ADMIRE MASUKU
ZIMBABWE and Angola are rapidly expanding their bilateral ties beyond historical politics by launching strategic university partnerships in research, language training, and technological innovation.
A high-level Zimbabwean delegation, led by the acting permanent secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Memory Mukondomi, recently visited Angolan academic institutions to execute a bilateral education agreement.
Mukondomi emphasised that the initiative promoted the country’s “Study in Zimbabwe” campaign and its Heritage-Based Education 5.0 framework, which connects academia directly to industrialisation.
“The relationship between Zimbabwe and Angola, forged during the liberation struggle, is entering a new phase centred on education, innovation and skills development,” Mukondomi said.
The visit sparked immediate commitment from Angolan leaders seeking south-to-south academic mobility.
University of Luanda vice-chancellor Alfredo Gabriel Buza confirmed his team would travel to Harare in September to finalise formal agreements.
“We want to build stronger relationships, sign more partnerships with institutions in Zimbabwe, break language barriers between our institutions and ensure that staff and students can learn from each other,” Buza said.
Institutions from both nations highlighted cross-border collaboration as an urgent priority for regional growth. President of Instituto Superior de Administração e Finanças (ISAF), Carla Queirós, noted her institution was launching an English-taught accountancy degree to welcome regional academics.
“We want to open our doors to the region and strengthen our links with English-speaking countries through academic cooperation,” Queirós said.
Supporting this vision, president of the Instituto Superior Politécnico Alvorecer da Juventude (ISPAJ) Albertino Candimba urged African universities to look inward for solutions to shared developmental challenges.
“We have common challenges and should work together to solve them through joint research, staff and student exchanges, innovation and technology,” Candimba said.
Zimbabwean institutions, including Chinhoyi University of Technology and Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, identified immediate joint projects in joint agriculture research, postgraduate supervision, and online English and Portuguese language instruction.
Zimbabwean universities also identified several areas for immediate collaboration. Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology pro-vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, Research and Administration, Nomalanga Mpofu, noted.