Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa and Takunda Gambiza
THE Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) and the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a Joint Research Centre aimed at pooling resources and enhancing both institutions’ capabilities in academic research and international communication.
Under the agreement, the Joint Research Centre will focus on collaborative studies covering Zimbabwe–China relations, global governance and the Belt and Road Initiative.
It will also organise seminars and symposia, invite senior researchers to contribute articles, co-publish research monographs and create an information-sharing mechanism.
Speaking to Zimpapers, RCZ executive director Dr Partson Chikudza said the partnership marked an important milestone in strengthening ties between Zimbabwe and China in the field of research.
“We are commemorating the anniversary of our partnership with the Academy of China, a prestigious national research institution,” he said.
“Building on our memorandum of understanding signed last year, we are expanding our collaboration to include research funding, joint publications, exchange programmes and institutional development, further solidifying our research ties.”
According to the agreement, designated coordinators from each institution will oversee project progress and report to their respective authorities.
Dr Chikudza noted that Zimbabwe was looking to boost its research capacity by learning from China’s vast experience and expertise.
“Our researchers face various dichotomies in their research scope. To address this, we plan to enhance their capabilities by learning from the Chinese experience,” he added.
“Given the Chinese success in advancing their research, we believe that with their support, we can accelerate our own progress.”
He added that while the specific funding details could not yet be disclosed, the partnership was expected to significantly upscale resources for research projects.
“While we are not at liberty to disclose specific funding amounts at this time, we anticipate a significant escalation in research funding in the future.
“This expectation is built on the foundation of our previous collaboration, where our Chinese partners provided contemporary funding that enabled us to participate in the Forecast Initiative.”
Dr Chikudza said the collaboration had already yielded tangible results.
“During this initiative, we successfully co-presented a research paper, which was also showcased at the Zimbabwe International Research Symposium.
“The symposium was graced by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, hence the Chinese delegation played a pivotal role in this endeavour, and we were able to physically participate in the event, further solidifying our research partnership.”
