“TRANSFORM UNIVERSITIES”. . . President urges  innovation, imagination & creativity President Mnangagwa stresses a point to Dr Sean Sibanda on innovation during a tour of the Midlands State University Incubation Hub in Gweru yesterday.Looking on from left are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher & Tertiary Education, Science & Technology Development Desire Sibanda,MSU Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa Hon. Minister Professor Amon Murwira.(Picture by Eliah Saushoma)
President Mnangagwa stresses a point to Dr Sean Sibanda on innovation during a tour of the Midlands State University Incubation Hub in Gweru yesterday.Looking on from left are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher & Tertiary Education, Science & Technology Development Desire Sibanda,MSU Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa  Hon. Minister Professor Amon Murwira.(Picture by Eliah Saushoma)

President Mnangagwa stresses a point to Dr Sean Sibanda on innovation during a tour of the Midlands State University Incubation Hub in Gweru yesterday.Looking on from left are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher & Tertiary Education, Science & Technology Development Desire Sibanda,MSU Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa Hon. Minister Professor Amon Murwira.(Picture by Eliah Saushoma)

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday officially opened the first incubation hub at Midlands State University (MSU) that will identify, nurture and patent bankable projects from High Schools, Colleges, Polytechnics, Universities and the Midlands community in general.

The hub is part of the six incubation centres that have been set up at five other Tertiary institutions that include the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), University of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe Defence College and Manicaland University of Science and Technology.

“I am delighted to address you at this momentous occasion to officially open the incubation hub at Midlands State University. This is a milestone achievement and transformative chapter of the university as it opens a centre specifically designated for research and technology development. In the quest to support the socio-economic transformation of our great nation Midlands State University has established the incubation hub which is one of the six state universities which are piloting the incubation hub concept,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the rejuvenation and reconstruction of the country’s economy will require a nexus between the theoretical and practical aspects of entrepreneurship and a high level of creativity and diligence.

He said there is a need to create an enabling environment which develops and inclines youths towards scientific strategies and solutions in line with  the national aspirations as well as the Sadc and AU guiding principles.

“In 2007, the AU Heads of State and Government called on all member states to allocate at least one percent of GDP to support research and development by 2010. In the same vein the Sadc heads of state approved the Sadc protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation in 2008. The overall objective of this protocol is to foster cooperation and promote the development, transfer and mastery of science, technology and innovation in member states,” he said.

The MSU incubation hub

The MSU incubation hub

To this end, President Mnangagwa said, Government was fully committed to the development of science and technology by ensuring that one percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product is channelled to research and development.

The President said in his inaugural meeting with Vice Chancellors of universities and heads of institutions of higher learning, he urged them to transform universities into modern Tertiary institutions dominated by innovation, imagination and creativity.

“Our institutions of Higher learning should also churn out graduates who meet the needs of society as well as industry and commerce. Teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and innovation must be central part of our education. We therefore need the appropriate inculcation of scientific and entrepreneurship ideas, premised on creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness to achieve our vision to be a middle income economy by 2030,” said the President.

He, however, said research must not be an end in itself or remain in archived journals, thesis and documentaries in libraries.

“It must speak to our problems, be relevant, usable, practical and transform our lives to advance economic development. Research and development must speak to our aspirations to modernise our agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, health and education sectors among others. I therefore challenge universities to create a diffusion and transfer of knowledge to productive sectors in numerous ways including via technology, business support and consultancy and continuing education for overall benefits of the nation at large,” said President Mnangagwa.

He commended the timing of the construction of the incubation hub by MSU for use by both the academia and business saying the speed with which the hub was set up is ample testimony of the university’s commitment to play its part in the economic transformation agenda.

“The incubation hub should equally help students realise their aspirations and contribute to the creation of decent jobs and foster broad based empowerment,” said the President

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