Samuel Mwale-Own Correspondent 

Each year, as the Advanced Level examination results are released across Zimbabwe, as was the case again in 2025, the nation is swept into a familiar frenzy. Universities compete vigorously to enrol successful candidates, opening their doors wide in a race for enrolment. Yet beneath this annual ritual lies a deeper, more pressing concern, one that has quietly shaped the trajectory of the country’s higher education system for years.

This recurring scramble reveals not strength, but a structural weakness: the duplication of academic programmes across state universities. Instead of cultivating diversity and intellectual distinction, most institutions offer near identical courses, largely centred on commerce, humanities, and social sciences. What should be a dynamic and differentiated academic ecosystem has, over time, become a landscape of uniformity.

Zimbabwe’s expansion of state owned universities is, without doubt, commendable. It reflects a strong national commitment to education and human capital development. However, a closer examination exposes a troubling pattern. Institutions that were originally established with clear and specialised mandates, whether in science and technology, agriculture, engineering, or medical innovation, have gradually drifted into generalisation. This mission drift has diluted institutional identity and weakened the system’s overall effectiveness.

As a result, Zimbabwe’s universities increasingly resemble one another, rather than complement each other. This lack of strategic differentiation undermines their potential to drive innovation, industrialisation, and sector specific expertise, key pillars of national development.

At the heart of this issue lies a set of interconnected challenges. First, the dilution of mandates has left universities without a clear sense of purpose. A science and technology institution that prioritises commerce programmes risks losing its competitive edge and relevance. Second, resource fragmentation has become inevitable. Laboratories, skilled lecturers, and infrastructure are stretched thin across multiple institutions offering the same programmes, instead of being consolidated into centres of excellence.

Moreover, the country’s research and innovation output remains limited. When universities pursue identical academic offerings, they fail to generate the specialised knowledge, patents, and technological breakthroughs needed to propel the economy forward. At the same time, Zimbabwe continues to produce large numbers of graduates in oversaturated fields, particularly in business related disciplines, while critical sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, renewable energy, and precision agriculture remain underdeveloped.

Globally, a different model has proven effective. Countries like China, Germany, and Ukraine have embraced specialised institutions, medical universities, agricultural academies, and technical institutes, each serving as a hub of expertise within its domain. This approach fosters depth, innovation, and measurable contributions to national economies.

Specialisation, therefore, is not merely an academic preference; it is a developmental necessity. A university that focuses on a defined niche, such as Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence, or Agricultural Engineering, builds deep expertise and establishes itself as a leader in that field. Such institutions are more likely to attract targeted investment, form meaningful industry partnerships, and produce graduates who are aligned with global demands.

“In a rapidly evolving world, depth of knowledge matters more than breadth of offerings.” This reality underscores the urgency for Zimbabwe to rethink its higher education model. A dedicated university for artificial intelligence and data science, for instance, could position the country at the forefront of digital transformation. Similarly, a specialised agricultural university could pioneer climate smart farming techniques essential for food security.

To move in this direction, deliberate policy action is required. The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education must reaffirm and enforce the founding mandates of universities, ensuring that institutions remain true to their core purposes. A national audit of academic programmes should be conducted to eliminate unnecessary duplication and promote strategic diversification.

Furthermore, Zimbabwe should establish specialised centres of excellence, institutions that focus exclusively on critical areas such as artificial intelligence, agriculture and food security, health and biomedical sciences, and renewable energy. These centres would not only enhance academic quality but also serve as engines of innovation.

Equally important is the need for stronger partnerships between universities and industry. When academic research aligns with economic priorities, it becomes a powerful driver of development. Funding models must also evolve, shifting from enrolment based allocations to impact driven investments that reward specialisation and innovation.

Ultimately, Zimbabwe’s ambition of becoming an upper middle income economy by 2030 hinges on the strength of its human capital. This vision cannot be achieved through a one size fits all approach to higher education. It requires a system that values depth over breadth, precision over replication, and excellence over uniformity.

“Universities must not merely produce graduates, they must produce solutions.” Specialised institutions hold the promise of transforming Zimbabwe’s universities from degree factories into engines of knowledge, innovation, and national progress.

The time has come to rethink, refocus, and reimagine.

Samuel Mwale writes in his personal capacity can be contacted

On email: [smwale2612@gmail.com](mailto:smwale2612@gmail.com)

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