Towards the Attainment of SDGs: The Contribution of Higher Education Institutions in Zimbabwe

Favourate Y Mpofu; Amos Mpofu; Fennie Mantula; George N Shava

doi:10.47814/ijssrr.v7i1.1719

Favourate Y Mpofu University of Johannesburg, College of Business and Economics, South Africa
Amos Mpofu National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, Department of Accounting, South Africa
Fennie Mantula National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, South Africa
George N Shava National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, Department of Technical and Engineering Education and Training, South Africa

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v7i1.1719

Keywords: Higher Education, Institutions, SDGs, Attainment, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The contribution of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Zimbabwe ro the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been debatable. Through a critical review of the literature, this paper sought to assess how HEI in Zimbabwe countribute to the attainment of the SDGs, ascertain the challenges affecting this contribution, and make recommendations on how the contribution of these institutions could be strengthened. The review established that HEIs play a fundamental role in contributing towards the attainment of the SDGs in Zimbabwe. The institutions countribute through Education 5.0 which is premised on the five pillars of teaching, research, community engagement, innovation and industrialization. For example, concerning teaching, HEIs contribute to the SDGs through knowledge creation, skills sharing and empowerment of students and communities. This skills development helps in career development, job creation, entrepreneurial development, innovation and economic growth. Regarding research, HEIs contribute by identifying reasearch gaps and problems relating to sustainable development, researching these and making recommendations that can inform policy developmemt and practice concerning the achievement of the SDGs. Even though there are notable contributions informed by the five pillars, there are also several challenges hindering the effective contribution of HEIs to the attainment of the SDGs. These include limited resources, bureaucratic constraints and a lack of coordination among HEIs and other stakeholders. The paper calls for a concerted effort from HEIs themselves and from the government and other stakeholders to enhance the contibution of HEIs to the attainment of SDGs and building a more sustainable and prosperous future for Zimbabwe.