The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), under the direction of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, hosted a Harmonisation of University Promotion Ordinances Workshop on the 13th of September 2022 at the Management Training Bureau (MTB) in Harare.
The historic workshop was the first step in developing standard criteria for academic staff grading and promotions across all state universities.
In his keynote address, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor F. Tagwira, said the standardisation of academic staff grading and promotions had been long overdue, given the introduction of the Heritage Based Education 5.0 Doctrine in 2018.
He emphasised the need for higher education institutions to align their appointment, grading and promotion of academic staff to Education 5.0.
‘We now have an opportunity to ensure the way we promote, grade and appoint our staff all builds towards the realisation of Education 5.0.
“In the past, there were no harmonised promotion or progression pathways in higher and tertiary education institutions as promotion ordinances were defined differently in different institutional acts,” said Professor Tagwira.
He also called on universities to take cognisance of changes in their mandates in line with Education 5.0 and to ensure that staff promotions are not only based on teaching, research and community service but also on innovation and industrialisation.
The Permanent Secretary further urged universities in developing the harmonised grading and promotion ordinances to come up with clear criteria that they will use to judge innovation and industrialisation.
Speaking during the workshop, Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education Chief Executive Officer, Professor K. P. Dzvimbo said the harmonisation of academic staff grading and promotion was critical as it would provide the basis for recognising excellence in general, contributions to new knowledge, and effective implementation of the Heritage Based Education 5.0 across all state universities.
The one-day workshop was attended by university Vice-Chancellors, including Professor D. J. Simbi, who is also a ZIMCHE Council member, Pro Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, and Quality Assurance Directors from various state universities. Also in attendance were members of the ZIMCHE secretariat, among them the newly appointed Deputy CEO, Professor W. Parawira.
