IT had to come in and it did in a bigger way than ever before as the country’s highest institution of learning celebrates its Golden Jubilee in style.
As part of the history recordings for the many achievements to its credit since inception in 1966 by Zambia’s founding fathers and mothers, as well as the cooperating partners, the institution has made it a must never to shy away from recording achievements for as long as it exists.
The latest recording of historical achievement happened at the 2016 Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) which is held in Ndola annually.
The University of Zambia (UNZA) has won the Grand Prize in the education and Training Services Provider category beating other universities and colleges that exhibited at the international fair which was held from June 29, 2016, to July 5, 2016,. UNZA has scooped the award for the second year running.
UNZA public relations manager Damaseke Chibale, who was part of the jubilant ‘Team UNZA’, says the highest institution of learning did all it could to make sure that it reached the apex of excellence in its quest to showcase the reasons why it was established.
“Last year, 2015, we won that same trophy during the 51st ZITF and this year, 2016, Zambia’s first and largest institution of higher education has returned the same award for a second time consecutively,” he says.
He says despite UNZA getting the trophy for the second consecutive year, that fact that this was happening in the Jubilee Year even adds more value to it.
He says the prize adds more value to the achievement because it is a special period of the institution as it begins a new chapter on its journey of being not only the first higher institution of learning in the newly independent Zambia but also one that has produced highly qualified labour found in all the sectors of the economy both in Zambia and  in other countries around the world.
He says the production of highly qualified manpower continues to be UNZA’s prime responsibility year in year out.
The 2016 ZITF was held under the theme ‘Enhanced Value Addition for Job Creation’, which UNZA managed to interpret from the human resource production perspective through teaching, training, research and community service.
He says from inception, UNZA has been producing quality graduates who have improved the human resource base needed for socio-economic development and industrial growth.
“As a fact, we have produced graduates who have significantly contributed to the health, economic, political, agriculture and livestock sectors. Moreover, UNZA has played a pivotal role in the development of the mining, commerce and industry sectors by producing graduates and researches that have reshaped the business landscape of the country,” he says.
Further, UNZA has been the only university in the country and the sub-region to produce quality lawyers that have promoted and implemented justice in the country through the judiciary.
Most accomplished lawyers were trained by UNZA through the reputable School of Law which has continued to churn out the best calibre of the learned women and men.
“School leavers and those who pursue additional academic qualifications are subjected to a rigorous value addition system of training which, ultimately, produces quality graduates needed by Government, industry, commerce and society at large,” Mr Chibale says.
As the institution continues to celebrate its Golden Jubilee, it will continue to provide quality education services through teaching, research and community service with a view to enhance value addition for job creation for Zambian citizens.
“This year’s ZITF award has been dedicated to both staff and students for their unceasing commitment to making UNZA a force to reckon with in Zambia, Africa and the world in general,” Mr Chibale says.
And in keeping with its desire to add value to the education programme, UNZA recently sanctioned developmental projects in partnership with universities in Turkey.
The educational trip to Turkey is said to have been critical and strategic to the development and growth of the UNZA, especially amid various constraints.
UNZA signed collaborations or agreements with Turkish universities Gediz and Fatih.
The Turkish universities and UNZA agreed on the importance and the usefulness of establishing mutual scientific, educational and cultural programmes and this was done on Monday, November 16, 2015.
After signing an agreement with Gediz University, UNZA will have to undertake the following developmental projects:-
•       Creation/development of a regional automotive engineering technology centre: Here, the Gediz University and the UNZA agreed to create and develop a regional automotive engineering technology centre that would develop new models of vehicles suitable for our region and the future.
•       Creation/development of a robotic technology centre
The other milestone achieved on this trip was the agreement by UNZA and Gediz University to develop the Robotics Technology Centre.
•       Development of Solar Energy Centre
And under this programme, the roof of the general car park at Gediz University is constructed using solar panels. The energy produced from the solar panels caters for 60 per cent of the university’s energy demand.
Gediz University offered to extend the solar energy technology to UNZA
so as to supplement energy supply from ZESCO.
These are but just a few projects the institution will undertake in
its quest to continue adding value to the educational system of the country.
The ZITF was graced by Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi as Guest of Honour and his Zambian counterpart, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu on Sunday, July 3, 2016.
The fair was full of pomp and splendor with so much to see for the fair goers.
Mr Chibale, with this grand achievement in the Jubilee Year, is very optimistic that come 2017, UNZA will bag the prize for the third time running at the ZITF because it has reached a level that no other university in the country at the moment can surpass its record of excellence.
“2017 ZITF, bring it on! We will get it again,” Mr Chibale says.