian association

THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has brokered a deal with an international institution to train women on sustainable entrepreneurial development in line with Education 5.0 whose drive is to come up with locally driven solutions.

Nust signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Latvian Association of Diaspora Entrepreneurs, Professionals and Researchers at Nust.

Nust becomes the first Zimbabwean higher and tertiary institution to partner with the global institute which has already made footprints in Zambia and Namibia.

The partnership is aimed at teaching female entrepreneurs about sustainable entrepreneurship under the “She Rebuilds the World” programme.

Zimbabwe’s envoy to Sweden, Ambassador Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga linked Nust with the Latvian Association in line with the mandate of ambassadors to strike economic deals in countries where they are deployed.

The programme is run by Professor Jakobsone Bellomi who together with Riga Business School director Professor Claudio Rivera inked the deal with Nust last Friday.

Nust Faculty of Commerce Executive Dean, Dr Peter Nkala said Prof Bellomi got in touch with him following her engagements with Ambassador Misihairabwi-Mushonga on a possible partnership to uplift women.

“She was explaining that there is this programme that she was rolling out in Zambia and Namibia and courtesy of our Ambassador to Sweden Ambassador Misihairabwi-Mushonga, they had a discussion that the project should also be rolled out in Zimbabwe,” said Dr Nkala.

“From her discussion with the Ambassador, Nust was mentioned as the ideal university where this project would be housed. But, which department in the Faculty is likely to house this? I then discussed with Business Management and I said this belongs to you.”

Dr Nkala said three senior female lecturers are expected to take charge of the programme whose results are expected to be national in outlook.

Prof Bellomi said the programmes teach aspiring and young female entrepreneurs how to do business while connecting them with markets.

She said the trainees will undergo online courses for 14 weeks where they will be taught to write business proposals before being exposed to investors who can fund their projects.

Prof Bellomi said her country will bring experts to Zimbabwe to assist the entrepreneurs in achieving their goals while the country can also learn from them on how they achieved development.

“The second pillar is that if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you need a sound and supporting business environment. As Latvia, we got our independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and in the last 30 years, we have gone through a lot of economic transformation,” she said.

“We are considered to be among the wealthiest countries in the world. We did it by doing and learning from a lot of mistakes that we have made. We would like to come and share the mistakes in our learning with you as well.”

Prof Bellomi said one of her country’s successes is that a business can be registered within 12 minutes which is key in attracting investments.

She said female entrepreneurs will also benefit from boot camps and networking events which are key in growing businesses.

“Women lack a support network when they are doing business and when they want to reach out to other African countries. We connect the countries, we have Namibia, Zambia and now we have Zimbabwe. We will also connect them to markets in Europe,” said Prof Bellomi.

Speaking on behalf of Nust council chairperson, Professor Lindiwe Majele-Sibanda, Nust council member Mr Collence Chirume said the programme is in sync with the National Development Strategy 1.

“The signing of this MoU is evidence that we share the same vision with your organisation on building academic and professional networks across Europe and the African continent, and on empowering women through entrepreneurship and leadership education skills. We commit to co-operate in the implementation of the project, “She Rebuilds the World” and look forward to seeing innovations being born out of this collaboration,” he said.

“To us, the “She Rebuilds the World” project is a national programme as it fits into the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) that recognises gender equality as a key component. We therefore receive the project with both hands.”

Mr Chirume said the programme blends in well with Education 5.0 whose thrust is to innovate in coming up with solutions as the country pursues to develop an empowered upper middle-income society by 2030.

“The model challenges universities to not only teach, research and do community engagement but to also focus on innovation and industrialisation. I, therefore, want to assure you that you made the right choice by choosing to establish cooperation and collaboration with Nust,” he said. — @nqotshili