UNIVERSITIES and industry should collaborate to drive the country's development agenda, ZEGU Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Ephias Gudyanga has said.
Addressing delegates who thronged the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) Research Innovation Industrialisation and Entrepreneurship Week (RIIEW), in his key note speech, Prof. Gudyanga implored universities and industry to play a leading role through forging of partnerships that will spur growth in the country.
"Today, we converge to shape the future of our economy and society through cutting edge ideas and collaborative efforts, as researchers, educators, industrialists and entrepreneurs.
"Governments play a pivotal role in promoting innovation-led entrepreneurial ecosystems. By providing policy support, funding, and infrastructure, governments can create an environment conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship.
"Therefore, we need to build strong partnerships between academia, industry, and government.
"Universities are hubs for research, not teaching centers. Let us harness the power of innovation," said Prof. Gudyanga.
Speaking on the sidelines of the RIIEW, in Bindura, today, Dr Kwashirai Zvokuomba implored the Government to assist in bridging the gap between universities and industries as they are all operating in silos, instead of collaborating.
"The relationship between universities and industries can only be cemented through the intervention of government, through the ministry of higher education. As individuals we cannot do much.
"Universities are now competitors to industry. The industry is currently at its lowest ebb. If you visit the Working Industrial area, there isn't much activity.
"However, industries are now in competition with universities because universities now have industrial hubs where they are producing goods and services. The university is not meant to produce goods and services. The university is meant to produce prototypes.
"Competition between universities and industry is not healthy. We are now competitors instead of being partners," said Dr Zvokuomba.
The RIIEW is running under the theme: "From Concepts and Ideas to Innovation Models and Artefacts: Engraining Sustainable System Development Holism and Deep Entrepreneurship".
🤝 RIIEW 2025
Research Innovation Industrialisation and Entrepreneurship Week bringing together academia, industry, and government to foster collaborative partnerships for national development.