Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Frederick Shava has challenged Zimbabwe's universities to commercialise research, strengthen partnerships with industry and drive innovation-led economic growth under the Education 5.0 model and Vision 2030.
Shava, who was represented by secretary Professor Fanuel Tagwira, made the call while addressing delegates at the Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Marondera.
He said Zimbabwe could not longer afford to treat universities as “degrees factories”.
“The theme ‘Strengthening University Innovation and Commercialisation: Learning from Industry to Build Effective Partnerships for Scalable Impact’ is timely. Innovation is no longer optional. It is central to competitiveness, productivity, job creation and economic transformation,” he said.
Shava anchored his address on Education 5.0, government’s model that adds innovation and industrialisation to the traditional roles of teaching, research and community service.
Under Education 5.0, universities are mandated to establish Innovation Hubs, Industrial Parks and Company Creation units to turn student and staff ideas into businesses.
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MUAST, he said, is strategically positioned due to its mandate in agricultural sciences and technology.
The university is expected to lead solutions in food security, agro-processing, value addition and rural industrialisation key pillars for an agro-based economy like Zimbabwe’s.
“Agriculture remains central to our economy, contributing about 10-15% to GDP and employing over 60% of the population,” Shava said.
“Yet we continue to face climate variability, high input costs, post-harvest losses estimated at 30% for some crops, limited value addition and poor market access. These require research, production, processing, finance and markets to work together.”
He challenged academics to test their ideas against market realities.
“From an industry perspective, innovation matters when it solves real problems, reduces costs, creates jobs or opens new commercial opportunities. Who needs it? Will customers pay for it? Can it be produced consistently and meet quality standards?”
He said the strongest innovations emerge when universities and industry collaborate from problem identification to market entry. Industry brings expertise in production, branding, distribution and customer demand, while universities provide research and technical expertise.
“Universities must present innovations not only as academic outputs, but as business opportunities,” he said. “Industry must also stop seeing universities only as sources of graduates,” Shava said.
He commended MUAST for creating platforms like the Innovation Fair that connect knowledge creators with market actors, financiers and policymakers.
Shava praised the university’s Directorate of Research, Innovation, Industrialisation and Enterprise Development for driving the commercialisation agenda.
He highlighted areas of potential at MUAST including indigenous vegetables, livestock breeds adapted to local climates, horticulture, and value-added food products that can reduce import dependence.
“From indigenous vegetables to agro-processing, there is strong potential to turn university projects into viable commercial ventures. But this requires intentional, well-resourced and professionally managed commercialisation,” Shava said.
Successful commercialisation, he added, demands investment in product development, quality assurance, packaging, branding, regulatory compliance with standards bodies like SAZ, market research and distribution networks.
Shava said government is committed to supporting the ecosystem through funding, policy and infrastructure, but called on the private sector, development partners and financiers to provide mentorship, technical guidance and capital.
“I commend MUAST for choosing a theme that speaks to the needs of our time. Let us build partnerships that move Zimbabwe from importing solutions to exporting them,” he said.
The MUAST Innovation Fair 2026 brings together academia, industry, SMEs, banks and government to showcase prototypes, student enterprises and research projects aimed at commercialisation.