The Harare Institute of Technology has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Centre for Entrepreneurship, Leadership and International Development (CELID), effective from 16 May 2016.
The Memorandum of Agreement will run for an initial two-year period and may be extended by an additional two-year period or any mutual agreed period.
This agreement is focused on enhancing the two institution’s national and international reputation through institutional development by establishing cooperation in areas related to sustainable urban food management, renewable energy harvesting, water conservation, job creation through entrepreneurship and the development of management and leadership capacity to ensure continuous national development.
The purpose of this MoA is to develop academic and scientific relationships between the two institutions that include faculty exchange, design and implementation of training programmes, and promoting cooperative activities in areas of mutual interest.
The two parties are also in agreement to undertake and implement cooperation framework in the development of a Centre of Excellence in Southern Africa covering issues to do with information technology, computer systems, economics, food technology, management and finance.
Computer general applications, software engineering, database, computer networking and cyber security are some of the areas of interest to be pursued in Information Science and Technology.
The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Centre for Entrepreneurship, Leadership and International Development (CELID) is also partnering the Harare Institute of Technology to deliver programmes such as the train the trainer, exchange programmes for students and faculties, academic visits and internships.
HIT students will also be allowed to enroll in a range of well defined information technology courses such as computer science general applications, software engineering, database management, computer networking and cyber security to enable the Institute’s School of Information Sciences and Technology to close existing gaps.
The University of District of Columbia’s School of Business and Public Administration, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences shall widen cooperation in the areas of sustainable systems, health science, engineering and information technology.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship, Leadership and International Development (CELID) is a university-wide centre that harness the intellectual and technical capital across the various university schools to support programmes that aim to equip communities across the District of Columbia, Africa and the Caribbean with skills and technology to promote entrepreneurship, leadership and economic development through sustainable intervention activities to improve the health and economic well-being of these communities.
Its mission is to offer research-based academic and development programmes that improve the quality of life and economic opportunity for people and communities in the District of Columbia, Africa and the Caribbean.
In 1977, the District of Columbia Teachers College, the federal City College, and the Washington Technical Institute were consolidated to establish the University of District of Columbia. (UDC). The University currently offers 75 undergraduate and academic degrees programmes in agriculture, urban sustainability and environmental sciences, arts and sciences, business and public administration, engineering and applied sciences, community and law. The University of District of Columbia is a pacesetter in urban education that offers affordable and effective undergraduate, graduate, professional, and workplace learning opportunities.
Over the past years, the Harare Institute of Technology has entered into various memoranda of understanding with institutions of great repute from India, Iran, Turkey, China, and South Korea among others. The agreements seek to further strengthen the HIT brand and consolidate the institutions' international standing and reputation within the global community of universities.