Zimbabwean polytechnics, Chinese institution sign deal to boost technical skills training

HARARE, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Eight Zimbabwean polytechnic colleges will benefit from a technical exchange and skills development partnership with a Chinese tertiary institution following the signing of a cooperation agreement in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, on Tuesday.

To implement the program, the Tertiary Education Service Council (TESC), which manages Zimbabwe's polytechnics and vocational colleges, China's Ningbo Polytechnic University and Huayou Cobalt, a Chinese lithium mining and processing company, signed a tripartite cooperation agreement.

The cooperation agreement also includes the joint establishment of the Sino-Zimbabwe Engineering Technology Academy and the China-Zimbabwe Silk Road Teacher Capacity Building Center, which will be housed at Harare Polytechnic in the capital.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Simelisizwe Sibanda said the collaboration will guide partnerships in skills development, technology transfer and facilitate industry-academia linkage.

"This is a significant milestone as we strengthen the bilateral relationships between our two countries within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to connect nations through infrastructure, trade, and human capital development," said Sibanda.

TESC secretary Tafadzwa Mudondo said the partnership will drive cultural exchange, technology and knowledge transfer, joint curriculum development, joint publication and certification and joint talent identification.

Mudondo said students will be trained on the latest technology and processes aligned to real industry standards and will gain qualifications recognized in both Zimbabwe and China. To support this, Huayou Cobalt, as a major industry player in Zimbabwe, will provide technical support and skills training.

Wu Xiang Peng, president of Ningbo Polytechnic University, said the program will serve as a platform for nurturing talent and developing high-quality technical skills to enhance cooperation, adding that vocational education remains a solid and dynamic bridge for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

From 2022 to 2026, Ningbo Polytechnic University partnered with Harare Polytechnic to implement the China-Zimbabwe Applied Talent Joint Teaching Program, which has already benefited 90 Zimbabwean students, equipping them with advanced skills to drive the country's industrialization. Enditem