Mudenda Pushes For University-Industry Partnerships

Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has called for improved parliamentary oversight and stronger cooperation between universities and the private sector to support Zimbabwe’s industrialisation drive.

Speaking at the 2027 National Pre-Budget Seminar in Bulawayo, Mudenda highlighted the need for parliamentary committees to strengthen their monitoring of government programmes, particularly in the public health sector, including vaccine procurement and distribution.

He said parliamentary committees should be evaluated based on their performance and ability to produce measurable results.

Mudenda also emphasised the importance of aligning university education with the needs of industry, noting that graduates must acquire practical skills that support increased production, economic growth and job creation.

He urged the Ministries responsible for Finance and Skills Development to promote closer working relationships between tertiary institutions and businesses.

According to Mudenda, universities should engage the private sector and communicate the challenges they face so that training programmes can be tailored to meet the demands of the economy.

The 2027 National Pre-Budget Seminar is being held from October 28 to 31 at the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City in Bulawayo.

The seminar is running under the theme, “Accelerating Economic Transformation and Building Resilience to Climate and Global Shocks.”