TechnoMag, Zimbabwe`s Leading Online Tech Magazine will jointly host this year edition of Tech@School with the ministry of Higher and Tertiary Science and Technology development’s Rio-Set, where more than 30 000 attendees are expected at the National University of Science Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo over a one week Tech-Educational Expo.
RIO-SET is a government of Zimbabwe initiative, through the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development and set to bring all the decision makers in the education sector and students to converge at in Bulawayo from the 31st of August – 3rd of September 2016.
The 2016 edition of the Rio-Set expo which is running under the theme:”Growing the Zimbabwean economy through innovations.” In partnership with TechnoMag’s Tech@School initiative, a national tech career guidance, Inspiration session, expo and exhibition to showcase Zimbabwean technological prowess to Industry and commerce is set to lit up Bulawayo.
Speaking to the Founder of TechnoMag, Mr Toneo Tonderai Rutsito, He said the event was milestone to drive innovation and expose the young innovations at various institutions while bridging the technological divide between industry and learning institutions in Zimbabwe.
“We have lots of talent that has been exhibited by our young innovators which unfortunately has not been getting enough support, we seek in our small way to help expose these young tech innovators to industry and hopefully create an environment that promotes symbiotic business interests for all players.”
The Research and Intellectual Outputs-Science, Engineering and Technology (Rio-Set expo) is a one week program event that brings all the higher and tertiary institutions and teachers colleges including Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges to convene, deliberate and map forward annually while they exhibit their research and outstanding products, with an estimated 40 000 crowd annually.
The thrust is to provide a platform from which Zimbabweans would find out about the new research outputs being produced in higher and tertiary education institutions. The inaugural African Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (AMCOST) held in Senegal in 2005 concluded that for Africa to realize meaningful socioeconomic development in a rapidly globalizing world in which the rate of entry of new technologies onto the market demands greater focus on the extension of value chain of available natural resources through effective exploitation of science and technology.
This in effect would contribute to narrowing the North and South development divide by harnessing science and technology to transform national economies and achieve the Post 2015 agenda.
It is critical to note that while RIOSET focused on providing a platform for experts from Universities and Tertiary Institutions (from within and outside Zimbabwe) to share their research and intellectual outcomes on the broad theme of the exposition, the greater part of promotion of public/private sector awareness of the role of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in development remained unattended. Consequently the absence of industry, community based organizations, schools and the general public was registered as a matter that required urgent attention.
The inaugural SADC SET Week was launched in Mauritius in 2009. Thereafter member states have organized such events using various formats. Since 2010, Zimbabwe has organized annual SET Week celebrations guided by an AU continental Theme with participation from experts and exhibitors invited from the SADC member states and beyond.
The Tech@School initiative will be running for third consecutive year and the inaugural launch was officiated by the Deputy minister of Information Communication Technology ,Courier and Postal Services Honorable Win Mlambo.
The Harare derby was officially opened by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary education Science and Technology Development Dr Mapuranga on behalf of the Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo which attracted industry heavy weights which was graced by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe CEO Mr Douglas Mboweni, , US embassy PR officer Nicole Finneman a major influence in technology entrepreneurship support, Engineer Reward Kangai The managing Director of NetOne and Dr Shingi Munyeza a renowned business man and award winning top CEO.
Perm Sec Higher and Tertiary ministry science and Technology Development, Dr Machivenyika Mapuranga
Parallel to the official presentation and plenary session there is going to be a four-day exhibition which will be covering science, engineering, technology, arts and humanities, visual and expressive arts.
The RIO-SET EXPO seeks to harness research and intellectual work by Zimbabweans both at home and in the Diaspora for national development.
It also provides a platform for sharing knowledge, networking and collaborating by stakeholders in higher and tertiary education in Zimbabwe – Government and State agencies, industry and commerce, strategic regional and global bodies, local civil society networks, the public and higher and tertiary education institutions.
delegates at HIT attending Tech@School 2015.
The vision for Tech@School is to connect our higher and tertiary institutions to Industry, a critical role if Zimbabwe is to finally create and export its own technology.
This also accords you an opportunity to meet various decision makers from universities and colleges, a critical component of Tech@School which we have called the B to I, an opportunity for Business to have closed door sessions with institutions and vice versa so that they all strike mutually beneficial understandings.
More important is the careers fair, an opportunity that will allow job seekers to understand employment opportunities being offered by various players in the industry.
Econet CEO, Mr Douglas Mboweni Addressing delegates at The Tech@School 2015 at HIT
TechnoMag has been making pleas with industry to improve their role in training and creating employment. Most students will get an opportunity for their attachment as we have agreed with most participating players to increase their commitment to students, especially on industrial attachment.
However, this also accords Institutions an opportunity with industry to negotiate mutually beneficial deals on various services that they deem necessary to improve critical services like communication, hardware, software and networking services amongst others.
