Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) Research Fellow Joshua Simuka presented a framework for turning entrepreneurship education into sustainable enterprise development at the 4th International Biennial Macroeconomics Symposium, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban on 22–23 September 2026.
His paper, “A Framework for Entrepreneurship Education for Sustainable Development in Emerging African Economies,” contributed to the symposium’s continental discussion on entrepreneurship, innovation and inclusive sustainable development. That discussion brought scholars and practitioners together to examine how African institutions can respond to economic, social and environmental challenges through entrepreneurship.
Simuka’s central argument was that entrepreneurship education should lead beyond the formulation of business ideas. Students need to identify real problems, test solutions with intended users and develop the capabilities to establish viable enterprises. The paper also recognised that teaching alone cannot carry an idea into the market: mentoring, industry and community partnerships, finance and institutional support shape what graduates can achieve.
“I was excited to participate in this conference because its focus speaks directly to how we teach entrepreneurship,” Simuka said. “Students should leave with more than a business plan or the intention to become entrepreneurs. We must give them opportunities to test their ideas and, where those ideas are viable, establish businesses that solve problems and create value.”
The framework offers a contribution to the wider African conversation by connecting what universities teach with the conditions graduates face when they try to build enterprises. It also gives higher education institutions a clearer basis for examining results: what students can do, whether their ideas become ventures, and what value those ventures create over time. Its aims align with SDG 4 on quality education, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 9 on industry and innovation. Its attention to environmental consequences also speaks to SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. These are areas of potential contribution, with lasting impact requiring evidence beyond the classroom.
For HIT, the presentation reinforces a commitment already expressed through technopreneurship education and Education 5.0. By linking teaching and research to community needs, innovation and industrialisation, the Institute seeks to develop graduates capable of creating enterprises as well as knowledge. Strengthening that pathway supports HIT’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.
