Harare

We would like to focus on developing the capacity of the informal sector by equipping the participants with knowledge and skills that enable them to operate more viably and contribute to the economy in a more meaningful manner. The areas of focus of such intervention include design and technology capabilities that include origination and development of design of new products, making of artefacts of high quality, costing and marketing of the products. The training and orientation of those engaged in the informal sector should also include: soft skills that deal with basic social skills and integrity; academic skills to improve their academic knowledge, particularly as it relates to mathematical, scientific technological and engineering competences; artisan and professional skills in their trades or lines of business; financial skills and costing, management skills, handling of business legal matters (e.g. intellectual property rights, contracts); marketing, health and environmental issues.

Universities are increasingly being expected to help meet the aspirations and developmental needs of communities and society in general. For instance, in May 2017 the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development took most of the country’s Universities (both private and public on a tour to five countries; South Korea, Cuba, Singapore, India, and Brazil to learn how universities in those countries were assisting in national development. On their return, the Vice Chancellors indicated the need to embrace science and technology in their curricula and research. They stressed the need to engage in more applied research that addresses real developmental needs of communities and the nation.

As the oldest and most resourced, the University of Zimbabwe has committed itself to a leadership role in responding to national developmental needs as expcected by Government and the nation generally. Research and teaching are expected to contribute to community and national developmental aspirations. The various programmes run by different Faculties bear testimony to this objective. For instance the programmes run to uplift communities include: the special programme requested by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to offer in-service training for an undergraduate diploma in infrastructural planning, design and development. The programme is intended to enhance the knowledge, skills and competencies of the teachers to effectively and efficiently plan, design, develop and maintain infrastructure at school, district and provincial levels. They take courses such as: Inspection and the Construction Process, Costing and Construction of Educational Infrastructure, Principles and New Technologies in Designing of Educational Infrastructure, Upgrading and Rehabilitation of Educational Infrastructure, Management of Construction Projects in Educational Institutions, Drawing Interpretation and Computer Aided Design (Architecture).

National policies in various Ministries are increasingly becoming more receptive to the involvement of Universities in the community development activities. This has particularly been influenced by the success of previous programmes in which the University has been involved in different sectors and the training and experience of both staff and students in working with communities. The harsh economic environment and scarcity of donor funding that tends to be always accompanied by technical support paid for from the programme funds, has resulted in Government Ministries and Departments resorting to local consultants. The University Faculties and Departments as well as individual lecturers have capitalized on this window of opportunities to secure development related consultancies.

National and regional policies that promote sustainable development are having an impact on regional engagement activities of HEIs concerning environmental issues. Where the University has initiated a project, the high costs that need to be paid to the Environmental Management Agency for mandatory impact assessment have been prohibitive.

National and/or regional innovation and research policies do impact on regional engagement work of higher education institutions as they affect how the engagement processes are carried out. For instance, the involvement of regulators such as the Research Council of Zimbabwe and the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe stipulate ethical requirements that must guide research involving human beings while the Environmental Management Agency stipulates on environmental issues. Also the involvement of foreign nationals in local research must first be cleared by these organizations. The national ICT policy provides standards and guidelines on ICT operations in the country, including enabling the provision of infrastructure and rates charged by Internet service providers. The innovation and research policies also affect how the intellectual property rights need to be handled.  Compliance with the policy frameworks often involves bureaucratic processes that may take time and affect programming and implementation of engagement work.

National and/or regional policy on administrative and governance issues in higher education institutions only affect engagement work in terms of compliance with regulatory frameworks mentioned earlier. In addition, engagement in particular communities should be first cleared by the relevant Government Ministries and local authorities as well as local structures such as worker organizations. This calls for careful pre-planning to avoid conflicts and delays in implementation of engagement projects and programmes.

The ‘third mission’ has always existed in university plans and criteria for assessing the performance of academic staff. However it has largely received little attention in comparison to the first two missions, i.e. research and teaching. It is often not well defined, not budgeted for and not staffed. It is normally left to the initiative of individual staff even though universities take notice and pride in successful engagement work that involves their staff. At the University of Zimbabwe, it is stipulated that an academic time should be allocated in the ratio of 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% community service. The ‘third mission’ is however gaining in prominence communities themselves are calling for the assistance of institutions of higher learning in their development and improvement of livelihoods. Universities themselves are increasingly questioning their relevance unless they can address issues that affect their communities and up to national level and beyond. There is more emphasis on applied rather than basic research in practical oriented disciplines.    

Globalisation of the economy has largely been perceived negatively in countries such as Zimbabwe where economic sanctions have been imposed to force it to change its land reform policy and even government. America and the European Union for instance have continuously renewed the sanctions, thereby excluding Zimbabwe from participating in a global economy. The negative impacts of the trade and other restrictions that comprise the economic sanctions have crippled the economy, thereby negatively impacting on livelihoods of the general population of Zimbabwe.

We would like to focus on ‘SME development’ as outlined earlier. We believe that given the right support, the informal sector can grow into a viable SME sector and contribute more meaningfully to the national economy through increased production of quality goods and improve Government tax collection. The sector is already being used by the formal economic sector as a cheap source of production of furniture and other products and such synergies can be improved through properly trained SME entrepreneurs as in India. 

While the initial focus will be on targeted small groups of informal sector operators, the project is intended to snow-ball and include more and more as they emulate the set models of production and join in the schemes to be trained and ‘professionalised’. The initial groups will be gradually weaned off as they become proficient and viable in their operations. Most of the training will be carried out on site through mobile technology teaching units fitted with appropriate equipment. However, participants will also attend some of their tutorials and coaching clinics at the premises of their colleagues operating at different locales, in design studios, laboratories and workshops at the University or nearest premises with relevant equipment and facilities, including formal sector companies who will be encouraged to also render support through sub-contracting the SMEs for some of their services and supplies. Participants may be dropped and new ones adopted based on observed performance and ethical practices. Processes and practices will be continually recorded and analyses to further refine the approach and methodology and the project progresses. Such documentation should produce publications on lessons and best practices for the development of SMEs into viable and sustainable enterprises.