Zimbabwe President Mugabe Opens Intellectual Expo

After the swearing in ceremony for the cabinet of the Republic of Zimbabwe, President Mugabe outlines governmental priorities., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

President to open Intellectual Expo

September 30, 2013
Problem Masau Arts Correspondent

President Robert Mugabe will officially open the Research and Intellectual Expo this Wednesday where students across the country’s colleges and universities will have an opportunity to showcase their talent through visual arts, fashion shows, drama, poetry, choral music, traditional dances and modelling.

The expo, running under the theme “Research Partnerships for Wealth Creation”, will be held from October 2 to 4 at the University of Zimbabwe.

Professor Herbert Chimhundu, one of the organising committee members, said a total of 22 institutions have registered to take part in the arts segment at the expo.

“Institutions will mount exhibitions at their stands. We will also have performing artistes within different institutions where they will compete in drama, dance, drama and other activities. The best performers will be given awards and certificates on the final day of the expo,” he said.

The Research and Intellectual Expo is an initiative of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and Science and Technology Development. It seeks to harness research and intellectual work by Zimbabweans both at home and in 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 in Zimbabwe.

Participating institutions include all universities, research and extension centres or institutions, polytechnics, technical colleges, teachers colleges in

Zimbabwe and research institutions and individual researchers and academics from the region and the Diaspora. The thrust is to provide a platform from which Zimbabweans would find out about the new research outputs being produced at our national higher and tertiary education institutions.

Now in its third edition, the inaugural RIE Expo was held in 2011 and the subsequent 2012 edition have established a reputation as a focal point for new ideas and new practices in research, learning and technological and socio-economic development.

The overall thrust of the 2013 showcase is to build partnerships that widen and unleash opportunities for wealth creation, and will address a wide range of critically important themes in the various fields that make up the humanities, science and the expressive arts.