The Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) recently welcomed a high-level delegation from the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) in a bid to explore potential collaboration opportunities and promote the university’s research outputs, innovations, and startups.

Led by the Vice Chairperson of the ZIDA Board, Dr. Sylivia Utete-Masango, the delegation consisting of senior executives from the Agency engaged in discussions with HIT Vice-Chancellor Professor Q.C Kanhukamwe and members of his Senior Management team on the 16th of February 2024 at the Innovation Hub. The meeting aimed to establish a framework for collaboration and explore ways to promote HIT projects on a larger scale.

During the meeting, both parties expressed their commitment to working together to consolidate efforts and develop an engagement framework that would facilitate collaboration and promotion of HIT projects and startups. Additionally, there were discussions on packaging and promoting HIT projects to attract more investment and support for the university’s initiatives.

In a joint agreement, HIT and ZIDA agreed to establish a team tasked with finalizing the framework document, which will outline the specific areas of collaboration, promotion strategies, and the implementation plan for joint initiatives.

The visit by the ZIDA delegation signifies a significant step towards enhancing HIT’s role in contributing to national development and fostering tech-driven innovations in Zimbabwe. The collaboration between HIT and ZIDA is expected to create synergies that will propel the university’s research and technopreneurial endeavours to new heights, ultimately benefiting the country’s industrialization efforts. By leveraging the expertise and resources of both parties, HIT is poised to further enhance its research capabilities, drive innovation, and contribute to the country’s economic development.

ZIDA, with its focus on promoting investment, facilitating investor entry and plans, establishing Special Economic Zones (SEZ), reviewing and recommending Public Private Partnerships (PPP), as well as providing aftercare and monitoring services to investors, presents a valuable opportunity for HIT to expand its reach and impact.

As both institutions work towards finalizing the engagement framework, the prospects for a fruitful partnership are high, signalling a promising future for the advancement of technology and industrialisation of Zimbabwe.