Government will test laboratory equipment developed by Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) before considering its procurement for use in schools acr...
Government will test laboratory equipment developed by Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) before considering its procurement for use in schools across the country, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Fredrick Shava has said.
Dr Shava made the announcement at the official opening of the 2026 BUSE Research and Innovation Week, where Government challenged universities to move research beyond prototypes and turn innovations into viable businesses, industries and employment opportunities.
He said Government would engage the Ministries of Higher and Tertiary Education and Primary and Secondary Education to pilot a laboratory facility developed by BUSE.
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The pilot could involve financing one classroom to test the equipment before a decision is made on wider adoption and procurement.
“If they find it useful, then we will adopt it and then purchase from BUSE for the rest of the country,” Dr Shava said.
The proposed procurement would create a direct market for locally developed university innovations while strengthening the link between research, production and commercialisation.
Dr Shava said Zimbabwe had the scientific capability, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to develop solutions to its own challenges. He challenged universities, industry and financial institutions to work together to turn research and innovations into products that benefit communities.
“Research can no longer remain a pure academic exercise,” he said.
He urged BUSE to focus on market penetration, quality assurance, intellectual property protection and the commercial scaling of its innovations.
The 2026 BUSE Research and Innovation Week was held under the theme, “Innovating for Shared Prosperity: Accelerating Industrialisation, Rural Transformation, and Knowledge-Based Growth under Heritage 5.0.”
Dr Shava said the Heritage-based Education 5.0 model required universities to produce graduates who could create jobs and develop innovations capable of competing in markets, rather than focusing only on formal employment.
BUSE is already pursuing industrialisation through several projects, including the Palpo Technology plant, where products are being manufactured, and the Masawu Processing Plant, which is nearing commissioning.
The Minister also highlighted a locally developed drone capable of carrying medical supplies to remote areas, saying the technology had the potential to improve access to medicines.
He further praised a Form Three pupil who demonstrated a locally developed maize winnowing machine, describing the innovation as evidence of the potential among young Zimbabweans.
Dr Shava challenged industry representatives attending the event to identify at least one BUSE technology or student enterprise that their organisations could help validate, pilot, procure or scale up.
He said the success of the university’s Research and Innovation Week should ultimately be measured by the number of innovations adopted, enterprises created, partnerships formed and communities transformed.
“Let BUSE Research and Innovation Week 2026 mark a decisive shift from showcasing to scaling, from isolated projects to connected value chains, and from promising ideas to shared prosperity,” he said.
BUSE Vice Chancellor Professor Eddie Mwenje said several university innovations, including digital platforms, the e-Toll system and the Chiringa Government platform, were progressing towards wider deployment.
He said the university had also filed 32 intellectual property items, including patents, copyrights and trademarks, to protect its innovations.
BUSE has identified five strategic innovation pillars covering software development and artificial intelligence, food products development, natural products and drug discovery, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and chemical production.
Prof Mwenje said the university’s innovations were aligned with the Research and Innovation Week theme of “Innovating for Shared Prosperity: Accelerating Industrialisation, Rural Transformation, and Knowledge-Based Growth under NDS2.”
The institution is also pursuing a change of name to Bindura University of Science, Innovation and Technology.
