In positioning itself to Government's initiative to support the establishment of Innovation Hubs, the Harare Institute of Technology has initiated the first phase of the implementation of one of its key performance areas derived from the Strategic Plan Vision 2020, which is to set up a Hi-Tech Development Valley.
The Hi-Tech Development Valley manages and exploit the university's Research, Development and Innovation Outputs for commercial value. The establishment of a Science Park is one of the objects within the HIT Act and responds to the Institute's mandate: to develop incubate, transfer and commercialise technology for rapid national industrialisation.
The Park will link the university research, development and innovation outputs with industry and commerce as well as creating start-ups and spinoffs. It will also work to establish partnerships, supporting emerging local companies seeking to develop and export diverse technology based products, services and intellectual property. The Science Park will also promote and encourage active collaboration between the private and public-sector technology development initiatives, attracting international technology focused companies and research organisations to locate their operations to Zimbabwe.
Other than promoting commercialisation of research and development in association with local research centres and universities, the Park shall also promote, create and maintain international and national strategic links, providing modern common-use economic infrastructure for economic growth and diversity.
It is also envisaged that the Park will enable the translation of knowledge output of the University into tangible products and processes to drive industry and commerce for greater national development. Apart from providing a platform for targeted applied research for university staff and students through internship and work-related engagements with other established technology parks resulting in impactful improvement of the Zimbabwean industry and commerce, the Park will also stimulate job creation through enterprise creation, fostering Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
An Acting Director has already been appointed to manage the University's Research, Development and Innovation outputs. He will be responsible for negotiating the Institute's technology licensing, transfer and commercialization initiatives. His other duties and responsibilities include consolidating Technology Licensing, Transfer and Commercialization Framework, implementing the Framework for the interface between industry and academia as well as the University Intellectual Property (IP) Policy.
The Director shall also lead the production and nurturing of high value business linkages and partnerships with public and private sector organizations with a view to increasing the Institute's contribution towards industrialisation and modernization through Intellectual Property commercialisation. He is also serving as an educational resource on Intellectual Property and commercialization matters for the University community whilst also promoting University industry consultancy services.
