The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) will be hosting a Research and Innovation Expo as part of the University drive to promote innovations that can be up-scaled into commercial profitable businesses.
The inaugural Expo, is organised by the Innovation Hub in conjunction with the Research and Internationalisation Office.
“NUST will be hosting the first Research and Innovation Expo on the 10th of June 2021 from 0900 hours to 1600 hours at the main campus. Participants are invited to pitch their ideas during the Expo Day. They can physically bring their innovations, models, prototypes, or use posters and videos,” said Mr Thabani Mpofu, the Director for Communication and Marketing.
He added that the Expo targets all innovators including students, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, small to medium enterprises, youths and ordinary citizens with any science work that can be showcased.
Mr Mpofu said the Expo is part of the University’s efforts of implementing Education 5.0 whose pillars are teaching, research, community engagement, innovation and industrialisation.
“As a University, we believe we cannot do this alone hence the idea to open up the Innovation Hub to all innovators.
“Talented innovators will work together with our experts from diverse fields including scientists, engineers, architects, accountants, marketers among others to develop their innovations into viable self-sustainable businesses. The University will provide resources for selected projects that can be commercialised,” said Mr Mpofu adding that the Innovation Hub is a centre for incubating innovations that can be commercialised to set up industries.
The NUST Innovation Hub was launched by President E.D Mnangagwa more than a year ago as part of the country’s Education 5.0 initiative to nurture an enabling environment where a community of entrepreneurs including students and high school pupils can grow and contribute to the development of Zimbabwe.
He said any innovation that can contribute to national socio-economic development as spelt out in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) is welcome.
The University will assess each innovation on a case-by-case basis and offer the required assistance.
The country’s institutions of higher learning have a critical role to play in the NDS1 as stated in the Education 5.0 policy.
“While our mandate is human capital development for industrialisation and socio-economic transformation with a bias towards STEM based solutions, Education 5.0 demands that universities become Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation champions.
“As NUST, we have adopted an inclusive approach to innovations and industrialisation hence the call for all innovators to participate in the upcoming expo,” added Mr Mpofu.
He assured participants that all the Covid-19 protocols will be observed as the health and safety of the nation is top priority.