STAFF WRITER
ZIMBABWE and Kenya should move beyond traditional academic exchanges and establish a more integrated higher education partnership that combines research excellence, technological innovation and practical skills development, a leading academic has said.
Tharaka University vice-chancellor Peter Muriungi said the two countries had complementary strengths in higher education which, if effectively harnessed, could help produce graduates better equipped to meet the demands of modern economies.
His remarks follow a recent mentorship tour of Kenya’s Tharaka University by the Zimbabwe-based Institute of Social Development Practices (ISDP).
Muriungi said while Kenya had made significant progress in university-industry linkages, entrepreneurship, technological integration and Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODEL), Zimbabwe had valuable experience in academic rigour, postgraduate research, professional training and technical skills development.
“Kenya should adapt Zimbabwe’s structured apprenticeship assessment and joint research supervision, while Zimbabwe should adapt Kenya’s mobile ODEL delivery and country based incubation model. Together we will produce not just graduates, but employable professionals,” he said.
He said such an exchange could help bridge the gap between academic qualifications and the practical competencies required by employers and emerging industries.
Muriungi also identified joint research projects, co-authored academic publications, staff and student exchanges, as well as industry attachments as practical mechanisms through which the proposed cooperation could be advanced.
ISDP founder and executive director Petronella Muungani said opportunities for collaboration between Zimbabwe and Kenya extended beyond conventional academic exchanges.
“Institutions such as ISDP could play a facilitating role by building professional networks, creating platforms for knowledge exchange and connecting development practitioners with training and collaboration opportunities.
“To utilise these opportunities, we need stronger partnerships between universities, professional institutions, government agencies and organisations working in social development.
“Ultimately, we must move beyond dialogue to practical implementation,” she said.
A proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Tharaka University and ISDP could provide an important institutional framework for translating the proposed partnership into practical programmes.