Research, Innovation, Development and iNDUSTRIALISATION
The Division of Research, Innovation, Development and Industrialisation (RIDI) is responsible for championing research and innovation efforts at Harare Polytechnic in line with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development (MOHTEISTD)’s heritage-based education 5.0 philosophy, which impresses on learning, research, community development, innovation and industrialisation. It is charged with Identifying, coordinating and prioritising Research and Development (R&D) activities at Harare Polytechnic, mobilising resources, coordinating the commercialization of research and development projects and leading the process of development of indigenous knowledge systems, promoting exchange programmes and technology transfer. Its operations are also guided by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), and Zimbabwe’s vision of an upper middle-income economy by 2030. The division has come up with a policy that guides research, ethics, intellectual property and commercialisation of technology. Overall, the division leads efforts aimed at rebranding Harare Polytechnic through a culture of research and innovation, promoting student-led research and innovation programmes and encouraging interdepartmental collaborations and internationalization of programmes. It works with the OJET division in coming up with initiatives to partner industry in areas of research and training. Some of the activities include student competitions and the introduction of student clubs in disciplines such as Engineering, Applied Sciences and in Humanities. The division is led by HODiv RIDI with the assistance of a committee drawn from academic departments/ divisions that facilitates the cross-pollination of ideas and interdepartmental collaborations.
Vision
To advance excellence in the application of skills, manufacturing technologies, research, consultancy and innovation towards a competitive industrialised and modernised Zimbabwe.
Mission
To lead efforts in skills development, adoption of appropriate technologies, research, consultancy and innovation in the production of quality goods and services.
Core Values
• Patriotism
• Creativity
• Research and innovation
• Integrity/ Hunhu/ Ubuntu
• Entrepreneurship
• Professionalism
• Servant leadership
• Facilitate the acquisition of knowledge in order to adapt, use, replicate and reverse-engineer technologies to promote the growth of SME’s, agriculture, power generation, and poverty reduction.
• Encourage and promote the establishment of innovative businesses that use indigenous knowledge and technology to produce marketable goods and services in Zimbabwe.
• Come up with ways to harness, promote, commercialise and market locally developed technologies in the global marketplace.
• Promote TVET programmes at Harare Polytechnic.
• Leading research efforts in developing new products.
• Ensure that products are manufactured following guidelines and within the confines of the law.
• Enhancing the quality of existing products
• Inculcate o culture of innovation among staff members and students so that the Polytechnic’s production processes are in tandem with emerging trends and give the institution a competitive urge.
• Incubating company ideas, providing guidance, mentorship and shaping their future
• production processes.
Public-Private Partnerships
Harare Polytechnic RIDI Division has signed MOUs with the following organisation.
i. Tsapo Group of companies
ii. Olivine Industries
RID Strategic themes
RIDI seeks to influence the future of skilled human capital development, equip students with quality TVET education and empower them with critical thinking skills to transform Zimbabwe’s economic fortunes.
Create opportunities for research as part of addressing challenges such as energy, transport and urban infrastructure.
• Create long-term integrated solutions for energy, transport system, information ecology, building, water, and waste treatment.
• Develop and implement climate-resilient infrastructure and accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Changing our engineering world from material fundamentals to design, manufacturing, service, and reuse.
• Contribute to value addition and beneficiation in the mining and agricultural sector.
• Spearhead the development of new knowledge and solutions to biological and medical challenges.
Develop complex, resilient and intelligent systems that optimise decision-making and enhance the use of artificial intelligence.
• Upscale agricultural innovation and modernization, including ICT-based advisory services, automation and precision farming techniques such as drip irrigation and fertigation.
• Transform the country’s industrialization through digital marketing. The solutions are meant to accelerate economic growth by developing quality human capital for the growth of small businesses.
• Leverage media to promote the participation of youth in a wide range of activities including education, creatives, writing, production of music, dialogues and media literacy.
Internationalisation of TVET and Exchange Programmes
Following the operationalisation of the Ministry’s internationalisation of education framework, Harare Polytechnic has partnered with various institutions from other countries for exchange programmes. This is also part of efforts to ensure institutional visibility and facilitate collaborations and cross-fertilisation of ideas with other Polytechnics and technical education institutions around the world.
This- is in line with the Global Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) program.
Currently, the institution has partnerships with Zhuhai Technician College and Ningbo Polytechnic from China. The partnership will see a number of students from Harare Polytechnic getting an opportunity to pursue hybrid programmes. A number of other agreements and collaborations are currently under consideration and will benefit various departments.
Future Plans
The Division will lead all research and innovation efforts at Harare Polytechnic making it a key player in Zimbabwe’s industrialisation agenda. This will be
achieved by promoting processes that ensure the production of quality human capital. The department envisages a future where research from high-end collaborative and multidisciplinary processes will contribute to the industrialisation agenda.
Harare Polytechnic will also seek to develop applicable innovative home-grown solutions around the agro and mining value chains.
Harare Polytechnic should establish itself as the seedbed of new and emerging companies across sectors of the economy.
The department should work to promote the reverse engineering of key sectors. It will work to promote, research, innovation and industrialisation culture among staff members and students.
Initiate processes that will see researchers gain critical knowledge to facilitate innovation and industrialisation.