President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and Chancellor of the Harare Institute of Technology, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has charged HIT to lead Industry 4.0,- advancing Zimbabwe's entry into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while pledging his support to making HIT the citadel of inventions and a critical strategic institution for technological skills development. HIT, he said had established an enviable base of the requisite human intellectual capital to champion this cause.
HIT has teaching personnel with competencies that cover new generation technologies such as Nanotechnology, Bio Informatics, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Bio medical engineering among others.
President Mnangagwa was giving his acceptance speech at his Installation as Chancellor of the Harare Institute of Technology and the University's Ninth Graduation Ceremony on Friday November 2. The event was attended by Government Officials, Diplomats, Captains of Industry and Commerce; Parents and Guardians.
President Mnangagwa pledged his support and commitment to the development of HIT into a world class university of technology with the requisite infrastructure required to engage in high-tech research. He charged HIT to become the hub of inventions and innovations, fundamental ingredients for the nations' transformation. HIT, he said should upscale linkages with other world –renowned institutions, in order to improve, develop, and domesticate new technologies that match Zimbabwean conditions.
President Mnangagwa commended the University for churning out technopreneur –graduates who had an understanding of all stages of invention and were equipped with the courage, stamina and focus to set up hi-tech enterprises. He also pledged his support through the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to ensure the speedy registration of Intellectual Property.
He urged HIT to change Zimbabwe's narrative from that of technological want and aspirations to the acquisition of real and tangible research and innovation outputs which add value to the lives of the people through the set-up of new industries and companies that promote import substitution.
President Mnangagwa also added that Universities, and in particular HIT must drive the innovation and commercialisation of technologies that result in the creation of enterprises that will create jobs for the benefit of Zimbabwe in all its sectors. He exhorted HIT to assist in the mechanization of the agricultural sector and retooling and modernisation of industries, as well as improving the processing and manufacturing capacities of SMEs.
The Chancellor also told the gathering that he was aware of the challenges facing institutions of higher learning in general and HIT in particular, with regards to institutional sustainability. He pledged his assistance in making concerted efforts to facilitate the provision of the broad array of needs. He also added that he assumed Chancellorship of the University during interesting times in Zimbabwe and Africa as they were poised for an economic, industrial, and technological boom. He said recent developments in Zimbabwe's terrain such as the presence of oil and gas deposits predisposed institutions such as the HIT to adequately respond to unfolding developments in the mining, agriculture, health, and manufacturing services value chains. He urged stakeholders in the training and skills development sector to grow the economy towards the improvement of the quality of life of the people and lifting millions out of poverty, by 2030.
President Mnangagwa congratulated the graduands for the milestone achievement, saying the skills and competencies they had acquired from the institution are the building blocks to the future that lies ahead. He also added that their prospects in the Second Republic were numerous, immeasurable and bright.
He challenged the graduands to be emboldened, encouraged, and inspired by the positive unfolding events in Zimbabwe. "Put on your full armour of creativity, research, innovation and entrepreneurship as you enter the world of work," he said.