The Extent and Economic Impact of Research and Innovation in Zimbabwe’s Higher Institutions of Learning

There has been talk at different fora that in order for Zimbabwe to reduce poverty and increase its gross domestic product, there is need for its higher institutions of learning such as universities and colleges to focus more on research, innovation, and industrialisation. While this might be a noble idea, it remains to be seen to what extent Zimbabwe’s higher institutions of learning have actually realised this goal and what has been its overall impact on the economy. Using a qualitative research approach and an interpretivist paradigm, this study investigated the issues of research and innovation at four higher institutions of learning in Gweru Urban district, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through the institutions’ research repositories and innovation hubs and were critically analysed using document and content analyses. In order to solicit more opinions and suggestions, follow up interviews were also carried out with the institutions’ purposively selected research chairpersons responsible for research and innovations. This study found that although different institutions seemed to view and measure the impact of research and innovation in different ways, they also agreed that research and innovation are of utmost importance to the individual, to the institution and to the country at large. Proposals for staff training, sufficient funding and policy formulation related to research and innovation, among others, were made. However, there was no sufficient evidence to answer the question ‘to what extent research done by Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher learning have impacted on the economy,’ implying that further research needs to be done. Nevertheless, findings and recommendations emanating from this study may be used to inform higher institutions of learning in the district and in Zimbabwe at large to come up with appropriate policies and programmes that help to realise the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Goals 1, 8 and 9) and help to make Zimbabwe an upper middle economy by the year 2030.