The Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Dr Godfrey Gandawa has expressed doubt on the capacity of local universities in producing research relevant to national development.
The minister said that universities must produce research that leads to commercial, technological, social, political and other innovations for the benefit of national development.
“Ideal universities produce public goods to the extent that university education generates new knowledge, universities must produce research that leads to new commercial, technological, social, political and other innovations beneficial for national development. Are our universities doing this to justify funding? I am afraid not.” said Dr Gandawa.
“The success of this country is a collective responsibility of government, academia and the corporate world to generate knowledge and skills for a knowledge and digital economy.”
According to a researcher on the universities in Zimbabwe, C. Majoni, universities seem to be concentrating on churning out graduates without critical review of the contributions of their research to the Zimbabwean industry.
“Universities in Zimbabwe have the biggest challenge of incorporating the private sector to participate and support research through university-industry partnerships.” said Majoni
“In developed countries it is the industry that goes to the universities to say we have got a problem, please may you help us solve it but in developing countries it is the doctor that goes to the patient and says you have got a problem may I solve that problem”, Mandizvidza said in referrence to industries in Zimbabwe.
