Government has commended the Harare Institute of Technology for playing a transformative role in society by embracing opportunities that are availed by the United Nations' UNESCO-UNITWIN programme to address issues of poverty eradication, empowerment and the dignity of people.
Speaking at the Official Opening Ceremony of the Global Entrepreneurship Training Programme on February 1, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Honourable Professor Jonathan Moyo, represented by the Deputy Minister, Honourable Dr. Godfrey Gandawa, congratulated HIT for hosting and playing a lead role in the spreading of the Global Entrepreneurship Training in the SADC region. "This training programme will cultivate innovation and creativity among participants who will become creators of wealth within their areas of endeavor, thereby creating jobs and ultimately reducing unemployment," he said. "I am confident that (HIT) will harness the necessary support to ensure that this programme will spread to all corners of the region."
The ceremony was held at the Harare Institute of Technology campus, in collaboration with the Handong Global University of South Korea, and with support from UNESCO and the Korean Government.
Professor Moyo also commended the entrepreneurship thrust of the GET programme that equips participants with business design thinking skills to establish profitable and sustainable enterprises and global business networking. "As this is a regional programme, the intended benefits of the training will flow not only to HIT, but to Zimbabwe and the SADC region; resulting in the technological and economic transformation of the SADC region through industrialisation, mordenisation, skills development, science and technology, financial strength and deeper regional integration," he said.
Speaking at same occasion, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, Professor Hubert Gijzen said that he was pleased to see such diverse participation in the programme from academia and the private sector; adding that this will contribute to the success of the programme and provide opportunities for dynamic exchange of ideas and experience.
"This programme aims to build capacity for sustainable development through developing an entrepreneurship mindset among citizens, thus giving incentives and nourishing the capacity for development. The African Union and SADC have recognised the importance of entrepreneurship and the significance of an up-to-date technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a priority for sustainable economic development," said Prof Gijzen.
He added that UNESCO would continue to work with everyone in making innovation and entrepreneurship work for Africa's sustainable development. "By working together we will ensure that transformational change, economic empowerment with shared prosperity for all, will characterise Africa's further development towards the future we want for all people in Africa", said Prof Gijzen
In his opening remarks, HIT Vice Chancellor Eng. Q.C Kanhukamwe paid tribute to the Korean Government and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for allowing HIT to be the first regional host of this invaluable programme;- pledging the Institute's full commitment to the success of the programme and continued partnership in this regard.
"Participants of this programme have been equipped with requisite skills which will facilitate a mindset change; enabling them to become global entrepreneurs, capable of starting their own hi-tech enterprises as we seek to eradicate poverty from our communities. It is my sincere hope that this University together with its partners will grow capacity to roll out this programme especially to our technical human capital, becoming a beacon for transforming knowledge into practical and life changing experiences," said the Vice Chancellor.
From 25 -30 January 2016, over 100 participants attended the Global Entrepreneurship Training Programme, (Southern Africa). They represented the small medium enterprises sector, government departments, academia, and business people. Participants were taught about the impact of entreneurship and creative innovation, business law, ethics and intellectually property, financial engineering, business communication and strategic planning.
The Global Entrepreneurship Training (GET), which includes the Senior Entrepreneurship Executive Training, (SEET) and the Junior Entrepreneurship Training, (JET) is an intensive training programme on entrepreneurship intended to offer prospective global leaders of developing countries an opportunity to experience and learn about entrepreneurship. GET 2016 in Southern Africa, hosted by Zimbabwe, is the sixteenth GET training organized by Handong Global University.