Zimbabwe Government has been constructing innovation hubs at state universities around the country in a stance to foster research-based industrialisation.
Cabinet Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, in November revealed more information on innovation hubs which were introduced last week with a goal to develop a new economy driven by science and technology.
“On equipping innovation hubs at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), the Midlands State University (MSU), the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), and the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), Cabinet noted that the process of procuring equipment for all the innovation hubs has been initiated, bringing overall progress on the project to 80%,” Mutsvangwa said.
Government availed $15 million for the construction of innovation hubs in six universities and infrastructural overhaul of the Higher and Tertiary Education sector according to Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, Professor Amon Murwira.
Besides innovation hubs, the Information Minister went on to announce on other university projects that include architectural designs for the Industrial Park at the UZ Farm in Harare which has been completed with the procurement of the required materials having commenced.
“Construction works for the Agro-industrial Park at the Chinhoyi University of Technology farm have commenced,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Regarding application of new cattle reproductive technologies, Cabinet noted that the establishment of artificial insemination centres in the provinces is ongoing, while the production of semen straw labelling and filler machines for local use and for export has commenced at Chinhoyi University Technology.”
“Cabinet further noted that construction of the Humanities and Social Science Faculty Building at the Lupane State University in Matabeleland North has commenced,” she went on.
The government is building innovation hubs at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Midlands State University (MSU), University of Zimbabwe, (UZ) Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), Zimbabwe Defence University and Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT).
Murwira is on the record stating that the government partnered with the private sector in constructing innovation hubs.