17/03/2026
LSU Pro Vice Chancellor’s Working Visit to CUT
The visit by Professor Thulani Dube, Pro Vice Chancellor of Lupane State University (LSU), and Dr Fortune Jomane, Director of the Innovation Hub, to Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) on March 16th, 2026, marked a significant step towards fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between the two institutions. During their comprehensive tour of CUT’s strategic business units, including the CUT Group of Hotels, the Innovation Hub, and the Agro-Industrial Park, they gained valuable insights into CUT’s innovative approaches to technology and entrepreneurship. The visit was characterised by engaging discussions with key university leaders, including Professor IDT Mpofu, the Pro Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Administration, Professor C. Murungweni, Dean of the School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, and Dr P. Chimwanda, the Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, in the Vice Chancellor’s boardroom. These interactions underscored the shared commitment to advancing higher education through innovation and practical business models.
Professor Dube expressed deep admiration for CUT’s achievements in promoting innovation and technology, emphasising the importance of adapting such successful models to LSU’s context. He underlined that LSU is in the process of establishing a hospitality venture in Hwange, similar to CUT’s hotel operations, and that learning from CUT’s experience could significantly streamline LSU’s efforts. The visit was seen as a valuable opportunity for LSU to learn from CUT’s strategic initiatives, particularly in the hospitality sector, to enhance the success and long-term sustainability of its upcoming ventures. By observing CUT’s operational models, management practices, and innovative approaches in hospitality, LSU aims to adopt best practices that can be tailored to its specific context. This knowledge transfer is expected to help LSU develop more effective business strategies, improve service delivery, and establish a solid foundation for its new hospitality project in Hwange. Ultimately, the insights gained from CUT’s experience will enable LSU to build a resilient, profitable, and sustainable hospitality enterprise aligned with its broader academic and research objectives. Professor Dube highlighted the importance of leveraging research and innovation to develop viable business cases that can generate third-stream revenue or funds generated from research commercialisation, consultancy services, and innovative business ventures, thus contributing to the financial resilience of higher education institutions in the country.