The Role of University Academic Innovations in Agriculture and ICT to the Country’s Economic Transformation (A Case of Kapasa Makasa University)

Abstract

In the recent past, Zambia has seen an increase in the number of institutions of higher learning and Kapasa Makasa University is one such Institution. Kapasa Makasa University (KMU) being the only public university in Muchinga province has put research and innovation at the helm of its daily academic activities. As a result the institution has between 2019 and 2021 developed a number of innovations, which if fully exploited by the government and private sector can have the potential to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the country. In trying to actualize the implementation of these innovations, Management engaged various stakeholders in the industry to determine whether or not they can help to commercialize these innovations. As its motto state “Learn to Innovate”, KMU has put so much emphasis on innovations in the areas of ICTs and Agriculture which if well enhanced can help to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the nation. Against this background the current study seek to investigate the role of university academic innovations in to the country’s economic transformation. To this effect a descriptive survey was conducted on the university population involving members of academic staff and students to determine the evolving role of university academic innovations on the country’s economic transformation. The results established that lack of deliberate academic policies aimed at commercializing innovations, inadequate stakeholder’s engagement (government and private sector), and lack of proper communication of innovation successes across internal and external audiences as well as limited financial resources are the main factors that hinder the innovations in universities from contributing to the country’s economic transformation. Based on the findings the study recommends that there is need to create strong partnership between the university, government and the industry in order to further develop and commercialize the innovations in university. In addition, the university authorities need to create academic policies that are aimed at commercializing innovations as well as deriving a proper and well-coordinated mechanisms to communicate the innovations to both internal and external audiences. Finally the study also concludes that university management need to adequately fund innovations in the institutions if they are to make a positive impact to the economic transformation of the country.