NUST reaffirms commitment to drive Zimbabwe’s industrialisation agenda
THE National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has been challenged to drive Zimbabwe’s economic transformation through industrialisation, entrepreneurship, innovation and commercialisation.
Officially opening the NUST 2026 Strategy Review and Planning workshop, the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Honourable Simelisizwe Sibanda, urged the university to move from planning to implementation, from research to application, from innovation to commercialisation and from producing graduates who seek employment to producing job creators.
The Strategy Review and Planning workshop is being held under the theme: “Driving Industrialisation, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialisation for Sustainability.”
The weeklong workshop underscores the critical role of higher and tertiary education institutions in advancing the aspirations of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and supporting Zimbabwe’s vision of becoming a modernised, industrialised and prosperous economy by 2030.
Below is the full speech of the Deputy Minister.
Good morning.
It is both an honour and a privilege to join you at this important Strategy Review Workshop of the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). I wish to commend the University leadership for convening this strategic engagement at a critical juncture in our national development journey.
Let me begin by applauding NUST for choosing a theme that is both timely and profoundly relevant to Zimbabwe's economic transformation agenda: “Driving Industrialisation, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialisation for Sustainability.” This theme demonstrates an appreciation of the changing role of universities in modern economies. Universities can no longer be viewed merely as institutions that transmit knowledge and award qualifications. They must increasingly become centres of industrial transformation, innovation, entrepreneurship and wealth creation. Your chosen theme speaks directly to the aspirations of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), and the strategic priorities of our Ministry. It reflects our national conviction that higher and tertiary education institutions must be at the centre of Zimbabwe's journey towards a modernised, industrialised and prosperous economy by 2030.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the central objective of NDS2 remains clear: to transform higher and tertiary education, innovation, science and technology into key drivers of industrialisation, job creation and economic growth. This is not an abstract policy aspiration. It is a national imperative. Our country possesses considerable human talent, natural resources, entrepreneurial energy and scientific potential. The challenge before us is to harness these assets, apply scientific knowledge to real economic problems and convert our capabilities into productive enterprises, competitive industries and sustainable employment opportunities. We must therefore ask ourselves fundamental questions: What tangible contribution is NUST making to the transformation of Zimbabwe's economy? Are our graduates equipped to create jobs and build enterprises? Are our research outputs finding their way into factories, farms, mines and communities? Are our laboratories producing technologies that improve productivity? Are our innovations reaching the marketplace?
These are the questions that must guide our strategic choices. A strategy review must go beyond examining activities undertaken and targets achieved. It must interrogate the actual impact of institutional interventions on national development. Our measure of success must increasingly be the economic and social value that our universities create, not simply the volume of knowledge they produce. I therefore challenge NUST to use this workshop as a turning point: from planning to implementation, from research to application, from innovation to commercialisation, and from producing graduates who seek employment to producing graduates who create employment.
As we look towards 2027, I call upon NUST to align its institutional strategy firmly with the four strategic pillars of the Ministry. These pillars must inform your resource allocation, research agenda, academic programmes, partnerships and performance management systems.
Pillar One: Human Capital Development
Ladies and Gentlemen, human capital remains the foundation of national competitiveness. No country can industrialise sustainably without the skills, knowledge and technical capabilities required to operate, maintain and continuously improve its productive systems. However, the demands of the modern economy are changing rapidly. I challenge NUST to strengthen its responsiveness to the critical skills requirements of our economy. Particular attention must be given to areas such as agro-processing, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and other emerging technologies that can unlock productivity, expand industrial capacity and create new enterprises. We must ensure that our programmes are informed by industry needs and that our graduates possess the technical competencies, practical experience and entrepreneurial mindset required to succeed in a rapidly evolving economic environment.
I also wish to emphasise the importance of increasing female enrolment and participation in STEM programmes. We cannot afford to exclude a significant proportion of our national talent from the fields that will shape our economic future. We must deliberately remove barriers, encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM careers, strengthen mentorship opportunities and create environments in which women can thrive as scientists, engineers, innovators and technology entrepreneurs. Furthermore, our definition of graduate success must evolve. Our objective must be to produce graduates who are not merely job seekers, but job creators, innovators and industrialists.
Pillar Two: Innovation and Commercialisation
Distinguished Guests, the second pillar is innovation and commercialisation. This is an area in which NUST has both considerable potential and a responsibility to lead. Government has invested in the establishment and development of Innovation Hubs and Industrial Parks to provide platforms through which ideas, research and technology can be translated into productive economic activity. These investments reflect our commitment to building an innovation-driven economy.
However, infrastructure alone does not constitute success. The true value of an Innovation Hub is demonstrated by the quality of innovations it generates, the enterprises it supports, the products it brings to market and the jobs it creates. The time has come for NUST to move beyond the production of prototypes and demonstrate the commercial value of your innovations. NUST must now intensify efforts to translate its research outputs into market-ready products and services capable of competing in both local and international markets. We need to see stronger commercialisation pathways, effective intellectual property management, partnerships with investors and industry, technology licensing, university-linked enterprises and the establishment of viable start-ups. We must therefore create a culture in which commercialisation is regarded as a natural extension of research and innovation. I encourage NUST to establish clear performance indicators for commercialisation, including the number of innovations taken to market, patents and technologies successfully licensed, start-ups established, industry partnerships concluded and revenue generated from university innovations.
Pillar Three: Rural Industrialisation
Ladies and Gentlemen, the third pillar is rural industrialisation, which is essential to inclusive and balanced national development. Zimbabwe’s development cannot be sustained if industrial activity, technological advancement and economic opportunities remain concentrated in a few urban centres. Our rural communities possess substantial economic potential in agriculture, livestock production, minerals, forestry, tourism, renewable energy and other natural-resource-based activities. Yet, too often, raw materials leave these communities with limited processing and value-addition taking place locally. We must change this pattern.
I therefore challenge NUST to develop and implement at least one viable, innovation-driven rural industrialisation project that demonstrates how university expertise can transform a rural economy. Such a project must be commercially grounded, technically feasible, responsive to local needs and capable of generating measurable economic benefits. It should identify the available resources, the technologies required, the products to be developed, the markets to be served and the employment opportunities to be created. In pursuing this objective, NUST should take inspiration from the Mutoko Bio-Economy Industrial Park, which provides a useful model of how innovation, value-addition and the productive utilisation of locally available resources can support rural industrialisation. The lesson is that rural communities must not remain mere suppliers of raw materials. They must become active participants in processing, manufacturing, enterprise development and value-chain expansion.
Pillar Four: Governance and Strategic Partnerships
Ladies and Gentlemen, the fourth pillar is governance and strategic partnerships. Allow me to congratulate NUST on its recognition as the best-governed university in 2025. This is a commendable achievement and an important affirmation of the University's commitment to institutional governance. Good governance is not merely a compliance requirement. It is the foundation upon which institutional credibility, financial sustainability, stakeholder confidence and long-term performance are built.
However, governance excellence must be continuously maintained and translated into improved institutional outcomes. The Ministry expects universities to strengthen accountability, uphold transparency, manage public resources prudently and ensure that every resource deployed contributes meaningfully to the achievement of agreed strategic targets. I am encouraged by NUST's commitment to integrity and accountability through the launch of the NUST Speak platform, an initiative aimed at promoting integrity and combating corruption. This is a positive step towards strengthening an institutional culture in which concerns can be raised, misconduct can be addressed and ethical conduct is upheld.
At the same time, NUST must continue to strengthen strategic partnerships with industry, government, research institutions, development partners and international universities. No university can independently provide all the resources, expertise and market access required to drive industrial transformation. Strategic partnerships enable institutions to share knowledge, mobilise investment, accelerate technology transfer and ensure that research responds to real-world needs. I urge NUST to pursue partnerships that are purposeful, mutually beneficial and outcome-oriented. These partnerships must translate into joint research projects, technology development, industrial attachments, investment opportunities and commercially viable enterprises. Strong governance creates trust; strong partnerships create opportunity; and accountable leadership converts both into results.
As I conclude, let me reiterate Government's commitment to transforming higher and tertiary education into a powerful engine of innovation, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth. The Ministry will continue to encourage institutions to strengthen human capital development, accelerate innovation and commercialisation, promote rural industrialisation and uphold sound governance and strategic partnerships. However, the success of this agenda depends on the commitment of each institution to translate national policy into institutional action. I therefore call upon NUST to seize this opportunity to sharpen its strategic direction, strengthen implementation and set ambitious but achievable targets for 2027 and beyond. Let this workshop mark a decisive shift from intention to implementation, from research outputs to market outcomes, from innovation to commercialisation, and from institutional achievement to national impact.
With these remarks, I declare the workshop officially opened and wish you fruitful deliberations and a successful Strategy Review Workshop.
I thank you.