President Hichilema Urges Bold Reforms and Strategic Partnerships to Make Zambia a Regional Higher Education Hub
President Hakainde Hichilema, has urged stakeholders to forge strategic partnerships aimed at transforming Zambia into a regional hub for higher education.
Speaking through Minister of Education, Douglas Syakalima, President Hichilema emphasized the urgent need to align higher education with industry demands and global standards.
He officially opened the inaugural Higher Education Indaba 2025 at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort under the theme “Unlocking Zambia’s Potential Through New Investments in Quality Higher Education.”
The Indaba, bringing together key stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and civil society, serves as a platform for critical reflection and collaboration on pressing issues such as access, quality, investment, and innovation in Zambia’s higher education sector.
President Hichilema points out recent reforms such as the Zambia Education Curriculum Framework (ZECF 2023) and calls for increased investment in infrastructure, digital learning, and innovation.
He notes that the Indaba marks a significant step toward modernizing Zambia’s universities and colleges to produce skilled, adaptable graduates ready for global challenges.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Authority, Director-General, Professor Kazhila Chinsembu, describes the Indaba as a platform to reshape Zambia’s higher education financing, infrastructure, and relevance in line with national and continental development goals.
Professor Chinsembu calls the event a national turning point in higher education reform and emphasizes the urgent need for performance-based funding, innovative investment models, and stronger alignment between universities and the labour market.
He warns that incremental changes are insufficient, urging stakeholders to embrace bold, transformative thinking to address systemic challenges such as outdated curricula, underfunding, and graduate unemployment.
Professor Chinsembu also proposed the establishment of Africa’s first educational city in Zambia, envisioning a global hub for innovation, research, and youth empowerment.
Professor Chinsembu says the Indaba not merely as a conference, but as a movement to reimagine the future of higher education in Zambia and beyond.
And Southern Province Minister Credo Nanjuwa has described the inaugural Higher Education Indaba as a powerful platform for collaboration among industry leaders, academics, and students, aimed at shaping Zambia’s education ecosystem.
Commending the organizers for their vision, he emphasized that education is not just an individual pursuit but a collective investment in the nation’s future.
Mr Nanjuwa expresses hope that the Indaba, set in the historic city of Livingstone, would foster renewed partnerships, innovative ideas, and lasting impact on Zambia’s higher education landscape.
As the three-day Indaba unfolds, stakeholders are expected to engage in robust dialogue, forge new partnerships, and chart a clear path toward a more inclusive, innovative, and industry-aligned higher education system.
The outcomes of this gathering are anticipated to play a pivotal role in shaping policies and investments that will position Zambia as a leader in higher education on the African continent.