Ellen Mlambo
MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO-Midlands State University (MSU) scooped six prestigious accolades and pocketed US$40 000 prize money at the recently held Presidential Innovation Fair awards ceremony.
MSU won in two categories, Best Innovation in Arts and Humanities for the Tsvakai drama series and best exhibition at the Innovation Fair and received US$5 000 in each category.
The College was also the first runner-up in two categories, Best Innovation in Health for establishing the National Pathology and Diagnostic Centre and Best Collaborative Research Innovation undertaken by industry and academia for the modified coal tar project, done in partnership with Zimchem Refineries and Verify Engineering. MSU received US$3 000 and US$5 000 in the categories.
MSU was also adjudged second runner-up twice in the Best Collaborative Project among Institutions category for the national diagnostic and pathology centre in partnership with Mutare Polytechnic and Best Innovating University and received US$20 000 each.
The awards fell into 17 categories that started this year to support Education 5.0, classifying universities as the key drivers of industrialisation. Fourteen Universities, nine Polytechnic colleges, seven teachers’ colleges and four industrial training colleges attended the event.
The awards organised and sponsored by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development were held from April 19-20, 2023, in Harare.
The institutions exhibited and were adjudicated by a panel of six adjudicators. The adjudicators went around institutions assessing innovations and various projects and submitted their findings to a team of reviewers.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the ceremony. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Amon Murwira, University Vice Chancellors, College Principals and other dignitaries attended the fair.
The biggest prize was the Grand Presidential Innovation of the Year Award, which went to Verify Engineering for the VE Gases project. They walked away with US$50 000 and a trophy.