THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
ADDRESS BY THE CHANCELLOR
ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 30TH GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY AT RIVERSIDE CAMPUS
FRIDAY, 22ND APRIL 2022
THEME: “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INNOVATION
SALUTATIONS
- THE GUEST OF HONOUR, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR DOUGLAS SYAKALIMA, MP
- THE COPPERBELT PROVINCE - PROVINCIAL MINISTER, HONOURABLE ELISHA MATAMBO, MP
- THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR KWACHA CONSTITUENCY, HONOURABLE JOE MALANJI, MP
- COPPERBELT PROVINCE PERMANENT SECRETARY, MR AUGUSTINE KASONGO
- DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
- ALL MAYORS PRESENT
- ALL TOWN CLERKS PRESENT
- VICE – CHANCELLORS FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES;
- THE REGISTRAR, COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY, MRS. HELEN MWENYA MUKUMBA;
- PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY
- DEANS, DIRECTORS AND HEADS OF UNITS OF THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY PRESENT;
- ESTEEMED SPONSORS;
- MEMBERS OF THE PRESS;
- ALL GRADUANDS;
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
GREETINGS!
IT IS WITH PROFOUND GRATITUDE AND A SINGULAR HONOUR TO YET AGAIN WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE 30TH GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY.
GRADUATION IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE SHARED BY PARENTS, SIBLINGS AND FRIENDS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS OF GRADUATES. HOWEVER, IT’S NO SECRET THAT GRADUATING IS A TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUT ACHIEVING THIS LEVEL OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS DURING A PANDEMIC IS EVEN MORE ADMIRABLE, AND I CONGRATULATE YOU ALL ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT.
COVID 19 REMAINS A BIG CHALLENGE STILL AFFECTING THE WAY BUSINESS AND COMMERCE ARE UNDERTAKEN. IN THE SPEECH AT THE 29TH GRADUATION CEREMONY I ALLUDED TO HOW COVID HAD MILITATED AGAINST THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. IT’S A WELL KOWN FACT THAT THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY GRADUATION CEREMONIES HAVE BEEN HELD ALWAYS DURING THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE YEAR AND NOT TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. THE CORANA VIRUS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS “COVID 19” PANDEMIC HAS INDEEND ALTERED THE LEARNING LANDSCAPE NOT ONLY FOR THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY BUT FOR ALL OTHER TETIARY INSTITUTIONS CAUSING A LAG IN PROGRAMMINGS. THE GLOBAL VILLAGE IS NOT THAT CERTAIN AS TO WHEN THE PANDEMIC WILL BE OVER.
ACTING VICE CHANCELLOR SIR, DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN; ALLOW ME TO RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF CIVIC LEADERS PRESENT FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND BEING PART OF THIS MILESTONE.
LET ME TURN TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS 30TH GRADUATION CEREMONY WHOSE THEME IS “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INNOVATION”. THE QUESTION WE MAY ASK IN THE FIRST PLACE IS WHAT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS AND WHAT IS INNOVATION? THE TERM SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS A CONCEPT THAT FIRST APPEARED IN THE BRUNDTLAND REPORT OF 1987, WARNING OF THE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND GLOBALIZATION, WHICH TRIED TO FIND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY INDUSTRIALIZATION AND POPULATION GROWTH.
THE REPORT REFERED TO ABOVE FOCUSED ON MULTILATERALISM— A METHOD OF DIPLOMATIC INTERACTION IN WHICH MULTIPLE COUNTRIES WERE TO PURSUE A COMMON GOAL, FOLLOWING INTERNATIONAL NORMS. IN ADDITION, THE REPORT INVESTIGATED THE ROLE OF HUMANS IN THE ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH THE FINDINGS OF THE REPORT, GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WERE ABLE TO CREATE THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
IN THIS CONTEXT, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CAN BE DEFINED AS AN APPROACH TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF A COUNTRY WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. IN THE NAME OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PRICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IS PAID IN THE FORM OF LAND DEGRADATION, SOIL EROSION, AIR AND WATER POLLUTION, DEFORESTATION, ETC. THIS DAMAGE MAY SURPASS THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING MORE QUALITY OUTPUT OF GOODS AND SERVICES.
THROUGH THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, NATIONS BECOME CONSCIOUS OF THE EVER INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS PLACED ON THE PLANET. AWARENESS IS KEY IN CREATING A BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THE PRESERVATION OF THE EARTH AND HUMANS.
TODAY, THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT HAS EMERGED AS THE LANGUAGE OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES. WE CAN USE TO UNDERSTAND OUR CONNECTIONS TO THE WORLD BECAUSE WE KNOW THE IMPACT OF OUR ACTIONS.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THEREFORE IS A CATALYST THAT MINIMISES ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EXISTING GENERATION WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
TO STRESS THIS POINT FURTHER, THE UNITED NATIONS REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO THIS CONCEPT THROUGH THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN 2015, ADOPTED BY ALL UNITED NATIONS MEMBER STATES THAT PROVIDED A SHARED BLUEPRINT FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET, NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE THROUGH THE 17 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS).
A PROSPEROUS SOCIETY RELIES ON A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING:
- PROVISION OF FOOD AND RESOURCES,
- SAFE DRINKING WATER AND CLEAN AIR FOR ITS CITIZENS
- ERADICATION OF POVERTY AND HUNGER, GUARANTEEING A HEALTHY LIFE
- UNIVERSALIZE ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS WATER, SANITATION AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
- SUPPORTING AND GENERATION OF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND DECENT WORK
- FOSTERING INNOVATION AND RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATING COMMUNITIES AND CITIES ABLE TO PRODUCE AND CONSUME SUSTAINABLY
- REDUCING INEQUALITY IN THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY THAT CONCERNING GENDER
- CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BY COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECTING THE OCEANS AND LAND ECOSYSTEMS
- PROMOTING COLLABORATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT SOCIAL AGENTS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.
ON THE OTHER HAND SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION MAY BE CONSIDERED AS AN APPROACH THAT APPLIES IN PARTICULAR TO THE MANNER IN WHICH WE DEVELOP AND ASSESS OR EVALUATE THE VALUE OF INNOVATION THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO ENSURE POSITIVE AND LASTING LONG-TERM OUTCOMES.
DURING THE 29TH GRADUATION, I TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON THE SUBJECT OF INNOVATION AND SIMPLY STATED THAT IT WAS “A CONCEPT THAT REFERS TO THE PROCESS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATION UNDERTAKES TO CONCEPTUALIZE BRAND NEW PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, AND IDEAS, OR TO APPROACH EXISTING PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, AND IDEAS IN NEW AND NOVEL WAYS.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF INNOVATION FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS HAVE LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED. INNOVATION AND DIFFUSION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE INDISPENSABLE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH. THEY LEAD TO INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND TO THE CREATION OF WEALTH AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING, INCLUDING DECENT AND GREEN JOBS. INNOVATION IS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMOTING STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF ECONOMIES.
THERE ARE MANY SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE INVESTED IN INNOVATIONS TO TURN AROUND THEIR DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS FOR INSTANCE AS SWEDEN. SWEDEN HAS USED FIVE STRATEGIES FOR ITS INNOVATION NAMELY:
- A NATION OF INVENTORS
SWEDEN SCORED PARTICULARLY HIGH IN THE CATEGORY ‘KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY OUTPUTS’
- WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH INSTITUTES
ATTRACTED UNIVERSITIES TO GET INVOLVED IN INNOVATION PARKS TO PROVIDE SPACE WHERE SCIENTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS CAN MEET
- INVESTMENT BY MULTINATIONALS
ENGAGE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS TO FINANCE RESEARCH, DEVELOP AND PROVIDE VALUABLE LINKAGES BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND THE INDUSTRY.
- HIGH PROFILE GREEN INNOVATION PROJECTS
DEVELOPED STRONG TEAMS CAPABLE OF ATTRACTIVING, PROMOTING PIONEERING SPIRIT OF INNOVATION AND MOTIVATION
- HIGHLY SKILLED EMPLOYEES
ATTRACTED SKILLED EMPLOYEES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
HOW DO WE DEMONSTRATE THE ABOVE CONCEPTS FOR OUR LOCAL INNOVATION AGENDA?
- A NATION OF INVETORS
AS NATION WE NEED TO INCULCATE INNOVATION VALUES AND INQUIRY AT AN EARLY STAGE. THE APPROPRIATE VEHICLE UNDERTAKE THIS NURTURING OF INNOVATIONS IS AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL THROUGH THE JUNIOR ENGINEERS, TECHNICIANS AND SCIENTISTS (JETS). IT HAS BEEN A VIBRANT VEHICLE OF HIGH AMBITIOUS PUPILS WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING SOLUTIONS TO SOCIETAL PROBLEMS USING MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. HOWEVER, SUPPORT TO THIS ORGANISATION HAS WANED AND THERE IS NEED TO FIND MECHANISM OF DEVELOPING AND ENCOURAGING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH JETS.
- DEVELOPING INNOVATION HUBS AND INDUSTRIAL PARKS
INNOVATION HUBS PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR INNOVATORS AND RESEARCHERS TO DEVELOP THEIR INNOVATIONS UP TO PROTOTYPES WITH THE AID OF EXPERIENCED STAFF IN THE AREA OF TECHNICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS INCUBATION. THE DEVELOPED AND TESTED PROTOTYPES SHOULD BE ACCELERATED TO INDUSTRIAL PARKS WHERE GOODS AND SERVICES FROM INNOVATION PARKS ARE PRODUCED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
- LEVERAGING GREEN INNOVATION PROJECTS
IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES FACING THE NATION, THE UPND GOVERNMENT HAS CREATED THE MINISTRY OF GREEN ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS MINISTRY IS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CATALYSE DEVELOPMENT. FROM WHERE I STAND, THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY HAS THE NECESSARY REQUISITES IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS TO PARTNER WITH THE MINISTRY AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.
- ENGAGEMENT OF MULTI-NATIONAL TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONS
THERE IS NEED FOR THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY TO COLLABORATE WITH MULTI-NATIONALS TO SUPPORT INNOVATIONS. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DEVELOP MECHANISM OF ENCOURAGING MULTI-NATIONALS THAT SUPPORT INNOVATIONS AND RESEARCH THROUGH LOWERING TAXES AND REBATES. ALTERNATIVELY, BROADEN THE MECHANISM OF UTILISING THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT LEVY TO SUPPORT PREMIUM RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONS IN UNIVERSITIES
- ENCOURAGING COLLABORATIONS AMONG HIGHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING